A Vision of Venus; Or, A Midsummer-Night's Nightmare — John Shaqi
A Vision of Venus; Or, A Midsummer-Night's NightmarePleon, Harry
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A Vision of Venus; Or, A Midsummer-Night's Nightmare
Pleon, Harry
English drama -- 19th century
SECOND R. Why, give him a bit of bogie--tell him we got the statue in
a shed, get the money off him, tell him we'll go and fetch the figure,
and--do a guy.
FIRST R. Good on you! Your head's some good I see.
SECOND R. Come along; we've got no time to lose.
[_Exeunt._
SCENE III.--_Same as Scene I, Act I.--Lights half down, lime on.
ALPHONZO on ground, in the same position as he fell in the former
scene._
_VENUS speaks, through music--"Is this a dream?"_
VENUS. (_Speaking to Alphonzo._) Ah, yours has been a troubled sleep,
but now it's almost done!
Your seeming worry here to-night I'm sure has caused much fun.
Our humble aim has been to show to-night,
That happiness can only spring from right.
You young spark, though barbering your grade is,
Fancy you're Adonis when among the ladies.
Let this dream be a lesson--although in jest--
Be true to the one who loves you best.
Farewell, young spark, awake from seeming pain,
If this dream's a lesson taught, you have not dreamt in vain!
Awake--Awake--Awake!
(_Gong.--Flash.--Limelight off._)
_Enter JANE and AUGUSTUS from Pavilion._
JANE. Oh, where is Alphonzo? Perhaps he's killed himself through my
treating him so unkindly.
AUG. But, my dear young lady----
JANE. Don't "dear young lady me"! It's all through you. (_Trying to
find Alphonzo._) I wonder where he is? I left him here. Ah, here he
is! (_Sees him._) Ah, he is asleep. Wake up, Alphonzo! You'll catch a
cold. Wake up.
(_Shakes him._)
ALPH. (_Waking up._) A horse--a horse! A kingdom for a horse!
AUG. (_Calling._) Four-wheeler!
ALPH. (_Seizing him._) Liar and slave, I've set my life upon the cast,
and have sworn the hazard of the die! Six statues have I seen
to-day--alive--alive--alive, oh!
(_Throws Augustus down._)
JANE. Whatever is the matter, Alphonzo? You must be dreaming!
ALPH. (_Recovering himself._) Eh! Dreaming? (_Looks at the figure;
looks for ring. Finds it on ground._) Dreaming?--that's it! I've
dreamt it! Oh, I've had such a fearful dream--worse than the
jim-jams--but it's all right now! Here's the ring I bought, which I
thought I'd lost. (_Puts it on Jane's finger._) Now, will I be your
wife? I mean will you be my wife?
JANE. (_Shyly._) I don't know.
ALPH. Have me a week on trial! No, I don't mean that. You know what I
mean. Will you--eh, one, two, three?
(_They embrace._)
AUG. But what about me?
ALPH. Oh, you go to the devil!
AUG. Awfully rude, old chappie!
ALPH. Well, let's get back to town.
JANE. Well, wish your friends in front good night.
ALPH. Good-night, ladies; good-night, gentlemen. You have been and
seen my dream--I know you have, 'cause I heard you laughing! I thought
I was going to be imprisoned.
JANE. So you are! Ain't you asked me to marry you?
ALPH. Oh, yes; then we're both going to do time--we are going to be
transported for life.
(_Embrace.--Music, forte._)
CURTAIN.
ALSO BY THE SAME AUTHOR,
1,022. MULDOON'S PICNIC, A Transatlantic Comedy-Oddity, in Two Acts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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