BUNNY. Perhaps you and your charming sister, Miss Arabella, will join
our little party below?
CAPT. H. }
} Delighted! I'm sure!
ARABEL. }
BUNNY. That's right! Miss Phoebe, as you have undertaken the
refreshment department, I presume, I need not remind you that the
cakes are totally incapable of handing themselves about; neither can
the negus ladle itself out.
PHOEBE. (_aside_) I must speak to poor Triptolemus. (_aloud_) I'll
just shut the window first.
BUNNY. Nonsense! I'll do that. (_rain_) Holloa! it's pouring with
rain. (_closes the shutters and bolts them_) There! Now then! (_he
offers his arm to ARABELLA--the CAPTAIN gives his to
CAROLINE--exeunt--PHOEBE following, and still looking anxiously at the
window as she goes out_)
PHOEBE. Oh! how I should enjoy myself, if I wasn't so uneasy about my
poor, dear Triptolemus! (_rain heard_) Oh, dear! oh, dear! he'll be
_drownded!_ I'm sure he will.
(_Exit door in flat--scene draws and discovers_)
SCENE FOURTH.--_Drawing Rooms; loud double knocks, bells, &c., as
scene opens; an apartment, with large folding doors in C., thrown
open, and shewing a corridor beyond, lighted with a candelabra or two
attached to the wall, and supposed to lead to the ball room at R.; the
apartment itself consists of a high window, with hanging curtains at
R. 2 E.; before and close to the window is a table, covered with
pastry, cakes, decanters, wine glasses, &c.; at L. are two small doors
close to each other; chairs, sofas, &c.; a card table in centre of
stage; two other card tables near wings, R. and L._
_At rising of curtain, CAROLINE is seen in the corridor at back,
receiving the GUESTS, who pass across towards C.; she accompanies
them; JONATHAN is standing before the sideboard, loading a large tray
with cakes and glasses of negus; he is dressed in an old-fashioned
long-tailed brown coat, a pair of blue plush breeches, white
stockings, and ankle boots, very high shirt collars above his ears; as
he fills the tray, he occasionally eats a cake and drinks a glass of
negus--Enter BUNNY (with a light flaxen wig) at C., followed by
PHOEBE, carrying cloaks, shawls, hats, &c., &c._
BUNNY. Now, Phoebe, take those articles of apparel into my study--make
haste. (_PHOEBE goes to one of the two small doors at back, L._) Not
there; don't you know that little door leads to the back staircase?
PHOEBE. Yes, sir, I forgot--I-- (_aside_) I don't know what I'm about!
(_enters at door, L._)
BUNNY. (_turning and seeing JONATHAN_) What's that? (_using his eye
glass and looking JONATHAN from head to foot_) Jonathan, step this
way, if you please, sir. (_JONATHAN advances, carrying the loaded
tray--turns JONATHAN'S shirt collars down_) Now go into the ball room,
and present the tray to each lady, at the end of the polka.
JONATH. Present the tray at the end of a poker.
BUNNY. Polka! In this way. (_taking the tray, and presenting it in a
graceful attitude_)
JONATH. Well, I don't mind if I do. (_taking a glass of negus, and
drinking it off_)
BUNNY. What the devil are you at? Now go along; (_giving JONATHAN the
tray_) and mind what you're about, or else I shall be under the
painful necessity of discharging you from my establishment.
_Exit JONATHAN, C. towards R._
_At the same moment, COCKLETOP enters at C. from L. carrying his hat
and black paletot over his arm--he is in evening costume, but very red
in the face, and looks slightly tipsy, he has a red worsted comforter
hanging loose round his neck, which he takes off as he enters, and
throws over his paletot._
BUNNY. (_L., seeing him_) Ah, Cockletop! better late than never! Well,
where's "our dear nephew?" our young Adonis from Cambridge, eh?
COCKLE. (_R., very loud_) Hush! (_then swaying about, and smiling
stupidly at BUNNY_)
BUNNY. Why, what's the matter?