John Bull; Or, The Englishman's Fireside: A Comedy, in Five ActsColman, George
General
John Bull; Or, The Englishman's Fireside: A Comedy, in Five Acts
Colman, George
Comedy plays; English drama
_Mary._ Oh, yes; he has; he has brought me my father.
_Frank._ Your father!--from whom I made you fly!
_Mary._ Yes; he has brought a father to his child,--that she might
kiss off the tears her disobedience had forced down his aged cheeks,
and restored me to the only home, which could give me any comfort,
now.--And my father is here.
_Frank._ Here!
_Mary._ Indeed, I cou'dn't help his coming; and he made me come with
him.
_Frank._ I--I am almost glad, Mary, that it has happened.
_Mary._ Are you?
_Frank._ Yes--when a weight of concealment is on the mind, remorse
is relieved by the very discovery which it has dreaded. But you must
not be waiting here, Mary. There is one in the house, to whose care
I will entrust you.
_Mary._ I hope it isn't the person you sent to me to-day.
_Frank._ He! I would sooner cradle infancy with serpents.--Yet this
is my friend! I will, now, confide in a stranger:--the stranger,
Mary, who saved your life.
_Mary._ Is he here!
_Frank._ He is:--Oh, Mary, how painful, if, performing the duty of a
son, I must abandon, at last, the expiation of a penitent! but so
dependent on each other are the delicate combinations of probity,
that one broken link perplexes the whole chain, and an abstracted
virtue becomes a relative iniquity. [_Exeunt._
SCENE II.
_The Library._
_SIR SIMON ROCHDALE and his STEWARD, who appears to be
quitting the Room. JOB THORNBERRY standing at a little
Distance from them._
_Sir Simon._ Remember the money must be ready to-morrow, Mr.
Pennyman.
_Steward._ It shall, Sir Simon. [_Going._
_Sir Simon._ [_To JOB._] So, friend, your business, you say,
is--and, Mr. Pennyman, [_STEWARD turns back._] give Robin Ruddy
notice to quit his cottage, directly.
_Steward._ I am afraid, Sir Simon, if he's turned out, it will be
his ruin.
_Sir Simon._ He should have recollected that, before he ruin'd his
neighbour's daughter.
_Job._ [_Starting._] Eh!
_Sir Simon._ What's the matter with the man? His offence is attended
with great aggravation.--Why doesn't he marry her?
_Job._ Aye! [_Emphatically._
_Sir Simon._ Pray, friend, be quiet.
_Steward._ He says it would make her more unfortunate still; he's
too necessitous to provide even for the living consequence of his
indiscretion.
_Sir Simon._ That doubles his crime to the girl.--He must quit. I'm
a magistrate, you know, Mr. Pennyman, and 'tis my duty to discourage
all such immorality.
_Steward._ Your orders must be obeyed, Sir Simon. [_Exit STEWARD._
_Sir Simon._ Now, yours is justice-business, you say. You come at an
irregular time, and I have somebody else waiting for me; so be
quick. What brings you here?
_Job._ My daughter's seduction, Sir Simon;--and it has done my
heart good to hear your worship say, 'tis your duty to discourage
all such immorality.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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