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MUSICAL　INDUCTION：　　the　'Minuet'　from　'DON　GIOVANNI'


ACT　III。

The　stage　represents　Miss　Foster's　lodging　as　in　Act　I。

SCENE　I

DOROTHY；　R。；　at　tambour；　ANTHONY；　C。；　bestriding　chair；　MISS　
FOSTER；　L。C。

ANTHONY。　　Yes；　ma'am；　I　like　my　regiment：　　we　are　all　gentlemen；　
from　old　Fred　downwards；　and　all　of　a　good　family。　　Indeed；　so
are　all　my　friends；　except　one　tailor　sort　of　fellow；　Bosbury。　
But　I'm　done　with　him。　　I　assure　you；　Aunt　Evelina；　we　are
Corinthian　to　the　last　degree。　　I　wouldn't　shock　you　ladies　for
the　world　…

MISS　FOSTER。　　Don't　mind　me；　my　dear；　go　on。

ANTHONY。　　Really；　ma'am；　you　must　pardon　me：　　I　trust　I
understand　what　topics　are　to　be　avoided　among　females　…　And
before　my　sister；　too！　　A　girl　of　her　age！

DOROTHY。　　Why；　you　dear；　silly　fellow；　I'm　old　enough　to　be　your　
mother。

ANTHONY。　　My　dear　Dolly；　you　do　not　understand；　you　are　not　a　man
of　the　world。　　But；　as　I　was　going　on　to　say；　there　is　no　more　
spicy　regiment　in　the　service。

MISS　FOSTER。　　I　am　not　surprised　that　it　maintains　its　old　
reputation。　　You　know；　my　dear　（TO　DOROTHY）；　it　was　George
Austin's　regiment。

DOROTHY。　　Was　it；　aunt？

ANTHONY。　　Beau　Austin？　　Yes；　it　was；　and　a　precious　dust　they
make　about　him　still　…　a　parcel　of　old　frumps！　　That's　why　I　went
to　see　him。　　But　he's　quite　extinct：　　he　couldn't　be　Corinthian
if　he　tried。

MISS　FOSTER。　　I　am　afraid　that　even　at　your　age　George　Austin
held　a　very　different　position　from　the　distinguished　Anthony
Musgrave。

ANTHONY。　　Come；　ma'am；　I　take　that　unkindly。　　Of　course　I　know
what　you're　at：　　of　course　the　old　put　cut　no　end　of　a　dash　with
the　Duchess。

MISS　FOSTER。　　My　dear　child；　I　was　thinking　of　no　such　thing；
THAT　was　immoral。

ANTHONY。　　Then　you　mean　that　affair　at　Brighton：　　when　he　cut　the
Prince　about　Perdita　Robinson。

MISS　FOSTER。　　No；　I　had　forgotten　it。

ANTHONY。　　O；　well；　I　know　…　that　duel！　　But　look　here；　Aunt　
Evelina；　I　don't　think　you'd　be　much　gratified　after　all　if　I
were　to　be　broke　for　killing　my　commanding　officer　about　a
quarrel　at　cards。

DOROTHY。　　Nobody　asks　you；　Anthony；　to　imitate　Mr。　Austin。　　I
trust　you　will　set　yourself　a　better　model。　　But　you　may　choose　a
worse。　　With　all　his　faults；　and　all　his　enemies；　Mr。　Austin　is　a
pattern　gentleman：　　You　would　not　ask　a　man　to　be　braver；　and
there　are　few　so　generous。　　I　cannot　bear　to　hear　him　called　in
fault　by　one　so　young。　　Better　judges；　dear；　are　better　pleased。

ANTHONY。　　Hey…day！　what's　this？

MISS　FOSTER。　　Why；　Dolly；　this　is　April　and　May。　　You　surprise
me。

DOROTHY。　　I　am　afraid；　indeed；　madam；　that　you　have　much　to
suffer　from　my　caprice。　（SHE　GOES　OUT；　L。）


SCENE　II

ANTHONY；　MISS　FOSTER

ANTHONY。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this；　ma'am？　　I　don't　like
it。

MISS　FOSTER。　　Nothing；　child；　that　I　know。　　You　spoke　of　Mr。　
Austin；　our　dear　friend；　like　a　groom；　and　she；　like　any　lady　of　
taste；　took　arms　in　his　defence。

ANTHONY。　　No；　ma'am；　that　won't　do。　　I　know　the　sex。　　You　mark　my
words；　the　girl　has　some　confounded　nonsense　in　her　head；　and
wants　looking　after。

