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diff --git a/2570.txt b/2570.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba403ae --- /dev/null +++ b/2570.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4673 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Men of Sandy Bar, by Bret Harte + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Two Men of Sandy Bar + A Drama + +Author: Bret Harte + +Posting Date: January 8, 2009 [EBook #2570] +Release Date: March, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO MEN OF SANDY BAR *** + + + + +Produced by Donald Lainson + + + + + +TWO MEN OF SANDY BAR + +by Bret Harte + + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE + + +The Prodigals. + +"SANDY".. Son of Alexander Morton, sen. + +JOHN OAKHURST.. His former partner, personating the prodigal son, Sandy. + + +COL. STARBOTTLE.. Alexander Morton, sen.'s, legal adviser. + +OLD MORTON.. Alexander Morton, sen. + +DON JOSE.. Father of Jovita Castro. + +CAPPER.. A detective. + +CONCHO.. Major-domo of Don Jose's rancho. + +YORK.. An old friend of Oakhurst. + +PRITCHARD.. An Australian convict. + +SOAPY & SILKY.. His pals. + +JACKSON.. Confidential clerk of Alexander Morton, jun., and confederate +of Pritchard. + +HOP SING.. A Chinese laundryman. + +SERVANT of Alexander Morton, sen.--POLICEMEN. + +MISS MARY MORRIS.. The schoolmistress of Red Gulch, in love with Sandy, +and cousin of Alexander Morton, sen. + +DONA JOVITA CASTRO.. In love with John Oakhurst, and daughter of Don +Jose. + +THE DUCHESS.. Wife of Pritchard, illegally married to Sandy, and former +"flame" of John Oakhurst. + +MANUELA.. Servant of Castro, and maid to Dona Jovita. + + +ACT I + +The Rancho of the Blessed Innocents, and House of Don Jose Castro. + +ACT II + +Red Gulch. + +ACT III + +The Banking-House of Morton & Son, San Francisco. + +ACT IV + +The Villa of Alexander Morton, sen., San Francisco. + + + + +COSTUMES + +ALEXANDER MORTON ("SANDY").--First dress: Mexican vaquero; black velvet +trousers open from knee, over white trousers; laced black velvet jacket, +and broad white sombrero; large silver spurs. Second dress: miner's +white duck jumper, and white duck trousers; (sailor's) straw hat. Third +dress: fashionable morning costume. Fourth dress: full evening dress. + +JOHN OAKHURST.--First dress: riding-dress, black, elegantly fitting. +Second and third dress: fashionable. Fourth dress: full evening dress. + +COL. STARBOTTLE.--First dress: blue double-breasted frock, and white +"strapped" trousers; white hat. Second dress: same coat, blue trousers, +and black broad-brimmed felt hat; cane, semper; ruffles, semper. Third +dress: the same. Fourth dress: the same, with pumps. + +YORK.--Fashionable morning dress. + +JACKSON.--Business suit. + +CONCHO.--First dress: vaquero's dress. Second dress: citizen's dress. + +HOP SING.--Dress of Chinese coolie: dark-blue blouse, and dark-blue +drawers gathered at ankles; straw conical hat, and wooden sabots. + +DON JOSE.--First dress: serape, black, with gold embroidery. Second +class: fashionable black suit, with broad-brimmed black stiff sombrero. + +OLD MORTON.--First, second, third, and fourth dress: black, stiff, with +white cravat. + +CAPPER.--Ordinary dress of period. + +MISS MARY.--First dress: tasteful calico morning dress. Second and third +dress: lady's walking costume--fashionable. Fourth dress: full dress. + +DONA JOVITA.--First dress: handsome Spanish dress, with manta. Second +dress: more elaborate, same quality. + +THE DUCHESS.--First dress: elaborate but extravagant fashionable +costume. Second dress: traveling dress. + +MANUELA.--The saya y manta; white waist, and white or black skirt, with +flowers. + + + + +TWO MEN OF SANDY BAR + + + + +ACT I + +SCENE 1.--Courtyard and Corridors of the Rancho. + + +MANUELA (arranging supper-table in corridor L., solus). There! +Tortillas, chocolate, olives, and--the whiskey of the Americans! And +supper's ready. But why Don Jose chooses to-night, of all nights, with +this heretic fog lying over the Mission Hills like a wet serape, to take +his supper out here, the saints only know. Perhaps it's some distrust of +his madcap daughter, the Dona Jovita; perhaps to watch her--who knows? +And now to find Diego. Ah, here he comes. So! The old story. He is +getting Dona Jovita's horse ready for another madcap journey. Ah! +(Retires to table.) + +Enter cautiously from corridor, L., SANDY MORTON, carrying lady's saddle +and blanket; starts on observing MANUELA, and hastily hides saddle and +blanket in recess. + +Sandy (aside). She's alone. I reckon the old man's at his siesta yet. Ef +he'll only hang onto that snooze ten minutes longer, I'll manage to let +that gal Jovita slip out to that yer fandango, and no questions asked. + +Manuela (calling SANDY). Diego! + +Sandy (aside, without heeding her). That's a sweet voice for a serenade. +Round, full, high-shouldered, and calkilated to fetch a man every time. +Only thar ain't, to my sartain knowledge, one o' them chaps within a +mile of the rancho. (Laughs.) + +Manuela. Diego! + +Sandy (aside). Oh, go on! That's the style o' them Greasers. They'll +stand rooted in their tracks, and yell for a chap without knowin' +whether he's in sight or sound. + +Manuela (approaching SANDY impatiently). Diego! + +Sandy (starting, aside). The devil! Why, that's ME she's after. +(Laughs.) I clean disremembered that when I kem yer I tole those chaps +my name was James,--James Smith (laughs), and thet they might call me +"Jim." And De-a-go's their lingo for Jim. (Aloud.) Well, my beauty, +De-a-go it is. Now, wot's up? + +Manuela. Eh? no sabe! + +Sandy. Wot's your little game. (Embraces her.) + +Manuela (aside, and recoiling coquettishly). Mother of God! He must be +drunk again. These Americans have no time for love when they are sober. +(Aloud and coquettishly.) Let me go, Diego. Don Jose is coming. He has +sent for you. He takes his supper to-night on the corridor. Listen, +Diego. He must not see you thus. You have been drinking again. I will +keep you from him. I will say you are not well. + +Sandy. Couldn't you, my darling, keep him from ME? Couldn't you make him +think HE was sick? Couldn't you say he's exposin' his precious health by +sittin' out thar to-night; thet ther's chills and fever in every breath? +(Aside.) Ef the old Don plants himself in that chair, that gal's chances +for goin' out to-night is gone up. + +Manuela. Never. He would suspect at once. Listen, Diego. If Don Jose +does not know that his daughter steals away with you to meet some +caballero, some LOVER,--you understand, Diego,--it is because he does +not know, or would not SEEM to know, what every one else in the rancho +knows. Have a care, foolish Diego! If Don Jose is old and blind, look +you, friend, we are NOT. You understand? + +Sandy (aside). What the devil does she expect?--money? No! (Aloud.) Look +yer, Manuela, you ain't goin' to blow on that young gal! (Putting his +arm around her waist.) Allowin' that she hez a lover, thar ain't nothin' +onnateral in thet, bein' a purty sort o' gal. Why, suppose somebody +should see you and me together like this, and should just let on to the +old man. + +Manuela. Hush! (Disengaging herself.) Hush! He is coming. Let me go, +Diego. It is Don Jose! + +Enter Don Jose, who walks gravely to the table, and seats himself. +MANUELA retires to table. + +Sandy (aside). I wonder if he saw us. I hope he did: it would shut that +Manuela's mouth for a month of Sundays. (Laughs.) God forgive me for it! +I've done a heap of things for that young gal Dona Jovita; but this yer +gittin' soft on the Greaser maid-servant to help out the misses is a +little more than Sandy Morton bargained fur. + +Don Jose (to MANUELA). You can retire. Diego will attend me. (Looks at +DIEGO attentively.) [Exit MANUELA. + +Sandy (aside). Diego will attend him! Why, blast his yeller skin, does +he allow that Sandy Morton hired out as a purty waiter-gal? Because +I calkilated to feed his horses, it ain't no reason thet my dooty to +animals don't stop thar. Pass his hash! (Turns to follow MANUELA, but +stops.) Hello, Sandy! wot are ye doin', eh? You ain't going back on Miss +Jovita, and jest spile that gal's chances to git out to-night, on'y to +teach that God-forsaken old gov'ment mule manners? No! I'll humor the +old man, and keep one eye out for the gal. (Comes to table, and leans +familiarly over the back of DON JOSE'S chair.) + +Don Jose (aside). He seems insulted and annoyed. His manner strengthens +my worst suspicions. He has not expected this. (Aloud.) Chocolate, +Diego. + +Sandy (leaning over table carelessly). Yes, I reckon it's somewhar thar. + +Don Jose (aside). He is unused to menial labor. If I should be right +in my suspicions! if he really were Dona Jovita's secret lover! This +gallantry with the servants only a deceit! Bueno! I will watch him. +(Aloud.) Chocolate, Diego! + +Sandy (aside). I wonder if the old fool reckons I'll pour it out. Well, +seein's he's the oldest. (Pours chocolate awkwardly, and spills it on +the table and DON JOSE.) + +Don Jose (aside). He IS embarrassed. I am right. (Aloud.) Diego! + +Sandy (leaning confidentially over DON JOSE'S chair). Well, old man! + +Don Jose. Three months ago my daughter the Dona Jovita picked you up, a +wandering vagabond, in the streets of the Mission. (Aside.) He does not +seem ashamed. (Aloud.) She--she--ahem! The aguardiente, Diego. + +Sandy (aside). That means the whiskey. It's wonderful how quick a man +learns Spanish. (Passes the bottle, fills DON JOSE'S glass, and then +his own. DON JOSE recoils in astonishment.) I looks toward ye, ole man. +(Tosses off liquor.) + +Don Jose (aside). This familiarity! He IS a gentleman. Bueno! (Aloud.) +She was thrown from her horse; her skirt caught in the stirrup; she was +dragged; you saved her life. You-- + +Sandy (interrupting, confidentially drawing a chair to the table, and +seating himself). Look yer! I'll tell you all about it. It wasn't that +gal's fault, ole man. The hoss shied at me, lying drunk in a ditch, you +see; the hoss backed, the surcle broke; it warn't in human natur for +her to keep her seat, and that gal rides like an angel; but the mustang +throwed her. Well, I sorter got in the way o' thet hoss, and it stopped. +Hevin' bin the cause o' the hoss shyin', for I reckon I didn't look much +like an angel lyin' in that ditch, it was about the only squar thing for +me to waltz in and help the gal. Thar, thet's about the way the thing +pints. Now, don't you go and hold that agin her! + +Don Jose. Well, well! She was grateful. She has a strange fondness +for you Americans; and at her solicitation I gave you--YOU, an unknown +vagrant--employment here as groom. You comprehend, Diego. I, Don Jose +Castro, proprietor of this rancho, with an hundred idle vaqueros on my +hands,--I made a place for you. + +Sandy (meditatively). Umph. + +Don Jose. You said you would reform. How have you kept your word? You +were drunk last Wednesday. + +Sandy. Thet's so. + +Don Jose. And again last Saturday. + +Sandy (slowly). Look yer, ole man, don't ye be too hard on me: that was +the same old drunk. + +Don Jose. I am in no mood for trifling. Hark ye, friend Diego. You have +seen, perhaps,--who has not?