Scene VII
Astraea, Arden, Homeware
HOMEWARE: Astraea, child! You, Arden, stand aside.Ay, if she were a maid you might speak first,But being a widow she must find her tongue.Astraea, they await you. State the factAs soon as you are questioned, fearlessly.Open the battle with artillery.
ASTRAEA: What is the matter, uncle Homeware?
HOMEWARE (playing fox): What?Why, we have watched your nice preliminariesFrom the windows half the evening. Now run in.Their patience has run out, and, as I said,Unlimber and deliver fire at once.Your aunts Virginia and Winifred,With Lady Oldlace, are the senators,The Dame for Dogs. They wear terrific brows,But be not you affrighted, my sweet chick,And tell them uncle Homeware backs your choice,By lawyer and by priests! by altar, fount,And testament!
ASTRAEA: My choice! what have I chosen?
HOMEWARE: She asks? You hear her, Arden?—what and whom!
ARDEN: Surely, sir!… heavens! have you…
HOMEWARE: Surely the old fox,In all I have read, is wiser than the young:And if there is a game for fox to play,Old fox plays cunningest.
ASTRAEA: Why fox? Oh! uncle,You make my heart beat with your mystery;I never did love riddles. Why sit theyAwaiting me, and looking terrible?
HOMEWARE: It is reported of an ancient folkWhich worshipped idols, that upon a dayTheir idol pitched before them on the floor
ASTRAEA: Was ever so ridiculous a tale!
HOMEWARE To call the attendant fires to account Their elders forthwith sat…
ASTRAEA: Is there no prayerWill move you, uncle Homeware?
HOMEWARE: God-daughter,This gentleman for you I have proposedAs husband.
ASTRAEA: Arden! we are lost.
ARDEN: Astraea!Support him! Though I knew not his design,It plants me in mid-heaven. Would it wereNot you, but I to bear the shock. My love!We lost, you cry; you join me with you lost!The truth leaps from your heart: and let it shineTo light us on our brilliant battle dayAnd victory
ASTRAEA: Who betrayed me!
HOMEWARE: Who betrayed?Your voice, your eyes, your veil, your knife and fork;Your tenfold worship of your widowhood;As he who sees he must yield up the flag,Hugs it oath-swearingly! straw-drowningly.To be reasonable: you sent this gentlemanReferring him to me…
ASTRAEA: And that is false.All’s false. You have conspired. I am disgraced.But you will learn you have judged erroneously.I am not the frail creature you conceive.Between your vision of life’s aim, and theirsWho presently will question me, I clingTo theirs as light: and yours I deem a denWhere souls can have no growth.
HOMEWARE: But when we touchedThe point of hand-pressings, ’twas rightly timeTo think of wedding ties?
ASTRAEA: Arden, adieu!
(She rushes into house.)