Harry. No-yes, write it, however. Have it ready. Early to-morrow morning it shall all be paid. Officer. In the mean time there may be more detainers. Harry. Damnation! What shall I do?-run, send him!-and do you hear, a bottle of champaign and two rummers!-Rummers! Mind! Not a word to him![Exit OFFICEr, r. Five thousand ?-And more detainers! Enter OFFICER, R. with a Bottle and Glasses, and MILFORD following. Mil. [With surprise.] Mr. Dornton! Harry. [Lying on a table in the back ground.] How now, Jack! What's your wonder? I can't stay a moment with you, but I could not pass without giving you a call. Your hand, my boy, cheer up! Mil. (R.) [Coolly.] Excuse me, sir! Harry. Why, Jack!-Pshaw! cast away this gloom and be-Honest Jack Milford! You are now in tribulation; what of that? Why, man, the blessed sun himself is sometimes under a cloud! wait but till tomorrow!-Where is the wine! [Fills the rummers.] Come, drink and wash away grief! 'Sblood, never look frosty and askance, man, but drink, drink, drink. Mil. [Abruptly.] Sir! I am not disposed to drink. Harry. Here's confusion to all sorrow and thinking! -I could a tale unfold- ! But won't afflict you-I must fly-Yet I can do no good to-night- Hurrah! Jack! Keep up your spirits! Be determined, like me! -I am the vilest of animals that crawl the earth-Yet I won't flag!-I'll die a bold-faced villain!—I have sold myself-Am disinherited-Have lost-Ah, Sophia! ➡Hurrah, Jack!-Keep it up!-Round let the great globe whirl! and whirl it will, though I should happen to slide from its surface into infinite nothingnessDrink, my noble soul ! Mil. Your mirth is impertinent, sir! Harry. So it is, Jack-Damned impertinent! But ruin is around us, and it is high time to be merry! Mil. Sir? I must inform you that, though I have been betrayed by you, and imprisoned by your father, I will not be insulted! Harry. Betrayed by me? Mil. Ay, sir; I have had full information of your F mean arts! It was necessary I should be out of the way, that your designs on Mrs. Warren might meet no interruption. Harry. [Gets off the table.] Pshaw. Good day, Jack, good day. [Going, R. Mil. (c.) And pray, sir, inform your father I despise his meanness, and spurn at his malice! Harry. (R.) [Darting back to MILFORD.] Jack Milford-Utter no blasphemy against my father! I am half mad! I came your friend Mil. (c.) I despise your friendship. Harry. (c.) That's as you please. Think all that is vile of me. I defy you to exceed the truth-But utter not a word against my father! Mil. Deliberately, pitifully malignant! Not satisfied with the little vengeance he himself could take, he has sent round to all my creditors! Harry. 'Tis false ! Mil. False! Harry. A vile, eternal falsehood! Enter OFFICER, R. with papers and writs. Officer. (R.) Gentlemen, did you call? Harry. Interrupting him.] Leave the room, sir. Officer. But Harry. Angrily.] We are busy, sir! Officer. I thought Harry. I tell you we are busy, and must not be interrupted! [Exit OFFICER, R.] Mr. Milford, you shall hear from me immediately. [Exit HARRY, R. Mil. (L.) [After a pause.] What were those papers? Surely I have not been rash! Nobody but his father could have brought my creditors thus on me all at once! He seemed half drunk or half frantic: said he was ruined, disinherited. Talked something of to-morrow. What could the purport of his coming be? Well, sir? Enter OFFICEr, r. Officer. (R. C.) Here is a note, sir. Officer. The young gentleman. Mil. [Reads, aside.] "I understand you are at liberty." How! at liberty! [The OFFICER bows.Reads.] 66 I shall walk up to Hyde Park: you will Exactly at six." At li find me at the ring at six. berty! Officer. Your debts are all discharged. Mil. Impossible! Which way? By whom? Mil. No hesitation, but tell me by whom ! Officer. Sir-I thought I perceived some anger between you and the young gentleman? Mil. Ask no questions, sir; make no delays. Tell me who has paid my debts? Tell me the truth. Consequences you do not suspect depend upon your answer. Officer. I perceive, sir, there has been some warmth between you; and though the young gentleman made me promise silence and secrecy Mil. [Astonishment.] What then it was Mr. Dornton? [OFFICER, R. bows] Madman! what have I done! [Exeunt, R. SCENE III.