--that I am a fond, an indulgent father. But +even my consideration for my daughter's strange tastes and follies has +its limit. Your conduct is a disgrace to the rancho. You must go. + +Sandy (meditatively). Well, I reckon, perhaps I'd better. + +Don Jose (aside). His coolness is suspicious. Can it be that he expects +the girl will follow him? Mother of God! perhaps it has been already +planned between them. Good! Thank Heaven I can end it here. (Aloud.) +Diego! + +Sandy. Old man. + +Don Jose. For my daughter's sake, you understand,--for her sake,--I am +willing to try you once more. Hark ye! My daughter is young, foolish, +and romantic. I have reason to believe, from her conduct lately, that +she has contracted an intimacy with some Americano, and that in her +ignorance, her foolishness, she has allowed that man to believe that he +might aspire to her hand. Good! Now listen to me. You shall stay in her +service. You shall find out,--you are in her confidence,--you shall find +out this American, this adventurer, this lover if you please, of the +Dona Jovita my daughter; and you will tell him this,--you will tell +him that a union with him is impossible, forbidden; that the hour she +attempts it, without my consent, she is PENNILESS; that this estate, +this rancho, passes into the hands of the Holy Church, where even your +laws cannot reach it. + +Sandy (leaning familiarly over the table). But suppose that he sees that +little bluff, and calls ye. + +Don Jose. I do not comprehend you (coldly). + +Sandy. Suppose he loves that gal, and will take her as she stands, +without a cent, or hide or hair of yer old cattle. + +Don Jose (scornfully). Suppose--a miracle! Hark ye, Diego! It is now +five years since I have known your countrymen, these smart Americanos. +I have yet to know when love, sentiment, friendship, was worth any more +than a money value in your market. + +Sandy (truculently and drunkenly). You hev, hev ye? Well, look yar, ole +man. Suppose I REFUSE. Suppose I'd rather go than act as a spy on that +young gal your darter! Suppose that--hic--allowin' she's my friend, I'd +rather starve in the gutters of the Mission than stand between her and +the man she fancies. Hey? Suppose I would--damn me! Suppose I'd see you +and your derned old rancho in--t'other place--hic--damn me. You hear me, +ole man! That's the kind o' man I am--damn me. + +Don Jose (aside, rising contemptuously). It is as I suspected. Traitor. +Ingrate! Satisfied that his scheme has failed, he is ready to abandon +her. And this--THIS is the man for whom she has been ready to sacrifice +everything,--her home, her father! (Aloud, coldly.) Be it so, Diego: you +shall go. + +Sandy (soberly and seriously, after a pause.) Well, I reckon I had +better. (Rising.) I've a few duds, old man, to put up. It won't take me +long. (Goes to L., and pauses.) + +Don Jose (aside). Ah! he hesitates! He is changing his mind. (SANDY +returns slowly to table, pours out glass of liquor, nods to DON JOSE, +and drinks.) I looks towards ye, ole man. Adios! + +[Exit SANDY. + +Don Jose. His coolness is perfect. If these Americans are cayotes in +their advances, they are lions in retreat! Bueno! I begin to respect +him. But it will be just as well to set Concho to track him to the +Mission; and I will see that he leaves the rancho alone. + +[Exit Jose. + +Enter hurriedly JOVITA CASTRO, in riding habit, with whip. + +So! Chiquita not yet saddled, and that spy Concho haunting the plains +for the last half-hour. What an air of mystery! Something awful, +something deliciously dreadful, has happened! Either my amiable drunkard +has forgotten to despatch Concho on his usual fool's errand, or he +is himself lying helpless in some ditch. Was there ever a girl so +persecuted? With a father wrapped in mystery, a lover nameless and +shrouded in the obscurity of some Olympian height, and her only +confidant and messenger a Bacchus instead of a Mercury! Heigh ho! And in +another hour Don Juan--he told me I might call him John--will be waiting +for me outside the convent wall! What if Diego fails me? To go there +alone would be madness! Who else would be as charmingly unconscious and +inattentive as this American vagabond! (Goes to L.) Ah, my saddle and +blanket hidden! He HAS been interrupted. Some one has been watching. +This freak of my father's means something. And to-night, of all nights, +the night that Oakhurst was to disclose himself, and tell me all! What +is to be done? Hark! (DIEGO, without, singing.) + + + "Oh, here's your aguardiente, + Drink it down!" + + +Jovita. It is Diego; and, Mother of God! drunk again! + +Enter SANDY, carrying pack, intoxicated; staggers to centre, and, +observing JOVITA, takes off his hat respectfully. + +Jovita (shaking him by the shoulders passionately). Diego! How dare you! +And at such a time! + +Sandy (with drunken solemnity). Miss Jovita, did ye ever know me to be +drunk afore at such a time? + +Jovita. No. + +Sandy. Zachy so. It's abnormal. And it means--the game's up. + +Jovita. I do not understand. For the love of God, Diego, be plain! + +Sandy (solemnly and drunkenly). When I say your game's up, I mean the +old man knows it all. You're blowed upon. Hearken, miss. (Seriously +and soberly.) Your father knows all that I know; but, as it wasn't my +business to interfere with, I hev sorter helped along. He knows that you +meet a stranger, an American, in these rides with me. + +Jovita (passionately). Ingrate! You have not dared to tell him! (Seizing +him by the collar, and threatening him with the horsewhip.) + +Sandy (rising with half-drunken, half-sober solemnity). One minit, miss! +one minit! Don't ye! don't ye do that! Ef ye forget (and I don't blame +ye for it), ef ye forget that I'm a man, don't ye, don't ye forget +that you're a woman! Sit ye down, sit ye down, so! Now, ef ye'll kindly +remember, miss, I never saw this yer man, yer lover. Ef ye'll recollect, +miss, whenever you met him, I allers hung back and waited round in the +mission or in the fields beyond for ye, and allowed ye to hev your own +way, it bein' no business o' mine. Thar isn't a man on the ranch, who, +ef he'd had a mind to watch ye, wouldn't hev known more about yer lover +than I do. + +Jovita (aside). He speaks truly. He always kept in the background. Even +Don Juan never knew that I had an attendant until I told him. (Aloud.) +I made a mistake, Diego. I was hasty. What am I to do? He is waiting for +me even now. + +Sandy. Well (with drunken gravity), ef ye can't go to him, I reckon it's +the squar thing for him to come to ye. + +Jovita. Recollect yourself, Diego. Be a man! + +Sandy. Fash jus war I say. Let him be a man, and come to ye here. Let +him ride up to this ranch like a man, and call out to yer father that +he'll take ye jist as ye are, without the land. And if the old man +allows, rather than hev ye marry that stranger, he'll give this yer +place to the church, why, let him do it, and be damned. + +Jovita (recoiling, aside). So! That is their plan. Don Jose has worked +on the fears or the cupidity of this drunken ingrate. + +Sandy (with drunken submission). Ye was speaking to me, miss. Ef ye'll +take my advice,--a drunken man's advice, miss,--ye'll say to that lover +of yours, ef he's afeard to come for ye here, to take ye as ye stand, he +ain't no man for ye. And, ontil he does, ye'll do as the ole man says. +Fur ef I do say it, miss,--and thar ain't no love lost between us,--he's +a good father to ye. It ain't every day that a gal kin afford to swap a +father like that, as she DOES KNOW, fur the husband that she DON'T! He's +a proud old fool, miss; but to ye, to ye, he's clar grit all through. + +Jovita (passionately, aside). Tricked, fooled, like a child! and through +the means of this treacherous, drunken tool. (Stamping her foot.) Ah! +we shall see! You are wise, you are wise, Don Jose; but your daughter +is not a novice, nor a helpless creature of the Holy Church. +(Passionately.) I'll--I'll become a Protestant to-morrow! + +Sandy (unheeding her passion, and becoming more earnest and +self-possessed). Ef ye hed a father, miss, ez instead o' harkinin' +to your slightest wish, and surroundin' ye with luxury, hed made your +infancy a struggle for life among strangers, and your childhood a +disgrace and a temptation; ef he had left ye with no company but want, +with no companions but guilt, with no mother but suffering; ef he had +made your home, this home, so unhappy, so vile, so terrible, so awful, +that the crowded streets and gutters of a great city was something to +fly to for relief; ef he had made his presence, his very name,--your +name, miss, allowin' it was your father,--ef he had made that presence +so hateful, that name so infamous, that exile, that flyin' to furrin' +parts, that wanderin' among strange folks ez didn't know ye, was the +only way to make life endurable; and ef he'd given ye,--I mean this +good old man Don Jose, miss,--ef he'd given ye as part of yer heritage +a taint, a weakness in yer very blood, a fondness for a poison, a poison +that soothed ye like a vampire bat and sucked yer life-blood (seizing +her arm) ez it soothed ye; ef this curse that hung over ye dragged ye +down day by day, till hating him, loathing him, ye saw yerself day by +day becoming more and more like him, till ye knew that his fate was +yours, and yours his,--why then, Miss Jovita (rising with an hysterical, +drunken laugh), why then, I'd run away with ye myself,--I would, damn +me! + +Jovita (who has been withdrawing from him scornfully). Well acted, +Diego. Don Jose should have seen his pupil. Trust me, my father will +reward you. (Aside.) And yet there were tears in his drunken eyes. +Bah! it is the liquor: he is no longer sane. And, either hypocrite or +imbecile, he is to be trusted no longer. But where and why is he going? +(Aloud.) You are leaving us, Diego. + +Sandy (quietly). Well, the old man and me don't get on together. + +Jovita (scornfully). Bueno! I see. Then you abandon me. + +Sandy (quickly). To the old man, miss,--not the young one. (Walks to the +table, and begins to pour out liquor.) + +Jovita (angrily). You would not dare to talk to me thus if John +Oakhurst--ah! (Checking herself.) + +Sandy (drops glass on table, hurries to centre, and seizes DONA JOVITA). +Eh! Wot name did you say? (Looks at her amazed and bewildered.) + +Jovita (terrified, aside). Mother of God! What have I done? Broken my +sacred pledge to keep his name secret. No! No! Diego did not hear me! +Surely this wretched drunkard does not know him. (Aloud.) Nothing. I +said nothing: I mentioned no name. + +Sandy (still amazed, frightened, and bewildered, passing his hand over +his forehead slowly). Ye mentioned no name? Surely. I am wild, crazed. +Tell me, miss--ye didn't,--I know ye didn't, but I thought it sounded +like it,--ye didn't mention the name of--of--of--John Oakhurst? + +Jovita (hurriedly). No, of course not! You terrify me, Diego. You are +wild. + +Sandy (dropping her hand with a sigh of relief). No, no! In course +ye didn't. I was wild, miss, wild; this drink has confused me yer. +(Pointing to his head.) There are times when I hear that name, +miss,--times when I see his face. (Sadly.) But it's when I've took too +much--too much. I'll drink no more--no more!--to-night--to-night! (Drops +his head slowly in his hands.) + +Jovita (looking at DIEGO--aside). Really, I'm feeling very +uncomfortable. I'd like to ask a question of this maniac. But nonsense! +Don Juan gave me to understand Oakhurst wasn't his real name; that is, +he intimated there was something dreadful and mysterious about it that +mustn't be told,--something that would frighten people. HOLY VIRGIN! +it has! Why, this reckless vagabond here is pale and agitated. Don Juan +shall explain this mystery to-night. But then, how shall I see him? +Ah, I have it. The night of the last festa, when I could not leave the +rancho, he begged me to show a light from the flat roof of the upper +corridor, that he might know I was thinking of him,--dear fellow! He +will linger to-night at the Mission; he will see the light; he will know +that I have not forgotten. He will approach the rancho; I shall manage +to slip away at midnight to the ruined Mission. I shall--ah, it is +my father! Holy Virgin, befriend me now with self-possession. (Stands +quietly at L., looking toward SANDY, who still remains buried in +thought, as)-- + +Enter DON JOSE; regards his daughter and DIEGO with a sarcastic smile. + +Don Jose (aside). Bueno! It is as I expected,--an explanation, an +explosion, a lover's quarrel, an end to romance. From his looks I should +say she has been teaching the adventurer a lesson. Good! I could embrace +her. (Crosses to SANDY--aloud.) You still here! + +Sandy (rising with a start). Yes! I--a--I was only taking leave of Miss +Jovita that hez bin kind to me. She's a good gal, ole man, and won't be +any the worse when I'm gone.