Janetta. | Where is my father? | |||
Cymon. | Your respected pater | |||
Is still asleep . You know, he rises later. And while I, here, am playing like an Orpheus, Gryndon the Miller's in the arms of Morpheus. |
||||
Janetta. | And who is Morpheus? | |||
Cymon. | He's the god .of. sleepers, | |||
He edits all the latest ev'ning peepers. | ||||
Janetta. | Papa does not suspect we love each other. He thinks .that I'm a fool and (hesitating.) you're another. |
|||
Cymon. | Why should we not elope?. | |||
Janetta. | We have no cash, | |||
Just now the man who' steals my purse steals trash. | ||||
Cymon. | Your father owes me wages for the mill, He owed 'em me last year, and owes 'em still, He says the blight has made him money lose, I feel the blight, but can't get my mill dues — Still if you'd marry — |
|||
Janetta. | We can't live, that's flat, | |||
On nothing. | ||||
Cymon. | No; there's something, tho', in that,' | |||
But if I only was a little wiser — | ||||
Janetta. | And. if my lather wasn't. such a miser — | |||
Cymon (enthusiastically). We might — | ||||
Janetta (enthusiastically). | We might — | |||
Gryndon (without, loudly). | Janetta! | |||
Janetta. | 'Tis my pappy! | |||
Cymon. | Farewell! | |||
(They are about to embrace, when a loud knocking is heard and kissing his hand to JANETTA exit hurriedly.) | ||||
Janetta. | He knocks; there's something on the tappy . |
(JANETTA unlocks the door, and enter from house GRYNDON, the Miller. Music, she curtsies to him.)
(CYMON appears at back carrying a sack, which he deposits by the window, then comes forward.)
|
Joe Gryndon |
Janetta. | Why don't you pay him, Pa? | |||
Gryndon (angrily). | What's that to you? | |||
Janetta. | Don't get your steam up, though you are a screw! | |||
Gryndon (angrily). Screw! (pathetically) This is cru-el, from my only child, | ||||
Who in her cradle often on me smiled — Whose lovely face — the image of her father — Shining from lots of yellow soap and wather — Reminds me that I've something got to say In private. Listen! (CYMON listens too, and GRYNDON turns |
||||
round on him) Cymon, go away. | ||||
Stop! take my crossbow, go and shoot some game; I've a guest coming — never mind his name. |
||||
Cymon. | I will provide your dinner, or a part; For sweets the Magpie or the Talking Tart — For .fish, the sole Bird is — 'tis not a story — The Jack Daw — he's first cousin to John Dory. If in mechanics you'd at dinner deal, You'd have a poulet and a little weal. |
|||
(GRYNDON kicks him off, and then returns to JANETTA.) | ||||
Janetta. | Well, now, the conversation for renewin' — Where were we? |
|||
Gryndon (grimly). | Ah! where are we, girl? In ruin, | |||
Yes, ruin stares us in .the face. Despair! | ||||
Janetta. | It's very rude of ruin, then, to stare, It's bearish; and, to add a "b" to ruin, This conduct's that of an untutor'd Bruin. |
|||
Gryndon. | Don't talk of brewin', when, my much-loved daughter, Henceforth we'll only get to drink cold water — Yes; o'er the workhouse it is written clear, "Allsopp's abandon ye who enter here." I cannot pay your dressmaker or milliner, Though I am willin', no papa is williner — Therefore, if you would have your dress and carriage, You must at once contract a noble marriage. That's the broad plan on which, my dear, I've acted — |
|||
Janetta (sarcastically). | ||||
That's .the broad plan of what's to be contracted. Whose wife do you propose that I shall be? |
||||
Servant (entering and announcing). | ||||
The Marky de Mincepie. | ||||
Janetta. | Mincepie! | |||
Gryndon. | 'Tis he! |
Enter the MARQUIS DE MINCEPIE.
|
Page modified 16 December 2012