Thomas Otway: The Best Plays of the Old DramatistsOtway, Thomas
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Thomas Otway: The Best Plays of the Old Dramatists
Otway, Thomas
English drama -- 17th century; Otway, Thomas, 1652-1685
_Bloody-B._ Half-moon, sir! by your favour 'twas a whole moon.
_Four._ Brother, thou art in the right; 'twas a full moon, and
such a moon, sir!
_Sir Dav._ I doubt it not in the least, gentlemen; but, in the
meanwhile, to our business.
_Four._ With all my heart, so soon as you please.
_Sir Dav._ Do you know this Beaugard? He's a devilish fellow, I
can tell you that; he's a captain.
_Four._ Has he a heart, think you, sir?
_Sir Dav._ Oh, like a lion! he fears neither God, man, nor
devil.
_Bloody-B._ I'll bring it you for your breakfast to-morrow. Did
you never eat a man's heart, sir?
_Sir Dav._ Eat a man's heart, friend?
_Four._ Ay, ay, a man's heart, sir; it makes absolutely the
best ragout in the world: I have eaten forty of 'em in my time
without bread.
_Sir Dav._ O Lord, a man's heart! my humble service to you
both, gentlemen.
_Bloody-B._ Why, your Algerine pirates eat nothing else at sea;
they have them always potted up like venison: your well-grown
Dutchman's heart makes an excellent dish with oil and pepper.
_Sir Dav._ O Lord, O Lord! friend, friend, a word with you: how
much must you and your companion have to do this business?
_Four._ What, and bring you the heart home to your house?
_Sir Dav._ No, no, keeping the heart for your own eating.--I'll
be rid of 'em as soon as possible I can.
[_Aside._
_Four._ You say, sir, he's a gentleman?
_Sir Dav._ Ay, such a sort of gentleman as are about this town:
the fellow has a pretty handsome outside; but I believe little
or no money in his pockets.
_Four._ Therefore we are like to have the honour to receive the
more from your worship's bounty.
_Bloody-B._ For my part, I care for no man's bounty: I expect
to have my bargain performed, and I'll make as good a one as I
can.
_Sir Dav._ Look you, friend, don't you be angry, friend; don't
be angry, friend, before you have occasion: you say you'll
have--let's see how much will you have now--I warrant the devil
and all, by your good will.
_Four._ Truly, Sir Davy, if, as you say, the man must be well
murdered, without any remorse or mercy, betwixt Turk and Jew,
'tis honestly worth two hundred pounds.
_Sir Dav._ Two hundred pounds! why, I'll have a physician shall
kill a whole family for half the money.
_Bloody-B._ Damme, sir, how do ye mean?
_Sir Dav._ Damme, sir, how do I mean? Damme, sir, not to part
with my money.
_Bloody-B._ Not part, brother?
_Four._ Brother, the wight is improvable, and this must not be
borne withal.
_Bloody-B._ Have I for this dissolved Circean charms?
Broke iron durance; whilst from these firm legs
The well-filed, useless fetters dropped away,
And left me master of my native freedom?
_Sir Dav._ What does he mean now?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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