--Good-by, Miss Jovita (extending his hand): +I wish ye luck. + +Jovita (coldly). Adios, friend Diego. (Aside, hurriedly.) You will not +expose my secret? + +Sandy (aside). It ain't in me, miss. (To DON JOSE, going.) Adios, ole +man. (Shouldering his pack.) + +Don Jose. Adios, friend Diego. (Formally.) May good luck attend you! +(Aside.) You understand, on your word as--as--as--A GENTLEMAN!--you have +no further communication with this rancho, or aught that it contains. + +Sandy (gravely). I hear ye, ole man. Adios. (Goes to gateway, but pauses +at table, and begins to fill a glass of aguardiente.) + +Don Jose (aside, looking at his daughter). I could embrace her now. She +is truly a Castro. (Aloud to JOVITA.) Hark ye, little one! I have news +that will please you, and--who knows? perhaps break up the monotony of +the dull life of the rancho. To-night come to me two famous caballeros, +Americanos, you understand: they will be here soon, even now. Retire, +and make ready to receive them. [Exit JOVITA. + +Don Jose (aside, looking at SANDY). He lingers. I shall not be satisfied +until Concho has seen him safely beyond the Mission wall. + +Enter CONCHO. + +Concho. Two caballeros have dismounted in the corral, and seek the honor +of Don Jose's presence. + +Don Jose. Bueno! (Aside.) Follow that fellow beyond the Mission. +(Aloud.) Admit the strangers. Did they give their names? + +Concho. They did, Don Jose,--Col. Culpepper Starbottle and the Don +Alexandro Morton. + +Sandy (dropping glass of aguardiente, and staggering stupidly to the +centre, confronting DON JOSE and CONCHO, still holding bottle). Eh! Wot? +Wot name did you say? (Looks stupidly and amazedly at CONCHO and DON +JOSE, and then slowly passes his hand over his forehead. Then slowly +and apologetically.) I axes your pardon, Don Jose, and yours, sir (to +CONCHO), but I thought ye called me. No!--that ez--I mean--I mean--I'm +a little off color here (pointing to his head). I don't follow +suit--I--eh--eh! Oh!--ye'll pardon me, sir, but thar's names--perhaps +yer darter will remember that I was took a bit ago on a name--thar's +names sorter hangin' round me yer (pointing to his head), that I thinks +I hear--but bein' drunk--I hopes ye'll excoos me. Adios. (Staggers to +gateway, CONCHO following.) + +Concho (aside). There is something more in this than Don Jose would have +known. I'll watch Diego, and keep an eye on Miss Jovita too. + +Exit, following SANDY, who, in exit, jostles against COL. STARBOTTLE +entering, who stops and leans exhaustedly at the wall to get his breath; +following him closely, and oblivious of SANDY MORTON, ALEXANDER MORTON, +sen. Enter COL. STARBOTTLE and ALEXANDER MORTON, sen. + + +SCENE 2.--The Same. + + +Col. Starbottle (entering, to DON JOSE). Overlooking the +insult of--er--inebriated individual, whose menial position in +this--er--er--household precludes a demand for personal satisfaction, +sir, I believe I have the honor of addressing Don Jose Castro. Very +good, sir. Permit me, sir, to introduce myself as Col. Culpepper +Starbottle--demn me! the legal adviser of Mr. Alexander Morton, +sen., and I may add, sir, the friend of that gentleman, and as such, +sir--er--er--personally--personally responsible. + +Alexander Morton (puritanically and lugubriously). As a God-fearing +man and forgiving Christian, Mr. Castro, I trust you will overlook +the habitual profanity of the erring but well-meaning man, who, by the +necessities of my situation, accompanies me. I am the person--a helpless +sinner--mentioned in the letters which I believe have preceded me. As +a professing member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, I have +ventured, in the interest of works rather than faith, to overlook the +plain doctrines of the church in claiming sympathy of a superstitious +Papist. + +Starbottle (interrupting, aside to ALEXANDER MORTON). Ahem! ahem! +(Aloud to DON JOSE.) My friend's manner, sir, reminds me of--er--er--Ram +Bootgum Sing, first secretary of Turkish legation at Washington in '45; +most remarkable man--demn me--most remarkable--and warm personal friend. +Challenged Tod Robinson for putting him next to Hebrew banker at dinner, +with remark--demn me--that they were both believers in the profit! +he, he! Amusing, perhaps; irreverent, certainly. Fought with cimeters. +Second pass, Ram divided Tod in two pieces--fact, sir--just here +(pointing) in--er--er--regions of moral emotions. Upper half called to +me,--said to me warningly--last words--never forget it,--"Star,"--always +called me Star,--"Respect man's religious convictions." Legs dead; +emotion confined to upper part of body--pathetic picture. Ged, sir, +something to be remembered! + +Don Jose (with grave Spanish courtesy). You are welcome, gentlemen, to +the rancho of the Blessed Fisherman. Your letters, with their honorable +report, are here. Believe me, senores, in your modesty you have +forgotten to mention your strongest claim to the hospitality of my +house,--the royal right of strangers. + +Morton. Angels before this have been entertained as strangers, says +the Good Book; and that, I take it, is your authority for this +ceremoniousness which else were but lip-service and Papist airs. But +I am here in the performance of a duty, Mr. Castro,--the duty of a +Christian father. I am seeking a prodigal son. I am seeking him in his +wine-husks and among his harl-- + +Starbottle (interrupting). A single moment. (To DON JOSE.) Permit me +to--er--er--explain. As my friend Mr. Morton states, we are, in fact, at +present engaged in--er--er--quest--er--pilgrimage that possibly to +some, unless deterred by considerations of responsibility--personal +responsibility--sir--Ged, sir, might be looked upon as visionary, +enthusiastic, sentimental, fanatical. We are seeking a son, or, as my +friend tersely and scripturally expresses it--er--er--prodigal son. +I say scripturally, sir, and tersely, but not, you understand it, +literally, nor I may add, sir, legally. Ged, sir, as a precedent, I +admit we are wrong. To the best of my knowledge, sir, the--er--Prodigal +Son sought his own father. To be frank, sir,--and Ged, sir, if Culpepper +Starbottle has a fault, it is frankness, sir. As Nelse Buckthorne said +to me in Nashville, in '47, "You would infer, Col. Starbottle, that +I equivocate." I replied, "I do, sir; and permit me to add that +equivocation has all the guilt of a lie, with cowardice superadded." The +next morning at nine o'clock, Ged, sir, he gasped to me--he was lying on +the ground, hole through his left lung just here (illustrating with DON +JOSE'S coat),--he gasped, "If you have a merit, Star, above others, it +is frankness!" his last words, sir,--demn me.... To be frank, sir, years +ago, in the wild exuberance of youth, the son of this gentleman left +his--er--er--er--boyhood's home, owing to an innocent but natural +misunderstanding with the legal protector of his youth-- + +Morton (interrupting gravely and demurely). Driven from home by my own +sinful and then unregenerate hand-- + +Starbottle (quickly). One moment, a simple moment. We will not weary +you with--er--er--history, or the vagaries of youth. He--er--came to +California in '49. A year ago, touched by--er--er--parental emotion +and solicitude, my friend resolved to seek him here. Believing that +the--er--er--lawlessness of--er--er--untrammelled youth and boyish +inexperience might have led him into some trifling indiscretion, we +have sought him successively in hospitals, alms-houses, reformatories, +State's prisons, lunatic and inebriate asylums, and--er--er--even on +the monumental inscriptions of the--er--er--country churchyards. We +have thus far, I grieve to say, although acquiring much and valuable +information of a varied character and interest, as far as the direct +matter of our search,--we have been, I think I may say, unsuccessful. +Our search has been attended with the--er--disbursement of some capital +under my--er--er--direction, which, though large, represents quite +inadequately the--er--er--earnestness of our endeavors. + +Enter MANUELA. + +Manuela (to DON JOSE). The Dona Jovita is waiting to receive you. + +Don Jose (to MORTON). You shall tell me further of your interesting +pilgrimage hereafter. At present my daughter awaits us to place this +humble roof at your disposal. I am a widower, Don Alexandro, like +yourself. When I say that, like you, I have an only child, and that +I love her, you will understand how earnest is my sympathy. This way, +gentlemen. (Leading to door in corridor, and awaiting them.) + +Starbottle (aside). Umph! an interview with lovely woman +means--er--intoxication, but--er--er--no liquor. It's evident that the +Don doesn't drink. Eh! (Catches sight of table in corridor, and bottle.) +Oh, he does, but some absurd Spanish formality prevents his doing the +polite thing before dinner. (Aloud, to DON JOSE.) One moment, sir, one +moment. If you will--er--er--pardon the--er--seeming discourtesy, +for which I am, I admit--or--personally responsible, I will for a few +moments enjoy the--er--er--delicious air of the courtyard, and the +beauties of Nature as displayed in the--er--sunset. I will--er--rejoin +you and the--er--er--ladies a moment later. + +Don Jose. The house is your own, senor: do as you will. This way, Don +Alexandro. [Exit, in door L., DON JOSE and MORTON, sen. + +Starbottle. "Do as you will." Well, I don't understand Spanish ceremony, +but that's certainly good English. (Going to table.) Eh! (Smelling +decanter.) Robinson County whiskey! Umph! I have observed that +the spirit of American institutions, sir, are already penetrating +the--er--er--superstitions of--er--foreign and effete civilizations. +(Pours out glass of whiskey, and drinks; pours again, and observes +MANUELA watching him respectfully.) What the Devil is that girl looking +at? Eh! (Puts down glass.) + +Manuela (aside). He is fierce and warlike. Mother of God! But he is not +so awful as that gray-haired caballero, who looks like a fasting St. +Anthony. And he loves aguardiente: he will pity poor Diego the more. +(Aloud.) Ahem! Senor. (Courtesies coquettishly.) + +Col. Starbottle (aside). Oh, I see. Ged! not a bad-looking girl,--a +trifle dark, but Southern, and--er--tropical. Ged, Star, Star, this +won't do, sir; no, sir. The filial affections of Aeneas are not to be +sacrificed through the blandishments of--er--Dodo--I mean a Dido. + +Manuela. O senor, you are kind, you are good. You are an Americano, one +of a great nation. You will feel sympathy for a poor young man,--a mere +muchacho,--one of your own race, who was a vaquero here, senor. He has +been sent away from us here disgraced, alone, hungry, perhaps penniless. +(Wipes her eyes.) + +Col. Starbottle. The Devil! Another prodigal. (Aloud.) My dear, the case +you have just stated would appear to be the--er--er--normal condition +of the--er--youth of America. But why was he discharged? (Pouring out +liquor.) + +Manuela (demurely glancing at the colonel). He was drunk, senor. + +Starbottle (potently). Drunkenness, my child, which is--er--weakness in +the--er--er--gentleman, in the subordinate is a crime. What--er--excites +the social impulse and exhilarates the fancy of the--er--master of the +house, in the performance of his duty, renders the servant unfit +for his. Legally it is a breach of contract. I should give it as my +opinion,--for which I am personally responsible,--that your friend Diego +could not recover. Ged! (Aside.) I wonder if this scapegoat could be our +black sheep. + +Manuela. But that was not all, senor. It was an excuse only. He was sent +away for helping our young lady to a cavalier. He was discharged because +he would not be a traitor to her. He was sent away because he was too +good, too honorable,--too-- (Bursts out crying.) + +Starbottle (aside). Oh, the Devil! THIS is no Sandy Morton. (Coming +forward gravely.) I have never yet analyzed the--er--er--character +of the young gentleman I have the honor to assist in restoring to his +family and society; but judging--er--calmly--er--dispassionately, my +knowledge of his own father--from what the old gentleman must have been +in his unregenerate state, and knowing what he is now in his present +reformed Christian condition, I should say calmly and deliberately that +the son must be the most infernal and accomplished villain unhung. Ged, +I have a thought, an inspiration. (To MANUELA, tapping her under the +chin.) I see, my dear; a lover, ha, ha! Ah, you rogue! Well, well, we +will talk of this again. I will--er--er--interest myself in this Diego. +[Exit MANUELA. + +Starbottle (solus). How would it do to get up a prodigal? Umph. +Something must be done soon: the old man grows languid in his search. +My position as a sinecure is--er--in peril. A prodigal ready made! But +could I get a scoundrel bad enough to satisfy the old man? Ged, that's +serious. Let me see: he admits that he is unable to recognize his own +son in face, features, manner, or speech. Good! If I could pick up some +rascal whose--er--irregularities didn't quite fill the bill, and could +say--Ged!