Gold. Easy enough! you have pretty well eased me! Sil. There is your companion, Jack Milford; I shall be a heavy loser by him! Gold. Ah! it's all up with poor Jack! he's fixed at last! Sil. What do you mean? Gold. Old Dornton has sent the Nab-man after him! Sil. And arrested him? Gold. Yes, he's touched! Sil. [Crosses to R. and calls.] Jacob! Enter JACOB, r. Run as fast as you can to my good friend Mr. Strawshoe, the attorney, and tell him to take out detainers for all the debts I have bought up against Mr. Milford; make haste! Jacob. Yes, sir. [Exit R. Gold. I thought you were Jack Milford's friend too! Sil. So I am, Mr. Goldfinch; but I must provide for my family! Gold. Come, come !-The bit !-tellee I want the coal, directly! sale at Tattersall's to-morrow morning! three Pot eight O brood mares with each an Eclipse colt! would not lose 'em for all Lombard-street, so will you let me have the bit? Sil. Dear, dear! I tell you I can't, Mr. Goldfinch. Gold. Then some other Jew must. [Crosses to R. Sil. (L. c.) Jew! hear you! hear you! this is to be the friend of an ungrateful spendthrift! Calls me Jew! I, who go to morning prayers every day of my life, and three times to tabernacle on a Sunday! Gold (R. C.) Yes! you cheat all day, tremble all night, and act the hypocrite the first thing in the morning. [Going R. Sil. Nay, but stay, Mr. Goldfinch! stay! I want to talk to you! I have a scheme to make a man of you! Gold. What! bind me 'prentice to an usurer. Sil. Pshaw! you are in pursuit of the Widow Warren! Gold. Well. Sil. Now what will you give me, and I'll secure her to you? Gold. You? Sil. I. Gold. Which way? Sil. I have a deed in my power, I won't tell, you what, but I have it, by which I can make her marry the man I please, or remain a widow all her life; and that I am sure she will never do if she can help it. Gold. You a deed! Gold. Shew it me. Sil. Not for twenty thousand pounds !-Depend upon me, I have it! I tell you I'm your friend, and you shall have her; that is, on proper conditions;-If not, Mr. Goldfinch, you shall not have her. Gold. Indeed, Old Judas; well, what are your conditions? Sil. I find the late alderman died worth a hundred and fifty thousand pounds! Gold. Ay! Sil. Every farthing, Mr. Goldfinch! and my conscience tells me that, risk and character and all things considered, I must come in for my thirds. Gold. Your conscience tells you that! Sil. Yes, it does, Mr. Goldfinch;-fifty thousand is a fair price. Gold. For the soul of a miser. Sil. If you'll join me, say so. Sil. Not a farthing less! What, will there not be a hundred thousand remaining? Gold. Why that's true! It will cut a fine dash! Sil. To be sure it will! Come with me; I'll draw up a sketch of an agreement. After which we must fight cunning. The widow is a vain, weak woman. -You must get her written promise. Gold. Written? Sil. Under her own hand; with a good round penalty in case of forfeiture. Gold. Well said, old one. Sil. Not less than twenty thousand pounds! A jury would grant half. Gold. Damme you're a good one! Sil. That would secure something, and we would snack! Gold. Damme you're a deep one! Sil. Ah, ha, ha, ha! Do you think I am, Mr. Goldfinch ?-Signed on a stamp ! Gold. You know a thing or two! D Sil. Ah, ha, ha, ha! Do you think I do, Mr. Goldfinch? Gold. You can teach 'em to bite the bubble! Sil. Ah, ha, ha, ha! You joke, Mr. Goldfinch, you joke! Gold. But the devil will have you at last! Sil. Lord forbid, Mr. Goldfinch! Don't terrify me! I hate the devil, Mr. Goldfinch; indeed I do. I hate the name of him! Heaven keep me out of his fiery clutches ! Gold. No: he has you safe enough. Bait his trap but with a guinea, and he is sure to find you nibbling. Sil. Don't talk about the devil, Mr. Goldfinch! Pray don't! But think about the Widow: secure her. Gold. I must have the coal though this evening. Sil. Pshaw, Mr. Goldfinch, think less of the colts and more of the Widow! Get her promise in black and white. [GOLD. going R. Gold. [Turns back.] Tellee I must have 'em! Sil. All will then be safe. Gold. Must have 'em. [Exeunt, L. END OF ACT II. ACT III. SCENE I.