GEORGE. [_Advancing_.] Yes, us’ll have an end to it very shortly. But I be going to put a straight question to the maid first, and ’tis a straight answer as her’ll have to give me in reply. MILES. Not a word, not a word. Miss is sadly upset by your rude manners. GEORGE. Do you ask of the young lady but one thing, Master Hooper, and then I’ll go when you will. MILES. Well, my man, what’s that? GEORGE. Do you get her to speak the name as was given she at baptism, Mister Hooper. MILES. This is madness. My pretty Miss shall not be teased by such a question. Thomas, you’ll have to get this stupid fellow locked up, or something. GEORGE. [_Angrily_.] Her shall say it, if I stands here all night. [JOAN _suddenly bends forward and hides her face in her hands_, _her form shaken by violent weeping_. _The door opens and_ CLARA _enters followed by_ LORD LOVEL. _She has taken off her cap and apron_. JOAN. [_Raising her head and stretching out her hands to_ CLARA.] O speak for me, mistress. Speak for me and help. CLARA. I am Clara, she is Joan. Thomas, Emily, I pray you to forgive us both for taking you in like this. THOMAS. Well, I never did hear tell of such a thing. EMILY. I’m not going to believe a word the young person says. LORD LOVEL. She has told you but the truth, my good friends. EMILY. And who are you, to put your tongue into the basin, I’d like to know? CLARA. This is the nephew of my dear godmother. Lord Lovel is his name. EMILY. If you think I’m going to be took in with such nonsense, the more fool you, I says. LORD LOVEL. But all that Miss Clara tells you is true, Missis Spring. She and her serving maid, for certain reasons of their own, agreed to change parts for a few days. THOMAS. [_Turning to_ JOAN.] Is this really so, my maid? [JOAN _bows her head_, _her handkerchief still covering her face_. THOMAS. [_To_ CLARA.] Who ever would have thought on such a thing? CLARA. ’Twas a foolish enough thing, but no harm is done. Look up, Joan, and do not cry so pitifully. JOAN. [_Looking up at_ MILES.] You’ll never go and change towards me now that we’re most as good as wed, will you, Mister Hooper? MILES. [_Rising and speaking with cold deliberation_.] Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour to wish you all a very pleasant evening. THOMAS. Come, come Miles, we be all a bit turned in the head, it seems. But things’ll settle back to their right places if you gives them a chance. Sit you down and take a drink of sommat. EMILY. Don’t be so foolish, Thomas. As if a man what’s been stung by a wasp would care to sit himself down on a hornet’s nest. MILES. You are perfectly right, madam. This is no place for me. I have been sported with. My good name has been treated as a jest. JOAN. O Mister Hooper, ’twas my doing, all of it, but I did it for the best, I did.