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To prevent all
Error mental。
POINT You on Elsie are to call
With a story
Grim and gory；
WILFRED How this Fairfax died； and all
I declare to
You're to swear to。
POINT I to swear to！
WILFRED I declare to；
POINT I to swear to！
WILFRED I declare to；
BOTH I to swear to；/I declare to；
You declare to；/You're to swear to；
I to swear to；/I declare to。
BOTH Tell a tale of cock and bull；
Of convincing detail full
Tale tremendous；
Heav'n defend us！
What a tale of cock and bull！
In return for your/my own part
You are/I am making； undertaking
To instruct me/you in the art
（Art amazing； wonder raising）
POINT Of a jester； jesting free。
Proud position
High ambition！
WILFRED And a lively one I'll be；
Wag…a…wagging；
Never flagging！
POINT Wag…a…wagging；
WILFRED Never flagging；
POINT Wag…a…wagging；
WILFRED Never flagging；
BOTH Never flagging；/Wag…a…wagging；
Wag…a…wagging；/Never flagging；
Never flagging；/Wag…a…wagging！
BOTH Tell a tale of cock and bull；
Of convincing detail full
Tale tremendous；
Heav'n defend us！
What a tale of cock and bull！
POINT What a tale of cock；
WILFRED What a tale of bull！
POINT What a tale of cock；
WILFRED What a tale of bull！
BOTH What a tale of cock and bull；
Cock and bull； cock and bull；
Heav'n defend us！
What a tale of cock and bull！
＇Exeunt together。
＇Enter FAIRFAX
FAIRFAX Two days gone； and no news of poor Fairfax。 The dolts！
They seek him everywhere save within a dozen yards of
his dungeon。 So I am free！ Free； but for the cursed
haste with which I hurried headlong into the bonds of
matrimony with Heaven knows whom！ As far as I
remember； she should have been young； but even had not
her face been concealed by her kerchief； I doubt
whether； in my then plight； I should have taken much
note of her。 Free？ Bah！ The Tower bonds were but a
thread of silk compared with these conjugal fetters
which I； fool that I was； placed upon mine own hands。
From the one I broke readily enough how to break the
other！
No。 16。 Free from his fetters grim
（BALLAD）
Fairfax
FAIRFAX Free from his fetters grim
Free to depart；
Free both in life and limb
In all but heart！
Bound to an unknown bride
For good and ill；
Ah； is not one so tied
A pris'ner still； a pris'ner still？
Ah； is not one so tied
A pris'ner still？
Free； yet in fetters held
Till his last hour；
Gyves that no smith can weld；
No rust devour！
Although a monarch's hand
Had set him free；
Of all the captive band
The saddest he； the saddest he！
Of all the captive band
The saddest； saddest he！
＇Enter SERGEANT MERYLL
FAIRFAX Well； Sergeant Meryll； and how fares thy pretty
charge；Elsie Maynard？
MERYLL Well enough； sir。 She is quite strong again； and
leaves us to…night。
FAIRFAX Thanks to Dame Carruthers' kind nursing； eh？
MERYLL Aye； deuce take the old witch！ Ah； 'twas but a sorry
trick you played me； sir； to bring the fainting girl
to me。 It gave the old lady an excuse for taking up
her quarters in my house； and for the last two years
I've shunned her like the plague。 Another day of it
and she would have married me！ ＇Enter DAME CARRUTHERS
and KATE＇ Good Lord； here she is again！ I'll e'en go。
＇Going＇
DAME Nay； Sergeant Meryll； don't go。 I have something of
grave import to say to thee。
MERYLL ＇aside＇ It's coming。
FAIRFAX ＇laughing＇ I'faith； I think I'； not wanted here。
＇Going＇
DAME Nay； Master Leonard； I've naught to say to thy father
that his son may not hear。
FAIRFAX ＇aside＇ True。 I'm one of the family； I had forgotten！
DAME 'Tis about this Elsie Maynard。 A pretty girl； Master
Leonard。
FAIRFAX Aye； fair as a peach blossom what then？
DAME She hath a liking for thee； or I mistake not。
FAIRFAX With all my heart。 She's as dainty a little amid as
you'll find in a midsummer day's march。
DAME Then be warned in time； and give not thy heart to her。
Oh； I know what it is to give my heart to one who will
have none of it！
MERYLL ＇aside＇ Aye； she knows all about that。
＇Aloud＇ And why is my boy to take heed of her？ She's
a good girl； Dame Carruthers。
DAME Good enough； for aught I know。 But she's no girl。
She's a married woman。
MERYLL A married woman！ Tush； old lady she's promised to
Jack Point； the Lieutenant's new jester。
DAME Tush in thy teeth； old man！ As my niece Kate sat by
her bedside to…day； this Elsie slept； and as she slept
she moaned and groaned； and turned this way and that
way and； 〃How shall I marry one I have never seen？〃
quoth she then； 〃An hundred crowns！〃 quoth she
then；〃Is it certain he will die in an hour？〃 quoth
she then； 〃I love him not； and yet I am his wife；〃
quoth she！ Is it not so； Kate？
KATE Aye； aunt； 'tis even so。
FAIRFAX Art thou sure of all this？
KATE Aye； sir； for I wrote it all down on my tablets。
DAME Now； mark my words： it was of this Fairfax she spake；
and he is her husband； or I'll swallow my kirtle！
MERYLL ＇aside＇ Is it true； sir？
FAIRFAX ＇aside to MERYLL＇ True？ Why； the girl was raving！
＇Aloud＇ Why shoul