380 Nc Hc As T G1 * T painte< 26 THE YOUNG QUAKER. [ACT II. make Shadrach give up the mortgage, and I'll back to Aldermanbury. No more Grosvenor Streets for me! Young S. What, not entertain the angel Araminta?Oh, thou wrinkled reprobate ! Amb. As the ladies design you the honour of a visit, Mr. Chronicle, I don't see how you can get off. Young S. No, thou canst not get off. Chr. What the devil brought me on? Pray, what will Chr. Nay, you won't. Young S. I'll lay thee five guineas of that. Chr. Five guineas! [Aside.] Egad, I'll take him up— that would buy all! Young S. [Apart to Ambush.] Let us try if his avarice won't make him introduce his rival to his mistress.[Aloud.] Why, Chronicle, Captain Ambush should stand the expense-you know it's in his house. Chr. Gad, and so it is! Captain, do you like a brisk widow? If you do, egad, Lady Rounceval's a choice old girl! I'll introduce you to her this evening. Though you're soon to be a lord, a good jointure's no harm now. I'll tell you what this is-you're a worthy man; I'll let you be at the whole expense of this entertainment. Isn't it genteel of me-hey, Reuben? Young S. True. Consider, captain, 'tis in your own house. Chr. Right. What a scandal for any body to be at any expense under your own roof! Amb. Mine!-Why, you would have turned me out just now! Chr. Not I. Pay the mortgage, and come in here tomorrow night, and I'll be content with your lodgings at Mrs. Millefleur's. Amb. What! throw away my money to entertain your intended wife? No, no; I don't mind a few guineas, but in this you must excuse me. Chr. Then you won't lay out? Chr. No? Why, then, though you wear the king's cloth, you are a rank coward. Amb. How coward, sir? Chr. Yes, you're afraid to give a bit of supper to any. body. SCENE II.] THE YOUNG QUAKER. 27 Amb. [Laughing.] Ha, ha, ha! Well, then, to avoid the heaviest imputation on a soldier, I will be at the expense of this evening. Young S. There's a valiant captain for you! Chr. Captain!-A generalissimo! Young S. [Apart to Chronicle.] The coward was a good hint. Chr. [Apart to Sadboy.] Capital !-There I touched the captain! Zounds! what a treat he'll make! [Aside.] The things he'll lay in will keep my family these three weeks. Amb. Well, I'll go and give orders for the entertain ment. [Exit, L. Chr. Do so; and I'll trot to Lad Lane, to meet Shadrach. Young S. Well, Chronicle, this is a test of human nature: in vain thou didst offer love and interest,-honour is a spring that actuates every English soldier! Isn't the captain a brave fellow, Chronicle? Chr. Brave! He has the soul of a Wolfe in the body of an Elliot! SCENE II. [Exeunt, L. A Parlour at an Inn-a table and two chairs, c. Enter two WAITERS, meeting, R. and L. First W. (R.) Who's come in the Plymouth Diligence? Second W. (L.) [Laying down a small trunk.] A young Quaker-looking girl, a Jew, and a naval officer. They have been robbed, it seems, coming to town. [Looking off, L.] Oh, here comes the Jew. [A bell rings, R. First W. Coming, sir-coming! [Exit, R. Enter SHADRACH, with a portmanteau, L. Second W. This way, your honour. If you please, I'll take care of your portmanteau. Sha. No, I vill take care myself—it is rather too much to be robbed twice in von day! Enter a Man, L., carrying a large trunk-he puts it down, and exits, L. Oh, you have brought my new trunk. Put it down, waiter. Did the porter take avay my letter? Second W. Oh, yes, sir, and is returned. Sha. If an oldish gentleman, von Mr. Chronicle, asks for me, send him dis way. 28 THE YOUNG QUAKER. [ACT II. Second W. Your name, pray, sir? Sha. Shadrach Boaz. Second W. Very well, sir. Sha. And, mind, de young woman dat came in de Dili gence, show her dis way. Second W. I will, sir. [Exit, L. American From de Sha. I am much in love wid dis pretty Quaker girl, but she's so confounded modest ! little I could pick up, she knows nopody here in town.Ecod! on second thoughts, our being robbed on the vay vas a good ting. Now she'll be poor; and a young voman widout money in London must be very honest indeed, if she'll stick at any ting to get it. Stay! dis is her trunk. Pity she's so much left! I fear dis trunk is my rival. Stay! nobody's coming; I'll tear off de direction for fear. Hey! what's dis? Dinah Primrose! Zounds! dis certainly must be old Chronicle's daughter;-I must get it avay before she comes-I must be quick. [Throwing it into the great trunk.] Oh, dear! where's de poor young voman's trunk gone! oh! some rogue has got it-some villain has cut it from