Rose. That’s it. Come girls—
Lady Millicent. [To Alice.] I pray he won’t find out about me.
[The old Grandmother has come slowly towards the middle of the green.
Grandmother. Ah, and my little wench will know how to pay back some of the vipers tongues which slandered her, when she sits on her velvet chair as a countess, the diamonds a-trickling from her neck and the rubies a-crowning of her head. Her’ll not forget the snakes what did lie in the grass. Her’ll have her heel upon they, so that their heads be put low and there shan’t go no more venom from their great jaws to harm she, my pretty lamb—my little turtle.
[The music begins to play and all those on the green form themselves for the dance. Lord Cullen and Susan stand side by side in front of the dais, and the Grandmother lights a pipe and smokes it as she watches the dance from below. At the end of the dance Lord Cullen, leading Susan, comes down from the dais and, followed by Lady Cullen and her ladies, passes between two lines of girls and so off the stage. The girls follow in procession, and lastly the Grandmother preceded by Jockie, beating his drum.
[Curtain.]
THE SEEDS OF LOVE
CHARACTERS
John Daniel, aged 30, a Miller.
Rose-Anna his sister.