RAT. Assuredly.
MRS. S. (_hastily--aside to POSTLETHWAITE_) See that he does.
_Exit hastily, L. D._
RAT. (_aside and agitated_) That cursed paper may betray me, and this
mad desperate game will have been played in vain.
POS. (_taking his arm and in a confidential manner_) Now between you
and me and the post, if Cousin Somerton was to say to you, what will
you give me for the chance of recovering my fifteen thousand pounds?
what would you feel disposed to offer?
RAT. Not fifteen thousand farthings.
POS. (_aside_) The devil.
RAT. But what of that; the loss of a few paltry thousand can never
lessen the intense affection you feel for your charming cousin.
POS. What do you mean by "intense affection?" I respect her--I like
her--so I did my grandmother, but it never would occur to me to fall
down and worship the ground she treads upon! besides to be candid with
you, I don't think she is the sort of woman to fret herself into
fiddlestrings about _me._
RAT. Indeed!
POS. No; besides, I put it to you, would it not be most selfish, most
unkind in me to take a mean advantage of her promise to marry me, and
compel my young and lovely relative to spend the remainder of her
existence with me in my second floor in Arabella Row, Pimlico.
RAT. (_grasping POSTLETHWAITE'S hand_) That sentiment does you honour!
Then she's at liberty to cancel her engagement to you? (_eagerly_)
POS. Yes, from this moment she's at liberty.
_Enter PEGGY running, L. U. E._
PEGGY. Where is he? (_comes down C._) Where's Mr. Superintendent? (_to
RATCLIFFE_) Oh, sir, (_seeing POSTLETHWAITE_) Lor, Master Percy, is
that you? (_throwing her arms round POSTLETHWAITE, then turning again
to RATCLIFFE_) Oh, sir, I've got such news. (_to POSTLETHWAITE_) Lor
bless'ee, I must have another buss. (_flinging her arms round
POSTLETHWAITE_)
POS. That'll do, Peggy; I appreciate your affection, but it rumples
one's front. (_arranging his shirt_)
PEGGY. (_to RATCLIFFE_) Then, sir--well, and so you must know that.
(_turning to POSTLETHWAITE again_) Lor love'ee. (_about to embrace him
again. POSTLETHWAITE turns away_)
PEGGY. (_to RATCLIFFE_) Well, sir, Sergeant Jones has just been here,
and says he to me--says he--tell my Superintendent, Captain Ratcliffe,
says he, that we've found the robber, says he.
POS. (_triumphantly_) And the money too, of course; not that my
intense affection for my charming cousin could ever be influenced by a
few paltry thousands more or less--no; I love her for herself alone.
PEGGY. It does my old heart good to hear you say that, because they've
neither found the robber nor the money yet.
POS. Pooh, what a stupid old fool you are. What have they found then?
PEGGY. A hat!
POS. A hat! I never heard of anything so absurd in all my life.
PEGGY. But it's a very peculiar hat--what they call a wide-awake--a
green one. (_POSTLETHWAITE here slowly raises his hand and feels his
head, then looks about him. RATCLIFFE notices his movements_)
PEGGY. Sergeant Jones found it under the window; but that's not
all--he says that the robber in making his escape must have fallen
into the green house, and that probably his clothes may have been cut,
or that pieces of glass may be sticking in him. (_POS. falls
behind--gives a sudden start of pain--then examines his coat tails and
finds one of them torn, fixes his hand on it. RATCLIFFE still
observing him_) But that's not all, there are footmarks on the gravel
walk, and as the gravel was only laid down yesterday, Sergeant Jones
says that some of it must be sticking to his boots. (_here
POSTLETHWAITE begins shuffling with his feet about, which he keeps up
incessantly_) But that's not all! as Joe Podger, the blacksmith was
going to his work this morning, he saw a man, a little short man, he
says, (_POSTLETHWAITE draws himself up and crosses to C._) drop from
that window, and he says he should know him again among a thousand.