RACHEL If I decide that I love you, that I will be your wife—I will wear it this afternoon at the reception. Good-by. [Exit, right.]
RAVENSBANE Mistress Rachel!— [Solus.] God, are you here? Dear God, I pray to you—make me to be a man! [Exit, left.]
DICKON [Appearing in the centre of the room.] Poor Jacky! Thou shouldst ’a’ prayed to t’other one.
[He disappears. Enter, right, Richard and Mistress Merton.]
MISTRESS MERTON [Pointing to the wall.] That is the portrait.
RICHARD Indeed! The design is very like.
MISTRESS MERTON ’Tis more than like, Richard; ’tis the very same. Two and twenty years ago she embroidered it for him, and he would insist on wearing it for the portrait he was then sitting for.
RICHARD That same Goody Rickby!
MISTRESS MERTON A pretty girl!—and a wild young man was my brother. The truth comes hard to tell thee, Richard; but he was wild, Gilead was wild. He told me the babe had died. But God worketh His own righteousness. Only—he must be saved now; Rachel must be saved; we must all be saved.
RICHARD You feel sure—very sure, Mistress Merton?