SCARLETT.  Come!  Come!  We must prepare to feast! (To Resolute.) Think not to stir from here, Mistress.  Puritan feet can never outrun the heels of Merrymount!  Come, lads, let’s start, or the feast will not be ready.  Who goes with us?

ALL. 
I!  I!  And I!

SARAH. 
I’ll bide with my gran’am.

[Exeunt all the others, save Resolute, Sarah, and Goody Gleason.  There is a pause of a moment or so.  Sarah, seated on the ground by Goody Gleason, looks curiously at Resolute.  Resolute stares straight in front of her.

SARAH (rising, and bringing Resolute her spinning-stool).  Best to be seated, Mistress.  You’ll be a long time standing.  What!  Not even a word of thanks from a model of worshipful manners?  It must be a sad thing not to be able to use one’s tongue, Mistress Resolute.  Indeed, I pity you!

RESOLUTE.  Such words as I could speak would fall full strangely on Merrymount ears.

SARAH. 
I doubt it not.  We are not given to canting here at Merrymount.

RESOLUTE. 
I might give you such answer as those words deserve, did I not know
that they are the words of one who lives in sin and ignorance.

SARAH (crossing rapidly to left, her hands clenched, amazement and wrath in her voice).  Sin and ig——­Zounds!  A plague take you!

RESOLUTE
(turning:  her fingers in her ears). 
Oh!  Oh!  Now you are swearing!

SARAH. 
You little weazened, mincing, purse-mouthed Puritan!

RESOLUTE
(her fingers still in her ears). 
I do not hear a word that you are saying.

SARAH
(starting to pull Resolute’s fingers from her ears). 
I’ll make you hear, I warrant!

GOODY GLEASON
(moaning). 
Alack!  Alack!  Will the posset never be done?

SARAH (instantly remorseful).  Gran’am!  Your posset!  To think I could forget you! (Runs to fire.) And yet—­and yet——­(Looks in kettle.) Alas!  Alas!  I am not skilled in brewing.

RESOLUTE
(half against her will). 
There’s cure for ague in our forest herbs.

SARAH.  Oh, had I but your knowledge—! (With an effort towards healing the breach.) If you’ll take back your words about sin and ignorance, never again will I call you a mincing white-faced moppet—­even if you are one.

RESOLUTE(provokingly prim). 
I may not take back words that I have spoken.

SARAH. 
Then you are a prim-mouthed, white-faced jade, even as I have said.

RESOLUTE. 
And that you dwell in sin and ignorance becomes more and more certain.

[They face each other as if with crossed swords, left.

GOODY GLEASON
(sighing). 
Is the posset done?

SARAH
(despairing). 
I cannot tell whether it be done or no.

RESOLUTE (with her back turned).  If the brew be clear, then the posset is not yet done; but if a little wax float on the top——­(Sees Sarah’s perplexity, and comes to fire with the air of one bestowing wisdom.) All maids should know how to make healing potions.  I marvel that you’ve learned no hearthstone arts.