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ELSIE Thou？ And of whom？
FAIRFAX Why； of this Fairfax； surely！
ELSIE Of Colonel Fairfax？
FAIRFAX Aye。 Shall I be frank with thee？ Elsie I love thee；
ardently； passionately！ ＇ELSIE alarmed and surprised＇
Elsie； I have loved thee these two days which is a
long time and I would fain join my life to thine！
ELSIE Master Leonard！ Thou art jesting！
FAIRFAX Jesting？ May I shrivel into raisins if I jest！ I love
thee with a love that is a fever with a love that is
a frenzy with a love that eateth up my heart！ What
sayest thou？ Thou wilt not let my heart be eaten up？
ELSIE ＇aside＇ Oh； mercy！ What am I to say？
FAIRFAX Dost thou love me； or hast thou been insensible these
two days？
ELSIE I love all brave men。
FAIRFAX Nay； there is love in excess。 I thank heaven there are
many brave men in England； but if thou lovest them
all； I withdraw my thanks。
ELSIE I love the bravest best。 But； sir； I may not listen
I am not free I I am a wife！
FAIRFAX Thou a wife？ Whose？ His name？ His hours are
numberednay； his grave is dug and his epitaph set up！
Come； his name？
ELSIE Oh； sir！ keep my secret it is the only barrier that
Fate could set up between us。 My husband is none other
than Colonel Fairfax！
FAIRFAX The greatest villain unhung！ The most ill…favoured；
ill…mannered； ill…natured； ill…omened； ill…tempered
dog in Christendom！
ELSIE It is very like。 He is naught to me for I never saw
him。 I was blindfolded； and he was to have died within
the hour； and he did not die and I am wedded to him；
and my heart is broken！
FAIRFAX He was to have died； and he did not die？ The
scoundrel！ The perjured； traitorous villain！ Thou
shouldst have insisted on his dying first； to make
sure。 'Tis the only way with these Fairfaxes。
ELSIE I now wish I had！
FAIRFAX ＇aside＇ Bloodthirsty little maiden！
＇Aloud＇ A fig for this Fairfax！ Be mine he will never
know he dares not show himself； and if he dare； what
art thou to him？ Fly with me； Elsie we will be
married tomorrow； and thou shalt be the happiest wife
in England！
ELSIE Master Leonard！ I am amazed！ Is it thus that brave
soldiers speak to poor girls？ Oh！ for shame； for
shame！ I am wed not the less because I love not my
husband。 I am a wife； sir； and I have a duty； and oh；
sir！ thy words terrify me they are not honest they
are wicked words； and unworthy thy great and brave
heart！ Oh；shame upon thee！ shame upon thee！
FAIRFAX Nay； Elsie； I did but jest。 I spake but to try thee
＇Shot heard
＇Enter SERGEANT MERYLL hastily
No。 18。 Hark！ What was that； sir？
（SCENE）
Elsie； Phoebe； Dame Carruthers； Fairfax。 Wilfred； Point；
Lieutenant； Sergeant
MERYLL Hark！ What was that； sir？
FAIRFAX Why； an arquebus
Fired from the wharf； unless I much mistake。
MERYLL Strange and at such an hour！ What can it mean！
＇Enter CHORUS excitedly
CHORUS Now what can that have been
A shot so late at night；
Enough to cause a fright！
What can the portent mean？
Are foemen in the land？
Is London to be wrecked？
What are we to expect？
What danger is at hand？
Let us understand
What danger is at hand！
＇LIEUTENANT enters； also POINT and WILFRED
LIEUT。 Who fired that shot？ At once the truth declare？
WILFRED My lord； 'twas I to rashly judge forebear！
POINT My lord； 'twas he to rashly judge forebear！
WILFRED Like a ghost his vigil keeping
POINT Or a spectre all…appalling
WILFRED I beheld a figure creeping
POINT I should rather call it crawling
WILFRED He was creeping
POINT He was crawling
WILFRED He was creeping； creeping
POINT Crawling！
WILFRED He was creeping
POINT He was crawling
WILFRED He was creeping； creeping
POINT Crawling！
WILFRED Not a moment's hesitation
I myself upon him flung；
With a hurried exclamation
To his draperies I hung；
Then we closed with one another
In a rough…and…tumble smother；
Col'nel Fairfax and no other
Was the man to whom I clung！
ALL Col'nel Fairfax and no other；
Was the man to whom he clung！
WILFRED After mighty tug and tussle
POINT It resembled more a struggle
WILFRED He； by dint of stronger muscle
POINT Or by some infernal juggle
WILFRED From my clutches quickly sliding
POINT I should rather call it slipping
WILFRED With a view； no doubt； of hiding
POINT Or escaping to the shipping
WILFRED With a gasp； and with a quiver
POINT I'd describe it as a shiver
WILFRED Down he dived into the river；
And； alas； I cannot swim。
ALL It's enough to make one shiver；
With a gasp； and with a quiver；
Down he dived into the river；
It was very brave of him！
WILFRED Ingenuity is catching；
With the view my King of pleasing；
Arquebus from sentry snatching
POINT I should rather call it seizing
WILFRED With an ounce or two of lead
I dispatched him through the head！
ALL With an ounce or two of lead
He dispatched him through the head！
WILFRED I discharged it without winking；
Little time I lost in thinking；
Like a stone I saw him sinking
POINT I should say a lump of lead。
ALL He discharged it without winking；
Little time he lost in thinking。
WILFRED Like a stone I saw him sinking
POINT I should say a lump of lead。
WILFRED Like a stone； my boy； I said
POINT Like a heavy lump of lead。
WILFRED Like a stone； my boy； I said
POINT Like a heavy lump of lead。
WILFRED Anyhow； the man is dead；
Whether stone or lump of lead！
ALL Anyhow； the man is dead；
Whether stone or lump of lead！
Arquebus from sentry seizing；
With the view his King of pleasing；
Arquebus from sentry seizing；
With the view his King of pleasing；
Wilfred shot him through the head；
And he's very； very dead！
And it matters very little
Whether stone or lump of lead；
It is very； very certain that
he's very； very dead！
LIEUT。 The river must be dragged no time be lost；
The body must be found； at any cost。
To this attend without undue delay；
So set to work with what dispatch ye may！
＇Exit LIEUTENANT
ALL Yes； yes；
We'll set to work with what dispatch we may！
＇Men raise WILFRED； and carry him off on their shoulders。
ALL Hail the valiant fellow who
Did this deed of derring…do！
Honours wait on such an one；
By my head； 'twas bravely done；
'twas bravely done！
Now； by my head； 'twas bravely done！
＇Exeunt all but ELSIE； POINT； FAIRFAX； and PHOEBE。
POINT ＇to ELSIE； who is weeping＇ Nay； sweetheart； be
comforted。 This Fairfax was but a pestilent fellow；
and； as he had to die； he might as well die thus as
any other way。 'Twas a good death。
ELSIE Still； he was my husband； and had he not been； he was
nevertheless a living man； and now he is dead； and so；