-The House of the Widow Warren. Enter JENNY and SOPHIA, r, Jenny. (c.) Oh, Miss! I have got something for you. Sophia. (R. c.) Something for me! What is it? What is it? Jenny. [Holding her hand behind her.] What will you give me? Sophia. Oh, I'll give you.-[Feeling in her pocket } La, I've got no money! But I'll give you a kiss and owe you sixpence. Jenny. No. A shilling without the kiss. Jenny. There then. [Giving her a small parcel. Sophia. La! What is it? [Reads.] "To Miss Sophia Freelove." And such a beautiful seal! Its a pity to break it. [Opening the paper.] La! Nothing but a plum-cake! Jenny. Is that all? Sophia. [Considering.] Ecod!-Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ! I do think-As sure as sixpence it is !-It is!— Jenny. Is what? Sophia. Oh la, it is! Jenny. What's the matter with the girl? Sophia. Ecod, Jenny, it is the most curious plum-cake you ever saw ! Jenny. I see nothing curious about it! Sophia. [R. Kneeling.] Oh, but you shall see! Give me a knife!-Oh no, that would spoil all!-Look you, Jenny, look!-Do but look! [Breaks open the cake and finds a Valentine inclosed.] Ha, ha, ha, ha! I told you so! The sweet, dear-! [Kisses it.] Did you ever see such a plum-cake in your whole life, Jenny?And look here! [Opening the Valentine.] Oh, how beautiful!-The shape of a honey-suckle!-What should that mean?-And two doves cooing! But here!— Here's the writing: 66 The woodbine sweet, and turtle dove Ah! Were such peace and truth but mine, [Repeating.] Were such peace and truth but mine! Sophia. Oh yes, Jenny! He is the kindest, sweetest, handsomest gentleman! Jenny. You must give me that Valentine, Miss. Jenny. Yes; that I may shew it your mamma. Sophia. Indeed! but don't you think it! I would not give you this tiny bit of paper, no, not for a diamond as big-as big as the whole world!-And if you were to take it from me, I'd never love you, nor forgive you, as long as I live! Jenny. Oh! but indeed, Miss, I'm not obliged to keep secrets for nothing! Sophia. Nay, Jenny, you know I am very good to you. And here! -Here!-Don't tell ma', and I'll give this silver thimble. [Exit JENNY, L. SOPHIA retires to the back ground. Enter WIDOW WARREN and Mr. SULKY, K. Widow. (R.) You are a very shocking person, Mr. Sulky!-The wild man of the woods broke loose! Do return to your keeper, good Ourang Outang; and don't go about to terrify children! Sulky. (R.) I tell you, madan, Mr. Milford is arrested. Sophia. My brother? Sulky. Locked up at a bailiff's in the next street. Widow. (c) And pray now what is that to me? Widow. I am not arrested. Sulky. Would you were! Widow. Oh the savage! Sulky. The pitiless only should feel pain. The stonyhearted alone should be enclosed by walls of stone. Sophia. [Comes forward on L.] Don't be cross with ma', sir; I'm sure she'll release my brother. Widow. You are sure, minikin! Sophia. (L. C.) Yes, ma'; for I am sure no soul on earth would suffer a fellow-creature to lie and pine to death, in a frightful dark dungeon, and fed with bread and water. Sulky. (R. C.) Your late husband recommended the payment of his son's debts. Widow. Recommended? Sulky. Yes. Widow. But leaving it to my own prudence. Widow. Which prudence I shall follow. Sulky. It will be the first time in your life.-You never yet followed prudence, you always ran before it. Sophia. Nay, come, dear ma', I am sure you have a pitiful heart; I am sure you could not rest in your bed my poor brother was in prison. |