--that he was reforming. Reforming! Ged, Star! That very +defect would show the hereditary taint, demn me! I must think of this +seriously. Ged, Star! the idea is--an inspiration of humanity and +virtue. Who knows? it might be the saving of the vagabond,--a crown of +glory to the old man's age. Inspiration, did I say? Ged, Star, it's a +DUTY,--a sacred, solemn duty, for which you are responsible,--personally +responsible. + +Lights down half. Enter from corridor L., MORTON, DON JOSE, the DONA +JOVITA, and MANUELA. + +Dona Jovita (stepping forward with exaggerated Spanish courtesy). A +thousand graces await your Excellency, Commander Don--Don-- + +Starbottle (bowing to the ground with equal delight and exaggerated +courtesy). Er--Coolpepero! + +Dona Jovita. Don Culpepero! If we throw ourselves unasked at your +Excellency's feet (courtesy), if we appear unsought before the light of +your Excellency's eyes (courtesy), if we err in maidenly decorum in thus +seeking unbidden your Excellency's presence (courtesy), believe us, it +is the fear of some greater, some graver indecorum in our conduct that +has withdrawn your Excellency's person from us since you have graced our +roof with your company. We know, Senor Commander, how superior are the +charms of the American ladies. It is in no spirit of rivalry with them, +but to show--Mother of God!--that we are not absolutely ugly, that we +intrude upon your Excellency's solitude. (Aside.) I shall need the old +fool, and shall use him. + +Col. Starbottle (who has been bowing and saluting with equal +extravagance, during this speech--aside). Ged! she IS beautiful! +(Aloud.) Permit me er--er--Dona Jovita, to correct--Ged, I must say +it, correct erroneous statements. The man who should--er--utter in my +presence remarks disparaging those--er--charms it is my privilege +to behold, I should hold responsible,--Ged! personally responsible. +You--er--remind me of er--incident, trifling perhaps, but pleasing, +Charleston in '52,--a reception at John C. Calhoun's. A lady, one of the +demnedest beautiful women you ever saw, said to me, "Star!"--she always +called me Star,--"you've avoided me, you have, Star! I fear you are no +longer my friend."--"Your friend, madam," I said. "No, I've avoided you +because I am your lover." Ged, Miss Jovita, a fact--demn me. Sensation. +Husband heard garbled report. He was old friend, but jealous, rash, +indiscreet. Fell at first fire--umph--January 5th. Lady--beautiful +woman--never forgave: went into convent. Sad affair. And all a +mistake--demn me,--all a mistake, through perhaps extravagant gallantry +and compliment. I lingered here, oblivious perhaps of--er--beauty, in +the enjoyment of Nature. + +Dona Jovita. Is there enough for your Excellency to share with me, +since it must be my rival? See, the fog is clearing away: we shall have +moonlight. (DON JOSE and MORTON seat themselves at table.) Shall we not +let these venerable caballeros enjoy their confidences and experiences +together? (Aside.) Don Jose watches me like a fox, does not intend +to lose sight of me. How shall I show the light three times from the +courtyard roof? I have it! (Takes STARBOTTLE'S arm.) It is too pleasant +to withdraw. There is a view from the courtyard wall your Excellency +should see. Will you accompany me? The ascent is easy. + +Starbottle (bowing). I will ascend, although, permit me to say, Dona +Jovita, it would be--er--impossible for me to be nearer--er--heaven, +than--er--at present. + +Dona Jovita. FLATTERER! Come, you shall tell me about this sad lady who +died. Ah, Don Culpepero, let me hope all your experiences will not be so +fatal to us! + +[Exeunt DONA JOVITA and STARBOTTLE. + +Morton (aside). A froward daughter of Baal, and, if I mistake not, +even now concocting mischief for this foolish, indulgent, stiff-necked +father. (Aloud.) Your only daughter, I presume. + +Don Jose. My darling, Don Alexandro. Motherless from her infancy. A +little wild, and inclined to gayety, but I hope not seeking for more +than these walls afford. I have checked her but seldom, Don Alexandro, +and then I did not let her see my hand on the rein that held her back. I +do not ask her confidence always: I only want her to know that when the +time comes it can be given to me without fear. + +Morton. Umph! + +Don Jose (leaning forward confidentially). To show that you have not +intrusted your confidence regarding your wayward son--whom may the +saints return to you!--to unsympathetic or inexperienced ears, I will +impart a secret. A few weeks ago I detected an innocent intimacy between +this foolish girl and a vagabond vaquero in my employ. You understand, +it was on her part romantic, visionary; on his, calculating, shrewd, +self-interested, for he expected to become my heir. I did not lock her +up. I did not tax her with it. I humored it. Today I satisfied the +lover that his investment was not profitable, that a marriage without my +consent entailed the loss of the property, and then left them together. +They parted in tears, think you, Don Alexandro? No, but mutually hating +each other. The romance was over. An American would have opposed the +girl, have driven her to secrecy, to an elopement perhaps. Eh? + +Morton (scornfully). And you believe that they have abandoned their +plans? + +Don Jose. I am sure--hush! she is here! + +Enter, on roof of corridor, STARBOTTLE and JOVITA. + +Col. Starbottle. Really, a superb landscape! An admirable view of +the--er--fog--rolling over the Mission Hills, the plains below, and +the--er--er--single figure of--er--motionless horseman-- + +Dona Jovita (quickly). Some belated vaquero. Do you smoke, Senor +Commander? + +Starbottle. At times. + +Dona Jovita. With me. I will light a cigarette for you: it is the +custom. + +COL. STARBOTTLE draws match from his pocket, and is about to light, but +is stopped by DONA JOVITA. + +Dona Jovita. Pardon, your Excellency, but we cannot endure your American +matches. There is a taper in the passage. + +COL. STARBOTTLE brings taper: DONA JOVITA turns to light cigarette, but +manages to blow out candle. + +Dona Jovita. I must try your gallantry again. That is once I have +failed. (Significantly.) + +COL. STARBOTTLE relights candle, business, same results. + +Dona Jovita. I am stupid and nervous to-night. I have failed twice. +(With emphasis.) + +COL. STARBOTTLE repeats business with candle. DONA JOVITA lights +cigarette, hands it to the colonel. + +Dona Jovita. Thrice, and I have succeeded. (Blows out candle.) + +Col. Starbottle. A thousand thanks! There is a--er--er--light on the +plain. + +Dona Jovita (hastily). It is the vaqueros returning. My father gives a +festa to peons in honor of your arrival. There will be a dance. You have +been patient, Senor Commander: you shall have my hand for a waltz. + +Enter vaqueros, their wives and daughters. A dance, during which the +"sembi canca" is danced by COL. STARBOTTLE and DONA JOVITA. Business, +during which the bell of Mission Church, faintly illuminated beyond the +wall, strikes twelve. Dancers withdraw hurriedly, leaving alone MANUELA, +DONA JOVITA, COL. STARBOTTLE, DON JOSE, and CONCHO. CONCHO formally +hands keys to Don Jose. + +Don Jose (delivering keys to MORTON with stately impressiveness). Take +them, Don Alexandro Morton, and with them all that they unlock for +bliss or bale. Take them, noble guest, and with them the homage of this +family,--to-night, Don Alexandro, your humble servants. Good-night, +gentlemen. May a thousand angels attend you, O Don Alexandro and Don +Culpepero! + +Dona Jovita. Good-night, Don Alexandro. May your dreams to-night see all +your wishes fulfilled! Good-night, O Senor Commander. May she you dream +of be as happy as you! + +Manuela and Concho (together). Good-night, O senores and illustrious +gentlemen! may the Blessed Fisherman watch over you! (Both parties +retreat into opposite corridors, bowing.) + +MANUELA, CONCHO, MORTON, DON JOSE. JOVITA. STARBOTTLE. + + +SCENE 3.--The same. Stage darkened. Fog passing beyond wall outside, and +occasionally obscuring moonlit landscape beyond. Enter JOVITA softly, +from corridor L. Her face is partly hidden by Spanish mantilla. + +Jovita. All quiet at last; and, thanks to much aguardiente, my warlike +admirer snores peacefully above. Yet I could swear I heard the old +Puritan's door creak as I descended! Pshaw! What matters! (Goes to +gateway, and tries gate.) Locked! Carramba! I see it now. Under the +pretext of reviving the old ceremony, Don Jose has locked the gates, and +placed me in the custody of his guest. Stay! There is a door leading to +the corral from the passage by Concho's room. Bueno! Don Jose shall see! +[Exit R. + +Enter cautiously R. OLD MORTON. + +Old Morton. I was not mistaken! It was the skirt of that Jezebel +daughter that whisked past my door a moment ago, and her figure that +flitted down that corridor. So! The lover driven out of the house at +four P. M., and at twelve o'clock at night the young lady trying the +gate secretly. This may be Spanish resignation and filial submission, +but it looks very like Yankee disobedience and forwardness. Perhaps it's +well that the keys are in my pocket. This fond confiding Papist may find +the heretic American father of some service. (Conceals himself behind +pillar of corridor.) + +After a pause the head of JOHN OAKHURST appears over the wall of +corridor: he climbs up to roof of corridor, and descends very quietly +and deliberately to stage. + +Oakhurst (dusting his clothing with his handkerchief). I never knew +before why these Spaniards covered their adobe walls with whitewash. +(Leans against pillar in shadow.) + +Re-enter JOVITA, hastily. + +Jovita. All is lost; the corral door is locked; the key is outside, and +Concho is gone,--gone where? Madre di Dios! to discover, perhaps to kill +him. + +Oakhurst (approaching her). No. + +Jovita. Juan! (Embracing him.) But how did you get here? This is +madness! + +Oakhurst. As you did not come to the mission, I came to the rancho. +I found the gate locked--by the way, is not that a novelty here?