'I will.'
'Wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband?'
He had turned towards the pretty peasant girl who stood there with her eyes cast down, and expectation was a-tiptoe. Before the eyes were lifted, and before an answer could be returned, another actor came upon the scene. The countryman who wore the dark blue cloth bound with crimson, stepped into the group from his place at the side of the curtain. He wore his broad- brimmed hat, but removed his domino as he came upon the stage. Yet he stood so that the audience were not in position to see his face. They heard his voice.
'There is a mistake here,' he said with and excellent French accent on his English. 'This lady is a—what you call—she has no power to dispose of herself.'
The clergyman looked somewhat doubtful and astonished; he had not been prepared for this turn of the play; but it was all in keeping, the interruption came naturally, quietly; he had to meet it accordingly. Stuart's face darkened; he knew better; nevertheless for him too there was but one thing possible, to go on and play the play. His face was all in keeping, too. The anger of the one and the doubt of the other actor were all proper to the action and only helped the effect.
'Diable! what do you want here?' the young peasant exclaimed.
'What is all this, sir? what is this?' said the old minister.
'What do you here, sir?'
'I come for the lady.'
'The lady don't want to see you, you fool!' exclaimed Stuart.
'You needn't think it.'
'What authority have you here, sir, to interfere with my office?' demanded the clergyman.