LITMIR.BIZ

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      DUET. — TOM and BAB.

      TOM. O eyes that spoke to me of truth,

       Farewell, deceptive mirror!

      BAB. Thus you describe them, yet forsooth,

       You look into the mirror!

      TOM. Sweet mouth that pouted for my kiss,

       Farewell, sweet lying mouth!

      BAB. The words you’re using are amiss,

       Yet sweet you call my mouth!

      TOM. O heart that throbbed a tale untrue,

       Farewell, you falsely beat!

      BAB. Although it may not beat for you,

       The words you say are sweet.

      TOM. False one, farewell, I harm you not;

       To him depart, and scathless;

       Be mine to bear my dreary lot,

       Struck down by woman faithless.

       For you, a jilt, my heart has bled,

       My cup with grief you fill.

       Ah, tell me, empty little head,

       Why ‘tis I love you still?

      BAB. He loves me still, he loves me true,

       He worships at my feet.

       My heart may never beat for you,

       And yet your words are sweet.

      ENSEMBLE.

      TOM. BAB.

       ‘Tis so; yet joy be thine, Ah, how can joy be mine,

       Though hopeless future mine, If hopeless fate is thine?

       Farewell! Farewell!

      BAB (aside). Ah! am I sure that it is Jack whom I love

       best? And yet, my promise!

      JANE ANNIE steals downstairs.

      BAB. Fly, Tom! It is Jane Annie, the sneak!

      TOM hurries to window where JANE ANNIE meets him. The PROCTOR comes stealthily out of clock.

      PROCTOR. Name and college!

      TOM jumps through the window , PROCTOR seizes JANE ANNIE. BAB listens unseen.

      JANE A. Unhand me! I am Jane Annie, the model girl od the school.

      PROCTOR. You are Bab, the flirting-girl!

      JANE A. You are mistaken, I —

      PROCTOR. Mistaken! — I! Have I not told you that I am a Proctor?

      JANE A. It was Bab who was flirting, and I came to warn you.

      PROCTOR. Yes, it was Bab, and you are Bab. (Seeing BAB.) Girl, what is the name of this chit?

      BAB. That is Bab, sir, and my name is Jane Annie.

      JANE A. Oh!

      PROCTOR. Exactly! She has assumed your name.

      BAB. Oh, Bab, how could you!

      PROCTOR. I caught her in the act of eloping with an undergraduate through this window.

      BAB. Naughty!

      JANE A. You wicked little wretch! Sir, I am —

      PROCTOR. You are about to be shut up in your bedroom for the night. Which is her room, Jane Annie?

      JANE A. You —

      BAB. In the attic there.

      PROCTOR. Come!

      PROCTOR drags JANE ANNIE upstairs, and pushes her into her room.

      BAB. I hope poor Tom didn’t hurt himself, though I believe he went away blaming me. Men are so unreasonable!

      PROCTOR (coming down). Well, Jane Annie, why don’t you go to bed? A letter is thrown through the window.

      PROCTOR. A letter! and through the window!

      BAB (aside). Oh, it is from Jack! We are ruined!

      PROCTOR. It has no address. For whom can it be meant?

      BAB. Oh, give it to me, sir?

      PROCTOR. To you, child? Never! It is my duty to open it myself. (Opens and reads.) “Ten past nine.” Ten past nine! I am waiting for you in the garden.” Ha! what plot is this that I have unearthed? Who is waiting in the garden, and for whom?

      BAB (aside). Oh, what shall I do? Ha! Have I not heard that Miss Sims and he were sweethearts? (To PROCTOR.) Can you not see?

      PROCTOR. No, I can’t; and if I can’t, it’s perfectly certain that no one else can.

      BAB. I know whom the letter is from.

      PROCTOR. From whom, child?

      BAB. It is from Miss Sims.

      PROCTOR. From Dinah?

      BAB. Precisely.

      PROCTOR. And for whom is she waiting?

      BAB. Why, for you, of course. Oh, sir, have pity upon this poor lady’s heart.

      PROCTOR. Ha! “Ten past nine!” She means me! Of course it is addressed to me. “Ten past nine, I am waiting for you in the garden.” Excuse me, child! (Exit.)

      BAB. Oh, Jack is outside, and I do trust they will not meet. It was my only chance. Now I must put on my hat and coat and slip out to join him.

       Exit into bedroom. JANE ANNIE comes downstairs.

      JANE A. That little wretch Bab will find that ia m not so easily foiled. Let me see, I need darkness, because I am such a good girl. (Turns down the lights.) Oh! who is this?

       Enter JACK in a cloak.

      JACK. Bab, come! (Sees JANE ANNIE and runs forward.)

      JANE A. I am not Bab!

      JACK. Oh, Lord! the wrong one. (Takes to his heels, dropping the cloak in his haste.)

      JANE A. What a superior young man! His cloak! (Puts it on.) In this light she might mistake me for him! (Swaggers about in military fashion.) Oh, I will lay such a beautiful trap for her! (Retires to back of stage, and conceals herself by the curtain.)

       Enter BAB, dressed for travelling, and with several packages.

      BAB. Farewell, dear old school — the nicest school in the world to get away from! If I were only sure that I am not making a mistake! They say that there was a girl who eloped from here once, and that she was unhappy, and that her spirit still haunts these rooms. Tom, Tom! shall I take this final step which is to divide us? Oh! what is that?

      VOICES IN THE AIR.

       Little maiden, pause and ponder,

       Life is cruel, life is dreary.

       Little feet, why should you wander

       On to paths so rough and weary?

       Ere you snap the final link,

       Little maiden, pause and think!

      BAB. Oh, I am so frightened. What shall I do?

      JANE ANNIE comes forward, enveloped in JACK’s cloak.

      JANE A. Come!

      BAB. Jack, I cannot!

      JANE A. Quick!

      BAB. Oh, Jack, be good to me! Do be careful of this packet. It is awfully, awfully important. It is my curling tongs. (Gives packet.) The carriage is awaiting us, of course. That contains your letters Jack, and these are some little things — and take this bag. And now, darling, carry me down, for I am going to faint! She falls into JANE ANNIE’s arms, who lets the things fall, seizes her and screams. Ringing of bells, and general alarm.

      PRESS

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