--I +climbed the wall. But you, Miss Castro, you are trembling! Your little +hands are cold! + +Jovita (glancing around). Nothing, nothing! But you are running a +terrible risk. At any moment we may be discovered. + +Oakhurst. I understand you: it would be bad for the discoverer. Never +fear, I will be patient. + +Jovita. But I feared that you might meet Concho. + +Oakhurst. Concho--Concho--(meditatively). Let me see,--tall, dark, long +in the arm, weighs about one hundred and eighty, and active. + +Jovita. Yes; tell me! You have met him? + +Oakhurst. Possibly, possibly. Was he a friend of yours? + +Jovita. No! + +Oakhurst. That's better. Are his pursuits here sedentary, or active? + +Jovita. He is my father's major-domo. + +Oakhurst. I see: a sinecure. (Aside.) Well, if he has to lay up for a +week or two, the rancho won't suffer. + +Jovita. Well? + +Oakhurst. Well! + +Jovita (passionately). There, having scaled the wall, at the risk of +being discovered--this is all you have to say! (Turning away.) + +Oakhurst (quietly). Perhaps, Jovita (taking her hand with grave +earnestness), to a clandestine intimacy like ours there is but one end. +It is not merely elopement, not merely marriage, it is exposure! Sooner +or later you and I must face the eyes we now shun. What matters if +tonight or later? + +Jovita (quickly). I am ready. It was you who-- + +Oakhurst. It was I who first demanded secrecy, but it was I who told you +when we last met that I would tell you why to-night. + +Jovita. I am ready; but hear me, Juan, nothing can change my faith in +you! + +Oakhurst (sadly). You know not what you say. Listen, my child. I am a +gambler. Not the man who lavishes his fortune at the gaming-table for +excitement's sake; not the fanatic who stakes his own earnings--perhaps +the confided earnings of others--on a single coup. No, he is the man who +loses,--whom the world deplores, pities, and forgives. I am the man who +wins--whom the world hates and despises. + +Jovita. I do not understand you, Juan. + +Oakhurst. So much the better, perhaps. But you must hear me. I make a +profession--an occupation more exacting, more wearying, more laborious, +than that of your meanest herdsman--of that which others make a +dissipation of the senses. And yet, Jovita, there is not the meanest +vaquero in this ranch, who, playing against me, winning or losing, is +not held to be my superior. I have no friends--only confederates. Even +the woman who dares to pity me must do it in secret. + +Jovita. But you will abandon this dreadful trade. As the son of the +rich Don Jose, no one dare scorn you. My father will relent. I am his +heiress. + +Oakhurst. No more, Jovita, no more. If I were the man who could purchase +the world's respect through a woman's weakness for him, I should not be +here to-night. I am not here to sue your father's daughter with hopes +of forgiveness, promises of reformation. Reformation, in a man like me, +means cowardice or self-interest. (OLD MORTON, becoming excited, leans +slowly out from the shadow of the pillar listening intently.) I am here +to take, by force if necessary, a gambler's wife,--the woman who will +share my fortunes, my disgrace, my losses; who is willing to leave her +old life of indulgence, of luxury, of respectability, for mine. You are +frightened, little dove: compose yourself (soothing her tenderly and +sadly); you are frightened at the cruel hawk who has chosen you for a +mate. + +Old Morton (aside). God in heaven! This is like HIM! like me!--like me, +before the blessed Lord lifted me into regeneration. If it should be! +(Leans forward anxiously from pillar.) + +Oakhurst (aside). Still silent! Poor dove, I can hear her foolish heart +flutter against mine. Another moment decides our fate. Another moment: +John Oakhurst and freedom, or Red Gulch and--she is moving. (To JOVITA.) +I am harsh, little one, and cold. Perhaps I have had much to make me so. +But when (with feeling) I first met you; when, lifting my eyes to the +church-porch, I saw your beautiful face; when, in sheer recklessness +and bravado, I raised my hat to you; when you--you, Jovita--lifted +your brave eyes to mine, and there, there in the sanctuary, returned +my salute,--the salutation of the gambler, the outcast, the +reprobate,--then, then I swore that you should be mine, if I tore you +from the sanctuary. Speak now, Jovita: if it was coquetry, speak now; I +forgive you: if it was sheer wantonness, speak now; I shall spare you: +but if-- + +Jovita (throwing herself in his arms). Love, Juan! I am yours, now +and forever. (Pause.) But you have not told me all. I will go with you +to-night--now. I leave behind me all,--my home, my father, my--(pause) +my name. You have forgotten, Juan, you have not told me what I change +THAT for: you have not told me YOURS. + +OLD MORTON, in eager excitement, leans beyond shadow of pillar. + +Oakhurst (embracing her tenderly, with a smile). If I have not told you +who I am, it was because, darling, it was more important that you should +know what I am. Now that you know that--why--(embarrassedly) I +have nothing more to tell. I did not wish you to repeat the name of +Oakhurst--because--(aside) how the Devil shall I tell her that Oakhurst +was my real name, after all, and that I only feared she might divulge +it?--(aloud) because--because--(determinedly) I doubted your ability +to keep a secret. My real name is--(looks up, and sees MORTON leaning +beyond pillar) is a secret. (Pause, in which OAKHURST slowly recovers +his coolness.) It will be given to the good priest who to-night joins +our fate forever, Jovita,--forever, in spite of calumny, opposition, +or SPIES! the padre whom we shall reach, if enough life remains in your +pulse and mine to clasp these hands together. (After a pause.) Are you +content? + +Jovita. I am. + +Oakhurst. Then there is not a moment to lose. Retire, and prepare +yourself for a journey. I will wait here. + +Jovita. I am ready now. + +Oakhurst (looking toward pillar). Pardon, my darling: there was a +bracelet--a mere trifle--I once gave you. It is not on your wrist. I +am a trifle superstitious, perhaps: it was my first gift. Bring it with +you. I will wait. Go! + +[Exit JOVITA. + +OAKHURST watches her exit, lounges indifferently toward gate; when +opposite pillar, suddenly seizes MORTON by the throat, and drags him +noiselessly to centre. + +Oakhurst (hurriedly). One outcry,--a single word,--and it is your last. +I care not who YOU may be!--who I am,--you have heard enough to know, +at least, that you are in the grip of a desperate man. (Keys fall from +MORTON'S hand. OAKHURST seizes them.) Silence! on your life. + +Morton (struggling). You would not dare! I command you-- + +Oakhurst (dragging him to gateway). Out you must go. + +Morton. Stop, I command you. I never turned MY father out of doors! + +Oakhurst (gazing at MORTON). It is an OLD man! I release you. Do as you +will, only remember that that girl is mine forever, that there is no +power on earth will keep me from her. + +Morton. On conditions. + +Oakhurst. Who are you that make conditions? You are not--her father? + +Morton. No but I am YOURS! Alexander Morton, I charge you to hear me. + +Oakhurst (starting in astonishment; aside). Sandy Morton, my lost +partner's father! This is fate. + +Morton. You are astonished; but I thought so. Ay, you will hear me now! +I am your father, Alexander Morton, who drove you, a helpless boy, into +disgrace and misery. I know your shameless life: for twenty years it was +mine, and worse, until, by the grace of God, I reformed, as you shall. +I have stopped you in a disgraceful act. Your mother--God forgive +me!--left HER house, for MY arms, as wickedly, as wantonly, as +shamelessly-- + +Oakhurst. Stop, old man! Stop! Another word (seizing him), and I may +forget your years. + +Morton. But not your blood. No, Alexander Morton, I have come thousands +of miles for one sacred purpose,--to save you; and I shall, with God's +will, do it now. Be it so, on one condition. You shall have this girl; +but lawfully, openly, with the sanction of Heaven and your parents. + +Oakhurst (aside). I see a ray of hope. This is Sandy's father; the cold, +insensate brute, who drove him into exile, the one bitter memory of +his life. Sandy disappeared, irreclaimable, or living alone, hating +irrevocably the author of his misery; why should not I-- + +Morton (continuing). On one condition. Hear me, Alexander Morton. If +within a year, you, abandoning your evil practices, your wayward life, +seek to reform beneath my roof, I will make this proud Spanish Don glad +to accept you as the more than equal of his daughter. + +Oakhurst (aside). It would be an easy deception. Sandy has given me +the details of his early life. At least, before the imposition was +discovered I shall be-- (Aloud.) I--I-- (Aside.) Perdition! SHE is +coming! There is a light moving in the upper chamber. Don Jose is +awakened. (Aloud.) I--I--accept. + +Morton. It is well. Take these keys, open yonder gate, and fly! (As +OAKHURST hesitates.) Obey me. I will meet your sweetheart, and +explain all. You will come here at daylight in the morning, and claim +admittance, not as a vagabond, a housebreaker, but as my son. You +hesitate. Alexander Morton, I, your father, command you. Go! + +OAKHURST goes to the gate, opens it, as the sound of DIEGO'S voice, +singing in the fog, comes faintly in. + + + O yer's your Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + O yer's your Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + O yer's your Sandy Morton, + For he's drunk, and goin' a-courtin'. + O yer's your Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + + +OAKHURST recoils against gate, MORTON hesitates, as window in corridor +opens, and DON JOSE calls from upper corridor. + +Don Jose. Concho! (Pause.) 'Tis that vagabond Diego, lost his way in the +fog. Strange that Concho should have overlooked him. I will descend. + +Morton (to OAKHURST). Do you hear? + +Exit OAKHURST through gateway. MORTON closes gate, and returns to +centre. Enter JOVITA hurriedly. + +Jovita. I have it here. Quick! there is a light in Don Jose's chamber; +my father is coming down. (Sees MORTON, and screams.) + +Morton (seizing her.) Hush! for your own sake; for HIS; control +yourself. He is gone, but he will return. (To JOVITA, still struggling.) +Hush, I beg, Miss Jovita. I beg, I command you, my daughter. Hush! + +Jovita (whispering). His voice has changed. What does this mean? +(Aloud.) Where has he gone? and why are YOU here? + +Morton (slowly and seriously). He has left me here to answer the +unanswered question you asked him. (Enter Don Jose and Col. STARBOTTLE, +R. and L.) I am here to tell you that I am his father, and that he is +Alexander Morton. + +TABLEAUX. + +Curtain. + +END OF ACT I. + + + + +ACT II. + + +SCENE 1.