behind de Dilly; and now she's left vidout any ting in de vide vorld! Yes, dat vill do; dis vay I shall have her; and, if she is my friend Chronicle's daughter, I vil have a handsome fortune before I marry her. But here she comes: how dismal and how pretty she looks! Enter DINAH PRIMROSE, L. Well, miss, how do you find yourself after your little refreshment? Dinah. (L. c.) But indifferent. Sha. (c.) Aye-not recovered de fatigue of your sea voyage. A long trip from America, love! Tell me, miss, is dere any ting dat I can do for you, as I know de town, and you seem to be a stranger? Dinah. I am a stranger! Sha. You have been very shy during our journey from Plymouth; but you vould place more confidence in me, if you knew vat an honest man vas. Do tell me, miss—are you come over to England, to your friends? Dinah. I have no friends! Sha. [Aside.] I am glad of dat! [Aloud.] Oh, dear! dat is a great pity; but I am sure you have von friend, and dat is myself. Dinah. [Aside.] This seemeth a righteous man, though a Jew. SCENE II.] THE YOUNG QUAKER. Sha. And you was brought up in America? 29 Dinah. Yea!-My father, by a run of cross accidents, thought it expedient to return to London; leaving me, then an infant, to the care of Mr. Sadboy, a wealthy Quaker in Philadelphia. Sha. Sadboy-in America! Vat is your name? Dinah. Dinah Primrose. Sha. [Aside.] Yes, yes, 'tis she! [Aloud.] Where are your parents, my life? Dinah. I hear my father is in England. Sha. And his name Primrose ? Dinah. Yea. Sha. [Aside.] She doesn't know he hath changed it to Chronicle. No, she'll never find him out! [Aloud.]Should you know your father, my sweet one? Dinah. Nay, 'tis so long since I saw him, every idea of his person is fled from my memory. Sha. [Aside.] Dat's good! [Aloud.] Have you any monies ? Dinah. Nay, the man that stopped our carriage, did leave none. Sha. [Aside.] I am glad of dat! [Aloud.] Ah, and the rogue did take all mine, except fifty guineas, dat I put in my wig. Ah, no staying at an inn widout money! Dinah. And where to go, I know not. Sha. If you vil go with me, miss, I shall take a pretty little lodging for you. Dinah. Friend, I thank thee. Sha. And I vill give you a draft for a little moneys upon Mr. Bulrush, one of de firm of our house in the Old Jewry, till you can vind your father. Dinah. If not, heaven repay the kind benevolence! Sha. We must try to get some snug, neat, reputable place. Miss, you must be very vary-dis is a very vicked town. I know all de vickedness of dis town, and de many snares laid to seduce such beautiful, sweet, innocent, lovely young girls as yourself. [Aside.] Yes, I shall have her! [Aloud.] Miss, have you any luggage? Dinah. [Going up L.] I have a small trunk. Re-enter SECOND WAITER, L. Second W. Sir, one Mr. Chronicle inquires for you. Chronicle. [Without, L.] Where's my friend Shadrach ? Sha. Miss, you had pest step into de next room. 3309 THE YOUNG QUAKER. Enter CHRONICLE, L. [ACT II. Chr. Ah! welcome to town, Shadrach! Servant, ma'am! Shadrach, is that the love affair? Sha. (c.) Yes, dat's de goods. Dinah. (R.) [To the Waiter.] Bring my portmanteau to my room; it has Dinah Primrose written on it. Chr. [Surprised.] Dinah Primrose! Sure, this can't be my Sha. [Putting Dinah out, R.] Miss, step into de next room, and I vill fetch your Chr. Hold! stop! Sha. Be quiet! Chr. Didn't she mention Dinah Primrose? Sha. [Sitting him down.] Yes, she did; sit down. Second W. Portmanteau! I see no portmanteau, not I! Chr. But, I say— [Exit, L. Sha. I say, be quiet-'tis very odd you can't be quiet! Sit down, I say!-you know I'm a man capable of vat you call friendship. Chr. Yes, you're a friendly fellow enough, in your way. Sha. I vill prove myself your friend. Chr. Do. Sha. You saw dat young ting dat vent out? Chr. What, the goods? Sha. Yes, shocking pad goods-a great rogue! Chr. Indeed!-How? where? Sha. At Plymouth. Chr. At Plymouth! Well! Sha. In conversation vid some of de good-natured girls dat vatches where de ships are paid off-You know my vay-I always listen. Chr. Yes, I know you do. But didn't she call herself Primrose-Dinah Primrose ? Sha. She did! she did! I overheard the scheme: she knows all apout your dealings mid Old Sadboy, de Quaker, in Philadelphia;-she comes from Philadelphia. Chr. The devil she does! Sha. Yes, and your having a daughter in his care, dat you haven't seen dese twelve years; and she's come to London to try to pass herself upon you for your daughter. I was shocked at her villany! Chr. I dare say you was. |