Dan. Too late! She is not mine to give. Her father—he’s coming fur to take her from me. Oh, Geoffrey, he’s comin’ to take her from me, and I’m waiting here for the blow to fall! I’m waiting here for my death!
Geof. I did not come to seek her love—I know that that has gone from me for ever. Master Dan’l, she heard me deny her, and she believes that I spake in earnest. I’m going from her now—for ever; there’s no chance that she’ll ever see me again. I think I should go with a lighter heart if I knew that when I’m gone and there’s many a mile of stormy water betwixt us, some one would tell her that I’m not so bad and cruel and heartless as she thinks me—if some one would tell her that it was for her sake that I denied her—for her sake and for thine. I think I could go with a lighter heart if I knew she would be sure to think rightly of me in the end. That’s all I’ve got to say.
Dan. My lad, I’ve dealt hardly with thee, but I was sorely put about and not rightly master o’ myself. If it lay wi’ me, I’d give my girl to thee wi’ a light heart; but, my poor lad, it doan’t lay wi’ me now. He’s coming fur to take her from me! (Knock.) At last! at last! Sir Jasper is here. Get thee within there. (Pointing to inner room.) I have business wi’ this man.
[Exit Geoffrey into room as Dan’l opens door and admits Sir Jasper and Reuben.
Jas. So, Dan’l Druce, thou art the man who for fourteen long years has hidden my daughter away from me!
Dan. Sir, I am indeed he.
Jas. Oh, shame upon thee—shame upon thee!
Dan. I crave your mercy, for I knew not her father’s name till to-day.
Jas. Yet it would seem that, having learnt it, thou wouldst nevertheless have fled with her, had not this good fellow arrested thy flight.
Dan. I have naught to say that your honour’s kind heart will not more fitly say for me. We love one another dearly. Truly in the bitterness of my grief I had thought to flee with her, but my better self prevailed, and I stayed.