--Red Gulch. Canyon of river, and distant view of Sierras, +snow-ravined. Schoolhouse of logs in right middle distance. Ledge of +rocks in centre. On steps of schoolhouse two large bunches of flowers. +Enter STARBOTTLE, slowly climbing rocks L., panting and exhausted. +Seats himself on rock, foreground, and wipes his face with his +pocket-handkerchief. + + +Starbottle. This is evidently the er--locality. Here are the--er--groves +of Academus--the heights of er--Ida! I should say that the unwillingness +which the--er--divine Shakespeare points out in the--er--"whining +schoolboy" is intensified in--er--climbing this height, and +the--er--alacrity of his departure must be in exact ratio to his +gravitation. Good idea. Ged! say it to schoolma'am. Wonder what she's +like? Humph! the usual thin, weazened, hatchet-faced Yankee spinster, +with an indecent familiarity with Webster's Dictionary! And this is the +woman, Star, you're expected to discover, and bring back to affluence +and plenty. This is the new fanaticism of Mr. Alexander Morton, sen. +Ged! not satisfied with dragging his prodigal son out of merited +obscurity, this miserable old lunatic commissions ME to hunt up another +of his abused relatives; some forty-fifth cousin, whose mother he +had frozen, beaten, or starved to death! And all this to please his +prodigal! Ged! if that prodigal hadn't presented himself that morning, +I'd have picked up--er--some--er--reduced gentleman--Ged, that knew +how to spend the old man's money to better advantage. (Musing.) If this +schoolmistress were barely good-looking, Star,--and she's sure to +have fifty thousand from the old man,--Ged, you might get even with +Alexander, sen., for betrothing his prodigal to Dona Jovita, in spite of +the--er--evident preference that the girl showed for you. Capital idea! +If she's not positively hideous I'll do it! Ged! I'll reconnoitre +first! (Musing.) I could stand one eye; yes--er--single eye would not +be positively objectionable in the--er--present experiments of +science toward the--er--the substitution of glass. Red hair, Star, +is--er--Venetian,--the beauty of Giorgione. (Goes up to schoolhouse +window, and looks in.) Too early! Seven empty benches; seven desks +splashed with ink. The--er--rostrum of the awful Minerva empty, +but--er--adorned with flowers, nosegays--demn me! And here, here +on the--er--very threshold (looking down), floral tributes. +The--er--conceit of these New England schoolma'ams, and +their--er--evident Jesuitical influence over the young, is fraught, +sir, fraught with--er--darkly political significance. Eh, Ged! there's +a caricature on the blackboard. (Laughing.) Ha, ha! Absurd chalk outline +of ridiculous fat person. Evidently the schoolma'am's admirer. Ged! +immensely funny! Ah! boys will be boys. Like you, Star, just like +you,--always up to tricks like that. A sentence scrawled below the +figure seems to be--er--explanation. Hem! (Takes out eyeglass.) Let's +see (reading.) "This is old"--old--er--old--demme, sir!--"Starbottle!" +This is infamous. I haven't been forty-eight hours in the place, and +to my certain knowledge haven't spoken to a child. Ged, sir, it's +the--er--posting of a libel! The woman, the--er--female, who permits +this kind of thing, should be made responsible--er--personally +responsible. Eh, hush! What have we here? (Retires to ledge of rocks.) + +Enter MISS MARY L., reading letter. + +Miss Mary. Strange! Is it all a dream? No! here are the familiar rocks, +the distant snow-peaks, the schoolhouse, the spring below. An hour ago +I was the poor schoolmistress of Red Gulch, with no ambition nor hope +beyond this mountain wall; and now--oh, it must be a dream! But here +is the letter. Certainly this is no delusion: it is too plain, formal, +business-like. (Reads.) + + +MY DEAR COUSIN--I address the only surviving child of my cousin Mary +and her husband John Morris, both deceased. It is my duty as a Christian +relative to provide you with a home--to share with you that wealth and +those blessings that a kind providence has vouchsafed me. I am aware +that my conduct to your father and mother, while in my sinful and +unregenerate state, is no warrantee for my present promise; but my +legal adviser, Col. Starbottle, who is empowered to treat with you, will +assure you of the sincerity of my intention, and my legal ability to +perform it. He will conduct you to my house; you will share its roof +with me and my prodigal son Alexander, now by the grace of God restored, +and mindful of the error of his ways. I enclose a draft for one thousand +dollars: if you require more, draw upon me for the same. + +Your cousin, + +ALEXANDER MORTON, SEN. + + +My mother's cousin--so! Cousin Alexander! a rich man, and reunited +to the son he drove into shameful exile. Well! we will see this +confidential lawyer; and until then--until then--why, we are the +schoolmistress of Red Gulch, and responsible for its youthful prodigals. +(Going to schoolhouse door.) + +Miss Mary (stopping to examine flowers). Poor, poor Sandy! Another +offering, and, as he fondly believes, unknown and anonymous! As if he +were not visible in every petal and leaf! The mariposa blossom of the +plain. The snowflower I longed for, from those cool snowdrifts beyond +the ridge. And I really believe he was sober when he arranged them. Poor +fellow! I begin to think that the dissipated portion of this community +are the most interesting. Ah! some one behind the rock,--Sandy, I'll +wager. No! a stranger! + +Col. Starbottle (aside, and advancing). If I could make her think I +left those flowers! (Aloud.) When I state that--er--I am +perhaps--er--stranger-- + +Miss Mary (interrupting him coldly). You explain, sir, your appearance +on a spot which the rude courtesy of even this rude miner's camp has +preserved from intrusion. + +Starbottle (slightly abashed, but recovering himself). Yes--Ged!--that +is, I--er--saw you admiring--er--tribute--er--humble tribute of +flowers. I am myself passionately devoted to flowers. Ged! I've +spent hours--in--er--bending over the--er--graceful sunflower, +in--er--plucking the timid violet from the overhanging but reluctant +bough, in collecting the--er--er--fauna--I mean the--er--flora--of +this--er--district. + +Miss Mary (who has been regarding him intently). Permit me to leave you +in uninterrupted admiration of them. (Handing him flowers.) You +will have ample time in your journey down the gulch to indulge your +curiosity! + +Hands STARBOTTLE flowers, enters schoolhouse, and quietly closes door on +STARBOTTLE as SANDY MORTON enters cautiously and sheepishly from left. +SANDY stops in astonishment on observing STARBOTTLE, and remains by wing +left. + +Starbottle (smelling flowers, and not noticing MISS MARY'S absence). +Beautiful--er--exquisite. (Looking up at closed door.) Ged! Most +extraordinary disappearance! (Looks around, and discovers SANDY; +examines him for a moment through his eyeglass, and then, after a pause, +inflates his chest, turns his back on SANDY, and advances to schoolhouse +door. SANDY comes quickly, and, as STARBOTTLE raises his cane to rap on +door, seizes his arm. Both men, regarding each other fixedly, holding +each other, retreat slowly and cautiously to centre. Then STARBOTTLE +disengages his arm.) + +Sandy (embarrassedly but determinedly). Look yer, stranger. By the rules +of this camp, this place is sacred to the schoolma'am and her children. + +Starbottle (with lofty severity). It is! Then--er--permit me to ask, +sir, what YOU are doing here. + +Sandy (embarrassed, and dropping his head in confusion). I was--passing. +There is no school to-day. + +Starbottle. Then, sir, Ged! permit me to--er--DEMAND--DEMAND, sir--an +apology. You have laid, sir, your hand upon my person--demn me! Not +the first time, sir, either; for, if I am not mistaken, you are +the--er--inebriated menial, sir, who two months ago jostled me, +sir,--demn me,--as I entered the rancho of my friend Don Jose Castro. + +Sandy (starting, aside). Don Jose! (Aloud.) Hush, hush! She will hear +you. No--that is--(stops, confused and embarrassed. Aside.) She will +hear of my disgrace. He will tell her the whole story. + +Starbottle. I shall await your apology one hour. At the end of that +time, if it is not forthcoming, I shall--er--er--waive your menial +antecedents, and expect the--er--satisfaction of a gentleman. +Good-morning, sir. (Turns to schoolhouse.) + +Sandy. No, no: you shall not go! + +Starbottle. Who will prevent me? + +Sandy (grappling him). I will. (Appealingly.) Look yer, stranger, don't +provoke me, I, a desperate man, desperate and crazed with drink,--don't +ye, don't ye do it! For God's sake, take your hands off me! Ye don't +know what ye do. Ah! (Wildly, holding STARBOTTLE firmly, and forcing him +backward to precipice beyond ledge of rocks.) Hear me. Three years ago, +in a moment like this, I dragged a man--my friend--to this precipice. +I--I--no! no!--don't anger me now! (Sandy's grip on STARBOTTLE relaxes +slightly, and his head droops.) + +Starbottle (coolly). Permit me to remark, sir, that any reminiscence of +your--er--friend--or any other man is--er--at this moment, irrelevant +and impertinent. Permit me to point out the--er--fact, sir, that your +hand is pressing heavily, demned heavily, on my shoulder. + +Sandy (fiercely). You shall not go! + +Starbottle (fiercely). Shall not? + +Struggle. STARBOTTLE draws derringer from his breast-pocket, and SANDY +seizes his arm. In this position both parties struggle to ledge of +rocks, and COL. STARBOTTLE is forced partly over. + +Miss Mary (opening schoolhouse door). I thought I heard voices. (Looking +toward ledge of rocks, where COL. STARBOTTLE and SANDY are partly hidden +by trees. Both men relax grasp of each other at MISS MARY'S voice.) + +Col. Starbottle (aloud and with voice slightly raised, to SANDY). +By--er--leaning over this way a moment, a single moment, you +will--er--perceive the trail I speak of. It follows the canyon to the +right. It will bring you to--er--the settlement in an hour. (To +MISS MARY, as if observing her for the first time.) I believe I +am--er--right; but, being--er--more familiar with the locality, you can +direct the gentleman better. + +SANDY slowly sinks on his knees beside rock, with his face averted +from schoolhouse, as COL. STARBOTTLE disengages himself, and advances +jauntily and gallantly to schoolhouse. + +Col. Starbottle. In--er--er--showing the stranger the--er--way, I +perhaps interrupted our interview. The--er--observances of--er--civility +and humanity must not be foregone, even for--er--the ladies. +I--er--believe I address Miss Mary Morris. When I--er--state that my +name is Col. Starbottle, charged on mission of--er--delicate nature, I +believe I--er--explain MY intrusion. + +MISS MARY bows, and motions to schoolhouse door; COL. STARBOTTLE, bowing +deeply, enters; but MISS MARY remains standing by door, looking toward +trees that hide SANDY. + +Miss Mary (aside). I am sure it was Sandy's voice! But why does he +conceal himself? + +Sandy (aside, rising slowly to his feet, with his back to schoolhouse +door). Even this conceited bully overcomes me, and shames me with his +readiness and tact. He was quick to spare her--a stranger--the spectacle +of two angry men. I--I--must needs wrangle before her very door! Well, +well! better out of her sight forever, than an object of pity or terror. +[Exit slowly, and with downcast eyes, right. + +Miss Mary (watching the trail). It WAS Sandy! and this concealment means +something more than bashfulness. Perhaps the stranger can explain. + +[Enters schoolhouse, and closes door. + + +SCENE 2.--The same. Enter CONCHO, lame, cautiously, from R. Pauses at +R., and then beckons to HOP SING, who follows R. + +Concho (impatiently). Well! you saw him? + +Hop Sing. Me see him. + +Concho. And you recognized him? + +Hop Sing. No shabe likoquize. + +Concho (furiously). You knew him, eh? Carramba! You KNEW him. + +Hop Sing (slowly and sententiously). Me shabe man you callee Diego. +Me shabbee Led Gulchee call Sandy. Me shabbee man Poker Flat callee +Alexandlee Molton. Allee same, John! Allee same! + +Concho (rubbing his hands). Bueno! Good John! good John! And you knew he +was called Alexander Morton? And go on--good John--go on! + +Hop Sing. Me plentee washee shirtee--Melican man Poker Flat. Me plentee +washee shirt Alexandlee Molton. Always litee, litee on shirt allee time. +(Pointing to tail of his blouse, and imitating writing with finger.) +Alexandlee Molton. Melican man tellee me--shirt say Alexandlee +Molton--shabbee? + +Concho. Bueno! Excellent John. Good John. His linen marked Alexander +Morton. The proofs are gathering! (crosses to C.)