JUDITH: Why do you call on Jim? He’s not come home yet? But I must go, before your son brings back ... Give me the bairn ... ELIZA (_withholding the baby_): Nay, daughter, not till I learn The father’s name. JUDITH: What right have you ... ELIZA: God kens ... And yet ... JUDITH: Give me the bairn. You’ll never learn The father’s name from me. ELIZA: Go, daughter, go. What ill-chance made you come to-day, of all days? JUDITH: Why not to-day? Come, woman, I’d ken that, Before I go. I’ve half a mind to stay. ELIZA: Nay, lass, you said ... JUDITH: I’ve said a lot, in my time. I’ve changed my mind. ’Twas Jim I came to see-- Though why, God kens! I liked the singing-hinny: Happen, there’ll be some more for me, if I stay. I find I cannot thrive on nettle-broth: And it’s not every day ... ELIZA: Judith, you ken. JUDITH: Ken? I ken nothing, but what you tell me. ELIZA: Daughter, I’ll tell you all. You’ll never have the heart ... JUDITH: The heart! ELIZA: To stay and shame us, when you ken all. JUDITH: All? ELIZA: When you talked of weddings, you’d hit the truth: And Jim brings home his bride to-day. Even now ... JUDITH: And Jim brings home ... ELIZA: I looked for them by this: But you’ve still time ... JUDITH: The bride comes home to-day. Brides should come home: it’s right a man should bring His bride home--ay! And we must go, my wean, To spare her blushes. We’re no company For bride and bridegroom. Happen, we should meet them, You must not cry to him: I must not lift My eyes to his. We’re nothing now to him. Your cry might tell her heart too much: my eyes Might meet her eyes, and tell ... It isn’t good For a bride to know too much. So, we must hide In the ditch, as they pass by, if we should chance To meet them on the road--their road and ours-- The same road, though we’re travelling different ways. The bride comes home. Brides come home every day. And you and I ... ELIZA: There’s nothing else for it. JUDITH: There’s nothing else? ELIZA: Nay, lass! How could you bide? They’ll soon ... But, you’ll not meet them, if you go ... JUDITH: Go, where? ELIZA: And how should I ken where you’re bound for? I thought you might be making home. JUDITH: Home--home! I might be making home? And where’s my home-- Ay, and my bairn’s home, if it be not here? ELIZA: Here? You’d not stay? JUDITH: Why not? Have I no right? ELIZA: If you’ll not go for my sake, go for Jim’s. If you were fond ... JUDITH: And, think you, I’d be here, If I had not been fond of Jim? And yet, Why should I spare him? He’s not spared me much, Who gave him all a woman has to give.