[MAY _turns to the stile and leans on it heavily_, _gazing across the field_. HARRY _sets off quickly down the road_. ACT II.—Scene 1. _The living room in the Brownings’ cottage_. _The room is divided by a curtain which screens the fireside end from the draught of the principal door_. _To the right of the fireplace is a door leading upstairs_. _Chairs are grouped round the hearth_, _and there is a table at which_ JANE BROWNING _is ironing a dress by the light of one candle_. DORRY _leans against the table_, _watching her_. JANE. [_Putting aside the iron_.] There, you take and lay it on the bed upstairs, and mind you does it careful, for I’m not a-going to iron it twice. [_She lays the dress carefully across_ DORRY’S _arms_. DORRY. Don’t the lace look nice, Gran’ma? JANE. You get along upstairs and do as I says, and then come straight down again. DORRY. Couldn’t I put it on once, Gran’ma, just to see how it do look on me? JANE. And get it all creased up afore to-morrow! Whatever next! You go and lay it on the bed this minute, do you hear? DORRY. [_Leaving the room by the door to the right_.] I’d like to put it on just once, I would. [JANE BROWNING _blows out the candle and puts away the iron and ironing cloth_. _She stirs up the fire and then sits down by it as_ DORRY _comes back_. DORRY. Dad’s cleaning of himself ever so—I heard the water splashing something dreadful as I went by his door. JANE. ’Tis a-smartening of hisself up for this here dancing as he be about, I reckon. DORRY. [_Sitting down on a stool_.] I’d like to go along, too, and see the dancing up at the schools to-night, I would. JANE. And what next, I should like to know! DORRY. And wear my new frock what’s ironed, and the beads what Miss Sims gived me. JANE. [_Looking out at the window_.] I’m thinking as we shall get some snow by and bye. ’Tis come over so dark all of a sudden. DORRY. Couldn’t I go along of they, Gran’ma, and wear my new frock, and the beads, too? I never see’d them dance th’ old year out yet, I haven’t. JANE. Get along with you, Dorry. ’Tis many a year afore you’ll be of an age for such foolishness. And that’s what I calls it, this messing about with dancing and music and I don’t know what. DORRY. Katie Sims be younger nor me and she’s let to go, she is. JANE. You bain’t Katie Sims, nor she you. And if the wedding what’s to-morrow isn’t enough to stuff you up with nonsense, I don’t know what is. DORRY. I wish it was to-morrow now, Gran’ma, I do. Shall you put on your Sunday gown first thing, or wait till just afore we goes to church? JANE. How your tongue do go! Take and bide quiet a bit, if you knows how.