DON FEROLO WHISKERANDOS. What’s he, who bids us thus renounce our guard? BEEFEATER. Thou must do more—renounce thy love! DON FEROLO WHISKERANDOS. Thou liest—base Beefeater! BEEFEATER. Ha! hell! the lie! By Heaven thou’st roused the lion in my heart! Off, yeoman’s habit!—base disguise! off! off! [_Discovers himself by throwing off his upper dress, and appearing in a very fine waistcoat._] Am I a Beefeater now? Or beams my crest as terrible as when In Biscay’s Bay I took thy captive sloop? PUFF. There, egad! he comes out to be the very captain of the privateer who had taken Whiskerandos prisoner—and was himself an old lover of Tilburina’s. DANGLE. Admirably managed, indeed! PUFF. Now, stand out of their way. _Whisk._ I thank thee, Fortune, that hast thus bestowed A weapon to chastise this insolent. [_Takes up one of the swords_.] BEEFEATER. I take thy challenge, Spaniard, and I thank thee, Fortune, too! [_Takes up the other sword_.] DANGLE. That’s excellently contrived!—It seems as if the two uncles had left their swords on purpose for them. PUFF. No, egad, they could not help leaving them. _Whisk_. Vengeance and Tilburina! BEEFEATER. Exactly so—[_They fight—and after the usual number of wounds given_, WHISKERANDOS _falls_.] DON FEROLO WHISKERANDOS. O cursed parry!—that last thrust in tierce Was fatal.—Captain, thou hast fenced well! And Whiskerandos quits this bustling scene For all eter— BEEFEATER. —nity—he would have added, but stern death Cut short his being, and the noun at once! PUFF. Oh, my dear sir, you are too slow: now mind me.—Sir, shall I trouble you to die again? _Whisk_. And Whiskerandos quits this bustling scene For all eter— BEEFEATER. —nity—he would have added,— PUFF. No, sir—that’s not it—once more, if you please. DON FEROLO WHISKERANDOS. I wish, sir, you would practise this without me—I can’t stay dying here all night. PUFF. Very well; we’ll go over it by-and-by.—[_Exit_ WHISKERANDOS.] I must humour these gentlemen! _Beef_. Farewell, brave Spaniard! and when next— PUFF. Dear sir, you needn’t speak that speech, as the body has walked off. BEEFEATER. That’s true, sir—then I’ll join the fleet. PUFF. If you please.—[Exit BEEFEATER.] Now, who comes on? _Enter_ GOVERNOR, _with his hair properly disordered_. GOVERNOR. A hemisphere of evil planets reign! And every planet sheds contagious frenzy! My Spanish prisoner is slain! my daughter, Meeting the dead corse borne along, has gone Distract! [_A loud flourish of trumpets_.] But hark! I am summoned to the fort: Perhaps the fleets have met! amazing crisis! O Tilburina! from thy aged father’s beard Thou’st pluck’d the few brown hairs which time had left! [Exit.] SNEER. Poor gentleman! PUFF. Yes—and no one to blame but his daughter! DANGLE. And the planets— PUFF. True.—Now enter Tilburina! SNEER. Egad, the business comes on quick here. PUFF. Yes, sir—now she comes in stark mad in white satin. SNEER. Why in white satin?