-The House of Dornton. Enter HARRY DORNTON, followed by MR. SMITH, L. Harry. (L.) And the danger not yet past? Mr. Smith. (L.) Far from it. Mr. Sulky has twice brought us supplies, and is gone a third time. Harry. (c.) Brave spirit! He would coin his heart! My father supports it nobly! Mr. Smith. (R. C.) He is anxious only for you. Harry. Well, well. Ha, ha, ha! Tol-lol-I'll bring him relief. Comfort him, assure him of it. Ay, hear me, heaven, and-To-night is too late, but tomorrow all shall be well-excellent well! Mr. Smith. [Significantly.] You will marry the Widow. Harry. Have you heard? Ay, boy, ay-We'll marry. I will go and prepare her; we'll marry early in the morning, that all may be safe. I have told her the truth. She knows all-Why ay. [Looking at his watch.] The proctor's, the lawyer's, the Widow's, and-[Starts.]-at six !-The ring!-at six ! - Fiends! Who can say what may- -What, leave my father to perish? I'll not go; though all hell should brand me for a coward, I'll not go. Mr. Smith, take care of my father. Mark me, I recommend my father to you. [Exit, L. Enter MR. DORNTON, R. Dorn. (R.) Where is Harry? (c.) Did not I hear his voice? Mr. Smith. He is this moment gone, sir. Dorn. Gone!-where? Mr. Smith. Do you not suspect where, sir? Dorn. For what purpose? Mr. Smith To marry her. Dorn. Marry! The Widow Warren! Mr. Smith. And save the house by her fortune. Dorn. Generous Harry! Noble, affectionate boy! I'd perish first! [Walks about. Mr. Smith. He seems very resolute. He has already had six thousand pounds of her. Dorn. Marry her! I shall go mad! Where is Mr. Sulky? [Extremely agitated. Mr. Smith. He is just returned. I hear him in the counting-house. Dorn. Tell him I wish to speak with him. [Exit MR. SMITH, L] Harry Dornton and the. Widow Warren! I shall die in Bedlam! Enter MR. SULKY, L. a pen in his hand. Are we safe, Mr. Sulky? Sulky. (c.) For to-day, perhaps. Dorn. (c.) What bank have we to begin to-morrow? Sulky. I can't tell I fear not thirty thousand. Dorn. Mr. Sulky, you-you-you-have this day shewn yourself an active partner, and a sincere friend. Sulky. Humph. Dorn. I have long esteemed you! I esteem you more and more. Sulky. Humph. Dorn. My son, Harry-[Hesitating.] You are a very good man, Mr. Sulky; a compassionate man, though you don't look so. Sulky. Humph. Dorn. 'Tis pity to see so noble a youth-I am sure you would not wish him any harm, Mr. Sulky! I am sure you would not! Sulky. Whom? Dorn. Harry Dornton. Would you? Would you? Would you, Mr. Sulky? Sulky. A kind question. Dorn. Nay, I did not mean to be unkind, Mr. Sulky; you know I did not. Shall we not venture one step more to save him? Sulky. Save! Impossible! Ruin only can reform him! Total ruin. Dorn. You mistake, Mr. Sulky. His own misfortunes little affected him, but mine. He is struck to the heart! I know him! Sulky. So do I. Dorn. Struck to the heart! I'm sure on't! He'll be a good man! A great man! Sulky. Humph. Dorn. You know the Widow Warren, Mr. Sulky ? Sulky. Don't you? Dorn. I never saw her in my life. I hear she is full forty, her manners absurd, her character cruel, and her morals Sulky. Bad enough. Dorn. Six thousand great sum! I own it! to venture? Sulky. Venture what! pounds at this moment is a But do you think I ought not Dorn. To-to take it from our bank. Dorn. For-for the the relief of Harry Dornton. Sulky. What you please! Take all! What is it to me? Dorn. Nay, but, Mr. Sulky, you surely don't see the thing in the right light? Sulky. I can starve, like the rest! Dorn. Very well. Mr. Sulky Very well! I perceive you can be interested, and-and Sulky. And what? Dorn. Very well, Mr. Sulky! Very well! Sulky. I can stare bankruptcy in the face as steadfastly as you can. Dorn. Ay, ay, no doubt! The world is all alike! I am an old fool, and so shall live and die! Sulky. Why do you ask my advice? Take the money! Empty the coffers! Pour it all into his hat! Give him guineas to play at chuck-farthing, and bank bills to curl his hair! |