--the letter I found in +his pack, addressed to Alexander Morton, Poker Flat, which first put me +on his track; the story of his wife's infidelity, and her flight with +his partner to red Gulch, the quarrel and fight that separated them, his +flight to San Jose, his wanderings to the mission of San Carmel, to the +rancho of the Holy Fisherman. The record is complete! + +Hop Sing. Alexandlee Molton-- + +Concho (hurriedly returning to HOP SING). Yes! good John; yes, good +John--go on. Alexander Morton-- + +Hop Sing. Alexandlee Molton. Me washee shirt, Alexandlee Molton; he no +pay washee. Me washee flowty dozen hep--four bittie dozen--twenty dollar +hep. Alexandlee Molton no payee. He say, "Go to hellee!" You pay me +(extending his hand). + +Concho. Car--! (checking himself). Poco tiempo, John! In good time, +John. Forty dollar--yes. Fifty dollar! Tomorrow, John. + +Hop Sing. Me no likee "to-mollow!" Me no likee "nex time, John!" +Allee time Melican man say, "Chalkee up, John," "No smallee change, +John,"--umph. Plenty foolee me! + +Concho. You shall have your money, John; but go now--you comprehend. +Carramba! go! (Pushes HOP SING to wing.) + +Hop Sing (expostulating). Flowty dozen, hep, John! twenty dollar, John. +Sabe. Flowty--twenty--(gesticulating with fingers). + +[Exit HOP SING, pushed off by CONCHO. + +Concho. The pagan dolt! But he is important. Ah, if he were wiser, +I should not rid myself of him so quickly! And now for the +schoolmistress,--the sweetheart of Sandy. If these men have not lied, +he is in love with her; and, if he is, he has told her his secret before +now; and she will be swift to urge him to his rights. If he has not told +her--umph! (laughing) it will not be a DAY--an HOUR--before she will +find out if her lover is Alexander Morton, the rich man's son, or +"Sandy," the unknown vagabond. Eh, friend Sandy! It was a woman that +locked up your secret: it shall be a woman, Madre di Dios! who shall +unlock it. Ha! (Goes to door of schoolhouse as door opens, and appears +COL. STARBOTTLE.) + +Concho (aside). A thousand devils! the lawyer of the old man Morton. +(Aloud.) Pardon, pardon! I am a stranger. I have lost my way on the +mountain. I am seeking a trail. Senor, pardon! + +Starbottle (aside). Another man seeking the road! Ged, I believe he's +lying too. (Aloud.) It is before you, sir, DOWN,--down the mountain. + +Concho. A thousand thanks, senor. (Aside.) Perdition catch him! (Aloud.) +Thanks, senor. [Exit R. + +Starbottle. Ged, I've seen that face before. Ged, it's Castro's +major-domo. Demn me, but I believe all his domestics have fallen in love +with the pretty schoolma'am. + +Enter MISS MARY from schoolhouse. + +Miss Mary (slowly refolding letter). You are aware, then, of the +contents of this note; and you are the friend of Alexander Morton, sen.? + +Col. Starbottle. Permit me a moment, a single moment, +to--er--er--explain. I am Mr. Morton's legal adviser. There +is--er--sense of--er--responsibility,--er--personal responsibility, +about the term "friend," that at the--er--er--present moment I am +not--er--prepared to assume. The substance of the letter is before you. +I am here to--er--express its spirit. I am here (with great +gallantry) to express the--er--yearnings of cousinly affection. I +am aware--er--that OUR conduct,--if I may use the--er--the plural of +advocacy,--I am aware that--er--OUR conduct has not in the past years +been of--er--er--exemplary character. I am aware that the--er--death +of our lamented cousin, your sainted mother, was--er--hastened--I +may--er--say--pre--cip--itated--by our--er--indiscretion But we are +hereto--er--confess judgment--with--er--er--costs. + +Miss Mary (interrupting). In other words, your client, my cousin, having +ruined my father, having turned his own widowed relation out of doors, +and sent me, her daughter, among strangers to earn her bread; having +seen my mother sink and die in her struggle to keep her family from +want,--this man now seeks to condone his offences--pardon me, sir, if I +use your own legal phraseology--by offering me a home; by giving me part +of his ill-gotten wealth, the association of his own hypocritical self, +and the company of his shameless, profligate son-- + +Starbottle (interrupting). A moment, Miss Morris,--a single moment! +The epithets you have used, the--er--vigorous characterization of +our--er--conduct, is--er--within the--er--strict rules of legal +advocacy, correct. We are--er--rascals! we are--er--scoundrels! we +are--er--well, I am not--er--prepared to say that we are not--er--demn +me--hypocrites! But the young man you speak of--our son, whose past +life (speaking as Col. Starbottle) no one more sincerely deprecates than +myself,--that young man has reformed; has been for the past few months +a miracle of sobriety, decorum, and industry; has taken, thanks to +the example of--er--friends, a position of integrity in his father's +business, of filial obedience in his father's household; is, in short, a +paragon; and, demn me, I doubt if he's his father's son. + +Miss Mary. Enough, sir! You are waiting for my answer. There is no +reason why it should not be as precise, as brief, and as formal as your +message. Go to my cousin; say that you saw the person he claims as +his relation; say that you found her, a poor schoolmistress, in a rude +mining camp, dependent for her bread on the scant earnings of already +impoverished men, dependent for her honor on the rude chivalry of +outcasts and vagabonds; and say that then and there she repudiated your +kinship, and respectfully declined your invitation. + +Starbottle (aside). Ged! Star! this is the--er--female of your species! +This is the woman--the--er--one woman--for whom you are responsible, +sir!--personally responsible! + +Miss Mary (coldly). You have my answer, sir. + +Col. Starbottle. Permit me--er--single moment,--a single moment! +Between the er--present moment, and that of my departure--there +is an--er--interval of twelve hours. May I, at the close of that +interval--again present myself--without prejudice, for your final +answer? + +Miss Mary (indifferently). As you will, sir. I shall be here. + +Col. Starbottle. Permit me. (Takes her hand gallantly.) Your conduct +and manner, Miss Morris, remind me--er--singularly--of--er beautiful +creature--one of the--er--first families. (Observing MISS MARY regarding +him amusedly, becomes embarrassed.) That is--er--I mean--er--er--good +morning, Miss Morris! (Passes by schoolhouse door, retreating and +bowing, and picks up flowers from door-step.) Good morning! + +Miss Mary. Excuse me, Col. Starbottle (with winning politeness), but +I fear I must rob you of those flowers. I recognize them now as the +offering of one of my pupils. I fear I must revoke my gift (taking +flowers from astonished colonel's hand), all except a single one for +your buttonhole. Have you any choice, or shall I (archly) choose for +you? Then it shall be this. (Begins to place flowers in buttonhole, +COL. STARBOTTLE exhibiting extravagant gratitude in dumb show. Business +prolonged through MISS MARY's speech.) If I am not wrong, colonel, the +gentleman to whom you so kindly pointed out the road this morning was +not a stranger to you. Ah! I am right. There, one moment,--a sprig of +green, a single leaf, would set off the pink nicely. Here he is known +only as "Sandy": you know the absurd habits of this camp. Of course he +has another name. There! (releasing the colonel) it is much prettier +now. + +Col. Starbottle. Ged, madam! The rarest exotic--the Victoria Regina--is +not as--er--graceful--er--tribute! + +Miss Mary. And yet you refuse to satisfy my curiosity? + +Col. Starbottle (with great embarrassment, which at last resolves itself +into increased dignity of manner). What you ask is--er--er--impossible! +You are right: the--er--gentleman you allude to is known to me +under--er--er--another name. But honor--Miss Morris, honor!--seals the +lips of Col. Starbottle. (Aside.) If she should know he was a menial! +No. The position of the man you have challenged, Star, must be equal to +your own. (Aloud.) Anything, Miss Morris, but--er--that! + +Miss Mary (smiling). Be it so. Adios, Col. Starbottle. + +Col. Starbottle (gallantly). Au revoir, Miss Morris. [Exit, +impressively, L. + +Miss Mary. So! Sandy conceals another name, which he withholds from +Red Gulch. Well! Pshaw! What is that to me? The camp is made up of +refugees,--men who perhaps have good reason to hide a name that may +be infamous, the name that would publish a crime. Nonsense! Crime and +Sandy! No, shame and guilt do not hide themselves in those honest but +occasionally somewhat bloodshot eyes. Besides, goodness knows! the poor +fellow's weakness is palpable enough. No, that is not the reason. It +is no guilt that keeps his name hidden,--at least, not his. (Seating +herself, and arranging flowers in her lap.) Poor Sandy! he must have +climbed the eastern summit to get this. See, the rosy sunrise still +lingers in its very petals; the dew is fresh upon it. Dear little +mountain baby! I really believe that fellow got up before daylight, to +climb that giddy height and secure its virgin freshness. And to think, +in a moment of spite, I'd have given it to that bombastic warrior! +(Pause.) That was a fine offer you refused just now, Miss Mary. Think of +it: a home of luxury, a position of assured respect and homage; the life +I once led, with all its difficulties smoothed away, its uncertainty +dispelled,--think of it! My poor mother's dream fulfilled,--I, her +daughter, the mistress of affluence, the queen of social power! What +a temptation! Ah, Miss Mary, WAS it a temptation? Was there nothing +in your free life here that stiffened your courage, that steeled the +adamant of your refusal? or was it only the memory of your mother's +wrongs? Luxury and wealth! Could you command a dwelling more charming +than this? Position and respect! Is not the awful admiration of these +lawless men more fascinating than the perilous flattery of gentlemen +like Col. Starbottle? is not the devotion of these outcasts more +complimentary than the lip-service of perfumed gallantry? (Pause.) +It's very odd he doesn't come. I wonder if that conceited old fool said +anything to him. (Rises, and then seats herself, smiling.) He HAS COME. +He is dodging in and out of the manganita bushes below the spring. I +suppose he imagines my visitor still here. The bashful fool! If anybody +should see him, it would be enough to make a petty scandal! I'll give +him a talking-to. (Pause.) I wonder if the ridiculous fool has gone +to sleep in those bushes. (Rises.) Well, let him: it will help him to +recover his senses from last night's dissipation; and you, Miss Mary, +it is high time you were preparing the lessons for to-morrow. (Goes +to schoolhouse, enters door, and slams it behind her; after a moment +reappears with empty bucket.) Of course there's no water, and I am dying +of thirst. (Goes slowly to left, and pauses embarrassedly and bashfully, +presently laughs,--then suddenly frowns, and assumes an appearance of +indignation.) Miss Mary Morris, have you become such an egregious fool +that you dare not satisfy the ordinary cravings of human nature, +just because an idle, dissipated, bashful blockhead--nonsense! [Exit, +brandishing pail. + + +SCENE 3.