MISS　FOSTER。　　In　my　presence；　Anthony；　I　shall　ask　you　to　speak
of　Dorothy　with　greater　respect。　　With　your　permission；　your
sister　and　I　will　continue　to　direct　our　own　affairs。　　When　we
require　the　interference　of　so　young　and　confident　a　champion；
you　shall　know。　（CURTSIES；　KISSES　HER　HAND；　AND　GOES　OUT；　L。）


SCENE　III

ANTHONY

ANTHONY。　　Upon　my　word；　I　think　Aunt　Evelina　one　of　the　most　
uncivil　old　women　in　the　world。　　Nine　weeks　ago　I　came　of　age；
and　they　still　treat　me　like　a　boy。　　I'm　a　recognised　Corinthian；
too：　　take　my　liquor　with　old　Fred；　and　go　round　with　the
Brummagem　Bantam　and　Jack　Bosb…　。　。　。　O　damn　Jack　Bosbury。　　If
his　father　was　a　tailor；　he　shall　fight　me　for　his　ungentlemanly
conduct。　　However；　that's　all　one。　　What　I　want　is　to　make　Aunt
Evelina　understand　that　I'm　not　the　man　to　be　put　down　by　an　old
maid　who's　been　brought　up　in　a　work…basket；　begad！　　I've　had
nothing　but　rebuffs　all　day。　　It's　very　remarkable。　　There　was
that　man　Austin；　to　begin　with。　　I'll　be　hanged　if　I　can　stand
him。　　I　hear　too　much　of　him；　and　if　I　can　only　get　a　good　excuse
to　put　him　to　the　door；　I　believe　it　would　give　Dorothy　and　all
of　us　a　kind　of　a　position。　　After　all；　he's　not　a　man　to　visit
in　the　house　of　ladies：　　not　when　I'm　away；　at　least。　　Nothing　in
it　of　course；　but　is　he　a　man　whose　visits　I　can　sanction？


SCENE　IV

ANTHONY；　BARBARA

BARBARA。　　Please；　Mr。　Anthony；　Miss　Foster　said　I　was　to　show
your　room。

ANTHONY。　　Ha！　　Baby？　　Now；　you　come　here。　　You're　a　girl　of
sense；　I　know。

BARBARA。　　La；　Mr。　Anthony；　I　hope　I'm　nothing　of　the　kind。

ANTHONY。　　Come；　come！　that's　not　the　tone　I　want：　　I'm　serious。　　
Does　this　man　Austin　come　much　about　the　house？

BARBARA。　　O　Mr。　Anthony；　for　shame！　　Why　don't　you　ask　Miss
Foster？

ANTHONY。　　Now　I　wish　you　to　understand：　　I'm　the　head　of　this　
family。　　It's　my　business　to　look　after　my　sister's　reputation；
and　my　aunt's　too；　begad！　　That's　what　I'm　here　for：　　I'm　their
natural　protector。　　And　what　I　want　you；　Barbara　Ridley；　to
understand　…　you　whose　fathers　have　served　my　fathers　…　is　just
simply　this：　　if　you've　any　common　gratitude；　you're　bound　to
help　me　in　the　work。　　Now　Barbara；　you　know　me；　and　you　know　my
Aunt　Evelina。　　She's　a　good　enough　woman；　I'm　the　first　to　say
so。　　But　who　is　she　to　take　care　of　a　young　girl？　　She's　ignorant
of　the　world　to　that　degree　she　believes　in　Beau　Austin！　　Now　you
and　I；　Bab；　who　are　not　so　high　and　dry；　see　through　and　through
him；　we　know　that　a　man　like　that　is　no　fit　company　for　any
inexperienced　girl。

BARBARA。　　O　Mr。　Anthony；　don't　say　that。　　（WEEPING。）

ANTHONY。　　Hullo！　what's　wrong？

BARBARA。　　Nothing　that　I　know　of。　　O　Mr。　Anthony；　I　don't　think　
there　can　be　anything。

ANTHONY。　　Think？　　Don't　think？　　What's　this？

BARBARA。　　O　sir！　　I　don't　know；　and　yet　I　don't　like　it。　　Here's
my　beautiful　necklace　all　broke　to　bits：　　she　took　it　off　my　very
neck；　and　gave　me　her　birthday　pearls　instead；　and　I　found　it　
afterwards　on　the　table；　all　smashed　to　pieces；　and　all　she
wanted　it　for　was　to　take　and　break　it。　　Why　that？　　It　frightens
me；　Mr。　Anthony；　it　frightens　me。

