JUDY. Oh, you cruel, horrid wretch, to drop the pretty baby out at window. Oh, (_cries, and wipes her eyes_) you barbarous man! Oh, I'll make you pay for this, depend upon it. [_Exit in haste._ PUNCH. There she goes. What a piece of work about nothing! (_dances about and sings, beating time with his head, as he turns round, on the front of the stage._) [Illustration] _Re-enter JUDY with a stick; she comes in behind, and hits PUNCH a sounding blow on the back of the head before he is aware._ JUDY. I'll teach you to drop my child out at window. PUNCH. So--o--oftly, Judy, so--o--oftly! (_rubbing the back of his head with his hand_) Don't be a fool now. What you at? JUDY. What! you'll drop my poor baby out at window again, will you? (_hitting him continually on the head._) PUNCH. No; I never will again. (_she still hits him_) Softly, I say, softly. A joke's a joke. JUDY. Oh, you cruel brute! (_hitting him again_) I'll teach you. PUNCH. But me no like such teaching. What! you're in earnest, are you? JUDY. Yes, (_hit_) I (_hit_) am. (_hit._) PUNCH. I'm glad of it; me no like such jokes. (_she hits him again_) Leave off, I say. What! you won't, won't you? JUDY. No, I won't. (_hits him._) PUNCH. Very well, then, now come my turn to teach you. (_he snatches at, and struggles with her for the stick, which he wrenches from her and strikes her with it on the head, while she runs about to different parts of the stage to get out of his way_) How you like my teaching, Judy, my pretty dear? (_hitting her._) JUDY. O, pray, Mr. Punch--no more! PUNCH. Yes; one little more lesson. (_hits her again_) There, there, there! (_she falls down, with her head over the platform of the stage; and as he continues to hit at her she puts up her hand to guard her head_) Any more? JUDY. No, no; no more. (_lifting up her head._) PUNCH (_knocking down her head_). I thought I should soon make you quiet. JUDY (_again raising her head_). No. PUNCH (_again knocking it down, and following up his blows until she is lifeless_). Now, if you're satisfied, I am. (_perceiving that she does not move_) There, get up, Judy, my dear; I won't hit you any more. None of your shamming. This is only your fun. You got the headache? Why, you only asleep. Get up, I say! Well, then, get down. (_tosses the body down with the end of his stick._) SHOWMAN (_outside_). Oh, Mr. Punch, what have you done? You will have a ghost after you now. PUNCH. I don't care. SHOWMAN. You don't care? PUNCH. No; I've seen five ghosts. SHOWMAN. Five ghosts! What would you say were you to see one now? PUNCH. I'd knock him down. _Enter GHOST, which rises at back of the stage, stealthily advancing to the front._ SHOWMAN. Well, there is one coming now; look to your left. PUNCH (_looking right round the corner of the stage_). Here? SHOWMAN. No; the other way.