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Though gold； though gold should live
If wedded love must die？
Ere half an hour has rung；
A widow I！
Ah； heaven； he is too young；
Too brave to die！
Ah me！ Ah me！
Yet wives there be
So weary worn； I trow；
That they would scarce complain；
So that they could
In half an hour attain
To widowhood；
No matter how！
No matter how！
O weary wives
Who widowhood would win；
Rejoice； rejoice； that ye have time
To weary in。
O weary wives
Who widowhood would win；
Rejoice； rejoice； rejoice；
that ye have time
O weary； weary wives； rejoice！
＇Exit ELSIE as WILFRED re…enters。
WILFRED ＇looking after ELSIE＇ 'Tis an odd freak for a dying
man and his confessor to be closeted alone with a
strange singing girl。 I would fain have espied them；
but they stopped up the keyhole。 My keyhole！
＇Enter PHOEBE with SERGEANT MERYLL。 MERYLL remains in the
background； unobserved by WILFRED。
PHOEBE ＇aside＇ Wilfred and alone！
WILFRED Now what could he have wanted with her？ That's what
puzzles me！
PHOEBE ＇aside＇ Now to get the keys from him。
＇Aloud＇ Wilfred has no reprieve arrived？
WILFRED None。 Thine adored Fairfax is to die。
PHOEBE Nay； thou knowest that I have naught but pity for the
poor condemned gentleman。
WILFRED I know that he who is about to die is more to thee
than I； who am alive and well。
PHOEBE Why； that were out of reason； dear Wilfred。 Do they
not say that a live ass is better than a dead lion？
No； I didn't mean that！
WILFRED Oh； they say that； do they？
PHOEBE It's unpardonably rude of them； but I believe they put
it in that way。 Not that it applies to thee； who art
clever beyond all telling！
WILFRED Oh yes； as an assistant…tormentor。
PHOEBE Nay； as a wit； as a humorist； as a most philosophic
commentator on the vanity of human resolution。
＇PHOEBE slyly takes bunch of keys from WILFRED's waistband
and hands them to MERYLL； who enters the Tower； unnoticed
by WILFRED。
WILFRED Truly； I have seen great resolution give way under my
persuasive methods ＇working with a small thumbscrew＇。
In the nice regulation of a thumbscrew in the
hundredth part of a single revolution lieth all the
difference between stony reticence and a torrent of
impulsive unbosoming that the pen can scarcely follow。
Ha！ ha！ I am a mad wag。
PHOEBE ＇with a grimace＇ Thou art a most light…hearted and
delightful companion； Master Wilfred。 Thine anecdotes
of the torture…chamber are the prettiest hearing。
WILFRED I'm a pleasant fellow an' I choose。 I believe I am the
merriest dog that barks。 Ah； we might be passing happy
together
PHOEBE Perhaps。 I do not know。
WILFRED For thou wouldst make a most tender and loving wife。
PHOEBE Aye； to one whom I really loved。 For there is a wealth
of love within this little heart saving up for I
wonder whom？ Now； of all the world of men； I wonder
whom？ To think that he whom I am to wed is now alive
and somewhere！ Perhaps far away； perhaps close at
hand！ And I know him not！ It seemeth that I am wasting
time in not knowing him。
WILFRED Now say that it is I nay！ suppose it for the nonce。
Say that we are wed suppose it only say that thou
art my very bride； and I thy cherry； joyous； bright；
frolicsome husband and that； the day's work being
done； and the prisoners stored away for the night；
thou and I are alone together with a long； long
evening before us！
PHOEBE ＇with a grimace＇ It is a pretty picture but I
scarcely know。 It cometh so unexpectedly and yetand
yet were I thy bride
WILFRED Aye！ wert thou my bride？
PHOEBE Oh； how I would love thee！
No。 11。 Were I thy bride
（SONG）
Phoebe
PHOEBE Were I thy bride；
Then all the world beside
Were not too wide
To hold my wealth of love
Were I thy bride！
Upon thy breast
My loving head would rest；
As on her nest
The tender turtle dove
Were I thy bride！
This heart of mine
Would be one heart with thine；
And in that shrine
Our happiness would dwell
Were I thy bride！
And all day long
Our lives should be a song：
No grief； no wrong
Should make my heart rebel
Were I thy bride！
The silvery flute；
The melancholy lute；
Were night…owl's hoot
To my low…whispered coo
Were I thy bride！
The skylark's trill
Were but discordance shrill
To the soft thrill
Of wooing as I'd woo
Were I thy bride！
＇MERYLL re…enters； gives keys to PHOEBE； who replaces
them at WILFRED's girdle； unnoticed by him。 Exit
MERYLL。
The rose's sigh
Were as a carrion's cry
To lullaby
Such as I'd sing to thee；
Were I thy bride！
A feather's press
Were leaden heaviness to my caress。
But then； of course； you see；
I'm not thy bride。
＇Exit PHOEBE
WILFRED No； thou'rt not not yet！ But； Lord； how she woo'd； I
should be no mean judge of wooing； seeing that I have
been more hotly woo'd than most men。 I have been woo'd
by maid； widow； and wife。 I have been woo'd boldly；
timidly； tearfully； shyly by direct assault； by
suggestion； by implication； by inference； and by
innuendo。 But this wooing is not of the common order；
it is the wooing of one who must needs me； if she die
for it！
＇Exit WILFRED。 Enter SERGEANT MERRILL； cautiously； from
Tower。
MERYLL ＇looking after them＇ The deed is； so far； safely
accomplished。 The slyboots； how she wheedled him！ What
a helpless ninny is a love…sick man！ He is but as a
lute in a woman's hands she plays upon him whatever
tune she will。 But the Colonel comes。 I' faith； he's
just in time； for the Yeomen parade here for his
execution in two minutes！
＇Enter FAIRFAX； without beard and moustache； and dressed in
Yeoman's uniform。
FAIRFAX My good and kind friend； thou runnest a grave risk for
me！
MERYLL Tut； sir； no risk。 I'll warrant none here will
recognise you。 You make a brave Yeoman； sir！ So this
ruff is too high； so and the sword should hang thus。
Here is your halbert； sir； carry it thus。 The Yeomen
come。 Now； remember； you are my brave son； Leonard
Meryll。
FAIRFAX If I may not bear mine own name； there is none other
I would bear so readily。
MERYLL Now； sir； put a bold face on it； for they come。
No。 12。 Oh； Sergeant Meryll； is it true
（FINALE OF ACT I）
Ensemble
＇Enter YEOMEN of the Guard
YEOMEN Oh； Sergeant Meryll； is it true
The welcome news we read in orders？
Thy son； whose deeds of derring…do
Are echoed all the country through；
Has come to join the Tower Warders？
If so； we come to meet him；
That we may fitly greet him；
And welcome his arrival here
With shout on shout and cheer on cheer；
Hurrah！ Hurrah！ Hurrah！