ANTHONY　（WITH　NECKLACE）。　　This？　　What　has　this　trumpery　to　do
with　us？

BARBARA。　　He　gave　it　me：　　that's　why　she　broke　it。

ANTHONY。　　He？　who？

BARBARA。　　Mr。　Austin　did；　and　I　do　believe　I　should　not　have
taken　it；　Mr。　Anthony；　but　I　thought　no　harm；　upon　my　word　of
honour。　　He　was　always　here：　　that　was　six　months　ago；　and
indeed；　indeed；　I　thought　they　were　to　marry。　　How　would　I　think
else　with　a　born　lady　like　Miss　Dorothy？

ANTHONY。　　Why；　Barbara；　God　help　us　all；　what's　this？　　You　don't　
mean　to　say　that　there　was　…

BARBARA。　　Here　it　is；　as　true　as　true：　　they　were　going　for　a　
jaunt；　and　Miss　Foster　had　her　gout；　and　I　was　to　go　with　them；
and　he　told　me　to　make…believe　I　was　ill；　and　I　did；　and　I　stayed
at　home；　and　he　gave　me　that　necklace；　and　they　went　away
together；　and；　oh　dear！　　I　wish　I'd　never　been　born。

ANTHONY。　　Together？　he　and　Dolly？　　Good　Lord！　my　sister！　　And
since　then？

BARBARA。　　We　haven't　seen　him　from　that　day　to　this；　the　wicked　
villain；　and；　Mr。　Anthony；　he　hasn't　so　much　as　written　the　poor　
dear　a　word。

ANTHONY。　　Bab；　Bab；　Bab；　this　is　a　devil　of　a　bad　business；　this
is　a　cruel　bad　business；　Baby；　cruel　upon　me；　cruel　upon　all　of
us；　a　family　like　mine。　　I'm　a　young　man；　Barbara；　to　have　this
delicate　affair　to　manage；　but；　thank　God；　I'm　Musgrave　to　the
bone。　　He　bribed　a　servant…maid；　did　he？　　I　keep　his　bribe；　it's
mine　now；　dear　bought；　by　George！　　He　shall　have　it　in　his　teeth。　
Shot　Colonel　Villiers；　did　he？　we'll　see　how　he　faces　Anthony
Musgrave。　　You're　a　good　girl；　Barbara；　so　far　you've　served　the
family。　　You　leave　this　to　me。　　And；　hark　ye；　dry　your　eyes　and
hold　your　tongue：　　I'll　have　no　scandal　raised　by　you。

BARBARA。　　I　do　hope；　sir；　you　won't　use　me　against　Miss　Dorothy。

ANTHONY。　　That's　my　affair；　your　business　is　to　hold　your　tongue。　
Miss　Dorothy　has　made　her　bed　and　must　lie　on　it。　　Here's　Jack　
Fenwick。　　You　can　go。


SCENE　V

ANTHONY；　FENWICK

ANTHONY。　　Jack　Fenwick；　is　that　you？　　Come　here；　my　boy。　　Jack；　
you've　given　me　many　a　thrashing；　and　I　deserved　'em；　and　I'll
not　see　you　made　a　fool　of　now。　　George　Austin　is　a　damned
villain；　and　Dorothy　Musgrave　is　no　girl　for　you　to　marry：　　God
help　me　that　I　should　have　to　say　it。

FENWICK。　　Good　God；　who　told　YOU？

ANTHONY。　　Ay；　Jack；　it's　hard　on　me；　Jack。　　But　you'll　stand　my　
friend　in　spite　of　this；　and　you'll　take　my　message　to　the　man；　
won't　you？　　For　it's　got　to　come　to　blood；　Jack：　　there's　no　way　
out　of　that。　　And　perhaps　your　poor　friend　will　fall；　Jack；　think
of　that：　　like　Villiers。　　And　all　for　an　unworthy　sister。

FENWICK。　　Now；　Anthony　Musgrave；　I　give　you　fair　warning；　see　you
take　it：　　one　word　more　against　your　sister；　and　we　quarrel。

ANTHONY。　　You　let　it　slip　yourself；　Jack：　　you　know　yourself
she's　not　a　virtuous　girl。

FENWICK。　　What　do　you　know　of　virtue；　whose　whole　boast　is　to　be　
vicious？　　How