CUT. (_Aside._) Oh! this must be the old father she talks about.--Ha! you are the commander-in-chief of this concern, hey? COT. Probably I am, Mr. Cutaway. CUT. Cutaway! you know me, then? What a thing it is to be famous! Know me, and yet you were never introduced to me, to my knowledge. COT. Oh dear no; I used to see you through the glass door of my parlour, and I intercepted certain letters to my daughter. I saw your name, and I inquired into your connexion,--and saw no reason why I should not--cut the connexion. CUT. Very cutting, indeed. He's a sharp blade. Ha, ha! droll! funny! ha, ha! COT. Happy to find I can please you, sir; I thus return good for evil, since you by no means please me. CUT. Is there any way to please you? COT. Oh, certainly; the way to please me lies through yonder door: you can't think how prettily that door is painted on the outside. As for my daughter, sir,--I keep her present abode a secret. _Enter BOY, L._ BOY. Please, sir, your sister sent me to say that she, with your daughter, has been obliged to move to No. 19, Moonlight Street, owing to circumstances of the most peculiar nature. CUT. Ha, ha, ha! a most profound secret! Good by, commander-in-chief! next time you have a secret, mind you don't tell it by proxy. (_Exit, C. D._) COT. Stupid jackanapes! you must open your damned mouth so wide as to let the cat jump out! (_Exit BOY, L._)--A connexion of which I do not in the least approve;--but--oh, those fellows are at breakfast--Bolt! Mizzle! _Enter BOLT and MIZZLE, R._ BOLT. Yes, sir. COT. Listen!--pressing business obliges me to be absent till late to-night; I leave the shop to your care. BOLT. Thank'e, sir. MIZ. For your confidence, sir. COT. Which I know is not misplaced. (_BOLT and MIZZLE bow._)--On no account leave the premises. BOLT. Now, my dear sir, was not that request superfluous? MIZ. Of course, sir, without leave, we should never leave the shop. COT. You will excuse my mentioning it, however. All foremen and apprentices are--alas! not like you. There are several very wicked foremen and apprentices in the world. BOLT. Ah, I have heard so--I have read so--but never met any. MIZ. No; Bolt and I are very particular with whom we associate: evil communications, you know, sir---- COT. Right! Very correct, indeed. Robert Mizzle, if you always associate with such as Charles Bolt, you will doubtless at length reach an elevated post. MIZ. (_Aside._) Elevated post! I wonder if he means the gallows? BOLT. You flatter me, sir--you flatter me. I discharge my duty, sir, nothing else;--to be sure, taking care of the morals of this young man---- COT. Is a heavy charge;--I am aware of it. But I must go. Farewell, Bolt! Good by, Mizzle! Excellent steady creatures! Oh, were all like them, the tragedy of George Barnwell would never have been written. (_Exit, L. H._) BOLT. Ha, ha, ha! why don't you laugh, Mizzle? MIZ. Because I don't see any joke.