up and leads her aside).
Here's my hand, done! Come along!

(The servants flock around him as they sing and gather closer and closer till he puts his hands over his ears and tries to get away from them. They crowd around and sing into his face and over his shoulders.)

Sher. (with hands at ears). Stop your cackling! You'll make me deaf!

Farmers. We are ready to choose, but one at a time, please.

(Girls drop back into line; farmers move about among them, Lionel and Plunket also, as if bargaining with them. Enter Lady Harriet, Nancy and Tristan in peasant costume.)

Lady H. Come on, John! Courage man! Nobody's going to hurt you!

Nan. Come, friend John! Don't look so scared. We'll take care of you!

Tris. John? O, im-pos-si-ble! O, pre-pos-ter-ous! I don't like this one bit. It is most unseemly. Yet—where beauty leads, love fain must follow.

Lady H. How gay they all seem! They at least are happy.

Tris. I know I am not! I never felt less jolly before (plaintively) in all my life. (Aside.) I feel as if I were going to cry. (Face works.)

(Plunket and Lionel approach the three and stand at a short distance, gazing at Lady H. and Nancy.)

Plun. Jove! There's a brace of darlings!

Lio. Yes, they are very pretty girls.

Plun. Rather slim built for hard work, though.

Lio. They might do house work?

Plun. Yes, they might serve indoors. I don't know—(pauses)

Tris. See those clodhoppers! How they stare at you. O, do be persuaded to leave this horrid, horrid place.

Lady H. and Nan (together). No, indeed. We like it and we are going to stay.

Tris. I think those fellows are very suspicious looking characters. A pair of rogues. Let's go (urging them by taking their arms).

Lady H. I'm not under your orders, sir. It is my pleasure to stay. I'll do exactly as I choose!

Tris. Well, I wash my hands of all responsibility. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Nan (sees that Plunket and Lionel are watching her). Those lads have an eye for a good thing, though. (To Tristan.) We'll take all the blame. No one shall say that you led us into mischief, poor dear!

Lady H. Yes, cousin, you are exonerated. Whatever happens, be it upon my own rash head. But I will not go! (Emphatically.)

Plun. (overhears last words). You hear, sir? She will not go with you. Don't annoy the girls any further. (To girls.) Call on us if he bothers you. (To Tris., who looks daggers.) But cheer up! There are plenty more maids yonder. Hi, girls (turns to the servants). Here's a chap wants a good maid, and he looks as if he could pay well, too.

Tris. Oh! what a beastly joke! He's taking liberties with me! (He looks scared and affronted.)

(Lady H. and Nancy laugh together over Tristan's plight as the girls come forward and surround him.)

All (chattering). I can mow, I can sew, I can reap, I can sweep, I can bake and make, I can boil and stew, I can churn and brew! (All speak different lines from the part just sung and make a great clatter and confusion. Tristan dodges among them and runs off, the girls following him.)

Lady H. He has taken refuge in flight!

Nan. Let's hope he won't forget us.

Lady H. (nervously). See those men. They are still looking at us.

Nan. They seem to have taken a fancy to us, that's plain.

Plun. (to Lionel). One of them would be just what we want, I think—-the younger one, now. (Nods at Nancy.)

Lionel. It would never do to separate them. See how shy they are.

Lady H. (to Nancy). That one seems quite bashful, doesn't he? I wonder how such peasants talk?

Nan. Bad grammar, for one thing.

Plun. (to Lionel). What are you afraid of? Go speak to them.

Lio. I'm afraid to.

Plun. Silly noodle! Just watch me. (Advances boldly as if to speak to the ladies, stops suddenly and goes back.)

Nan. The big one is dumb, too; aren't they stupid! Let's go.

Lady H. (turns to follow Tristan). I suppose we'd better—

(Hesitates and looks back at the