--The Same. + +(A pause. SANDY'S voice, without.) This way, miss: the trail is easier. + +(MISS MARY'S voice, without.) Never mind me; look after the bucket. + +Enter SANDY, carrying bucket with water, followed by MISS MARY. SANDY +sets bucket down. + +Miss Mary. There, you've spilt half of it. If it had been whiskey, you'd +have been more careful. + +Sandy (submissively). Yes, miss. + +Miss Mary (aside). "Yes, miss!" The man will drive me crazy with his +saccharine imbecility. (Aloud.) I believe you would assent to anything, +even if I said you were--an impostor! + +Sandy (amazedly). An impostor, Miss Mary? + +Miss Mary. Well, I don't know what other term you use in Red Gulch to +express a man who conceals his real name under another. + +Sandy (embarrassed, but facing MISS MARY). Has anybody been tellin' ye I +was an impostor, miss? Has thet derned old fool that I saw ye with-- + +Miss Mary. "That old fool," as you call him, was too honorable a +gentleman to disclose your secret, and too loyal a friend to traduce +you by an epithet. Fear nothing, Mr. "Sandy": if you have limited your +confidence to ONE friend, it has not been misplaced. But, dear me, don't +think I wish to penetrate your secret. No. The little I learned was +accidental. Besides, his business was with me: perhaps, as his friend, +you already know it. + +Sandy (meekly). Perhaps, miss, he was too honorable a gentleman to +disclose YOUR secret. His business was with me. + +Miss Mary (aside). He has taken a leaf out of my book! He is not so +stupid, after all. (Aloud.) I have no secret. Col. Starbottle came here +to make me an offer. + +Sandy (recoiling). An offer! + +Miss Mary. Of a home and independence. (Aside.) Poor fellow! how pale he +looks! (Aloud.) Well, you see, I am more trustful than you. I will tell +you MY secret; and you shall aid me with your counsel. (They sit on +ledge of rocks.) Listen! My mother had a cousin once,--a cousin cruel, +cowardly, selfish, and dissolute. She loved him, as women are apt to +love such men,--loved him so that she beguiled her own husband to trust +his fortunes in the hands of this wretched profligate. The husband +was ruined, disgraced. The wife sought her cousin for help for her +necessities. He met her with insult, and proposed that she should fly +with him. + +Sandy. One moment, miss: it wasn't his pardner--his pardner's wife--eh? + +Miss Mary (impatiently). It was the helpless wife of his own blood, +I tell you. The husband died broken-hearted. The wife, my mother, +struggled in poverty, under the shadow of a proud name, to give me an +education, and died while I was still a girl. To-day this cousin,--this +more than murderer of my parents,--old, rich, self-satisfied, REFORMED, +invites me, by virtue of that kinship he violated and despised, to his +home, his wealth, his--his family roof-tree! The man you saw was his +agent. + +Sandy. And you-- + +Miss Mary. Refused. + +Sandy (passing his hand over his forehead). You did wrong, Miss Mary. + +Miss Mary. Wrong, sir? (Rising.) + +Sandy (humbly but firmly). Sit ye down, Miss Mary. It ain't for ye to +throw your bright young life away yer in this place. It ain't for such +as ye to soil your fair young hands by raking in the ashes to stir up +the dead embers of a family wrong. It ain't for ye--ye'll pardon me, +Miss Mary, for sayin' it--it ain't for ye to allow when it's TOO LATE +fur a man to reform, or to go back of his reformation. Don't ye do it, +miss, fur God's sake,--don't ye do it! Harkin, Miss Mary. If ye'll take +my advice--a fool's advice, maybe--ye'll go. And when I tell ye that +that advice, if ye take it, will take the sunshine out of these +hills, the color off them trees, the freshness outer them flowers, the +heart's-blood outer me,--ye'll know that I ain't thinkin' o' myself, but +of ye. And I wouldn't say this much to ye, Miss Mary; but you're goin' +away. There's a flower, miss, you're wearin' in your bosom,--a flower I +picked at daybreak this morning, five miles away in the snow. The wind +was blowing chill around it, so that my hands that dug for it were stiff +and cold; but the roots were warm, Miss Mary, as they are now in your +bosom. Ye'll keep that flower, Miss Mary, in remembrance of my love for +ye, that kept warm and blossomed through the snow. And, don't start, +Miss Mary,--for ye'll leave behind ye, as I did, the snow and rocks +through which it bloomed. I axes your parding, miss: I'm hurtin' yer +feelin's, sure. + +Miss Mary (rising with agitation). Nothing,--nothing; but climbing +these stupid rocks has made me giddy: that's all. Your arm. (To SANDY +impatiently). Can't you give me your arm? (SANDY supports MISS MARY +awkwardly toward schoolhouse. At door MISS MARY pauses.) But if +reformation is so easy, so acceptable, why have you not profited by +it? Why have you not reformed? Why have I found you here, a disgraced, +dissipated, anonymous outcast, whom an honest girl dare not know? Why do +you presume to preach to me? Have you a father? + +Sandy. Hush, Miss Mary, hush! I had a father. Harkin. All that you have +suffered from a kinship even so far removed, I have known from the hands +of one who should have protected me. MY father was--but no matter. You, +Miss Mary, came out of your trials like gold from the washing. I was +only the dirt and gravel to be thrown away. It is too late, Miss Mary, +too late. My father has never sought me, would turn me from his doors +had I sought him. Perhaps he is only right. + +Miss Mary. But why should he be so different from others? Listen. This +very cousin whose offer I refused had a son,--wild, wayward, by all +report the most degraded of men. It was part of my cousin's reformation +to save this son, and, if it were possible, snatch him from that +terrible fate which seemed to be his only inheritance. + +Sandy (eagerly). Yes, miss. + +Miss Mary. To restore him to a regenerated home. With this idea he +followed his prodigal to California. I, you understand, was only an +after-thought consequent upon his success. He came to California upon +this pilgrimage two years ago. He had no recollection, so they tell me, +by which he could recognize this erring son; and at first his search +was wild, profitless, and almost hopeless. But by degrees, and with +a persistency that seemed to increase with his hopelessness, he was +rewarded by finding some clew to him at--at--at-- + +Sandy (excitedly). At Poker Flat? + +Miss Mary. Ah, perhaps you know the story,--at Poker Flat. He traced him +to the Mission of San Carmel. + +Sandy. Yes, miss: go on. + +Miss Mary. He was more successful than he deserved, perhaps. He found +him. I see you know the story. + +Sandy. Found him! Found him! Miss, did you say found him? + +Miss Mary. Yes, found him. And today Alexander Morton, the reclaimed +prodigal, is part of the household I am invited to join. So you see, Mr. +Sandy, there is still hope. What has happened to him is only a promise +to you. Eh! Mr. Sandy--what is the matter? Are you ill? Your exertion +this morning, perhaps. Speak to me! Gracious heavens, he is going mad! +No! No! Yes--it cannot be--it is--he HAS broken his promise: he is drunk +again. + +Sandy (rising, excited and confused). Excuse me, miss, I am a little +onsartain HERE (pointing to his head). I can't--I disremember--what you +said jus' now: ye mentioned the name o' that prodigal that was found. + +Miss Mary. Certainly: compose yourself,--my cousin's son, Alexander +Morton. Listen, Sandy, you promised ME, you know, you said for MY sake +you would not touch a drop. (Enter cautiously toward schoolhouse the +DUCHESS, stops on observing SANDY, and hides behind rock.) + +Sandy (still bewildered and incoherent). I reckon. Harkin, miss, is that +thar thing (pointing towards rock where DUCHESS is concealed)--is that a +tree, or--or--a woman? Is it sorter movin' this way? + +Miss Mary (laying her hand on SANDY'S). Recover your senses, for +Heaven's sake, Sandy,--for MY sake! It is only a tree. + +Sandy (rising). Then, miss, I've broke my word with ye: I'm drunk. +P'r'aps I'd better be a-goin' (looking round confusedly) till I'm sober. +(Going toward L.) + +Miss Mary (seizing his hand). But you'll see me again, Sandy: you'll +come here--before--before--I go? + +Sandy. Yes, miss,--before ye go. (Staggers stupidly toward L. Aside.) +Found him! found Alexander Morton! It's a third time, Sandy, the third +time: it means--it means--you're mad! (Laughs wildly, and exit L.) + +Miss Mary (springing to her feet). There is a mystery behind all this, +Mary Morris, that you--you--must discover. That man was NOT drunk: he +HAD NOT broken his promise to me. What does it all mean? I have it. +I will accept the offer of this Alexander Morton. I will tell him the +story of this helpless man, this poor, poor, reckless Sandy. With the +story of his own son before his eyes, he cannot but interest himself in +his fate. He is rich: he will aid me in my search for Sandy's father, +for Sandy's secret. At the worst, I can only follow the advice of this +wretched man,--an advice so generous, so kind, so self-sacrificing. Ah-- + + +SCENE 4.--The same. Enter the DUCHESS, showily and extravagantly +dressed. Her manner at first is a mixture of alternate shyness and +bravado. + +The Duchess. I heerd tell that you was goin' down to 'Frisco to-morrow, +for your vacation; and I couldn't let ye go till I came to thank ye for +your kindness to my boy,--little Tommy. + +Miss Mary (aside. Rising abstractedly, and recalling herself with an +effort). I see,--a poor outcast, the mother of my anonymous pupil. +(Aloud.) Tommy! a good boy,--a dear, good little boy. + +Duchess. Thankee, miss, thankee. If I am his mother, thar ain't a +sweeter, dearer, better boy lives than him. And, if I ain't much as +says it, thar ain't a sweeter, dearer, angeler teacher than he's got. It +ain't for you to be complimented by me, miss; it ain't for such as me +to be comin' here in broad day to do it, either; but I come to ask a +favor,--not for me, miss, but for the darling boy. + +Miss Mary (aside--abstractedly). This poor, degraded creature will kill +me with her wearying gratitude. Sandy will not return, of course, while +she is here. (Aloud.) Go on. If I can help you or yours, be assured I +will. + +The Duchess. Thankee, miss. You see, thar's no one the boy has any claim +on but me, and I ain't the proper person to bring him up. I did allow to +send him to 'Frisco, last year; but when I heerd talk that a schoolma'am +was comin' up, and you did, and he sorter tuk to ye natril from the +first, I guess I did well to keep him yer. For, oh, miss, he loves ye +so much; and, if you could hear him talk in his purty way, ye wouldn't +refuse him anything. + +Miss Mary (with fatigued politeness, and increasing impatience). I see, +I see: pray go on. + +The Duchess (with quiet persistency). It's natril he should take to ye, +miss; for his father, when I first knowed him, miss, was a gentleman +like yourself; and the boy must forget me sooner or later--and I ain't +goin' to cry about THAT. + +Miss Mary (impatiently). Pray tell me how I can serve you. + +The Duchess. Yes, miss; you see, I came to ask you to take my +Tommy,--God bless him for the sweetest, bestest boy that lives!--to take +him with you. I've money plenty; and it's all yours and his. Put him +in some good school, whar ye kin go and see, and sorter help him +to--forget---his mother. Do with him what you like. The worst you can +do will be kindness to what he would learn with me. You will: I know you +will; won't you? You will make him as pure and as good as yourself; and +when he has grown up, and is a gentleman, you will tell him his father's +name,--the name that hasn't passed my lips for years,--the name of +Alexander Morton. + +Miss Mary (aside). Alexander Morton! The prodigal! Ah, I see,--the +ungathered husks of his idle harvest. + +The Duchess. You hesitate, Miss Mary. (Seizing her.) Do not take your +hand away. You are smiling. God bless you! I know you will take my boy. +Speak to me, Miss Mary. + +Miss Mary (aloud). I will take your child. More than that, I will take +him to his father. + +The Duchess. No, no! for God's sake, no, Miss Mary! He has never seen +him from his birth: he does not know him. He will disown him. He will +curse him,--will curse me! + +Miss Mary. Why should he? Surely his crime is worse than yours. + +The Duchess. Hear me, Miss Mary. (Aside.) How can I tell her? (Aloud.) +One moment, miss. I was once--ye may not believe it, miss--as good, as +pure, as you. I had a husband, the father of this child. He was +kind, good, easy, forgiving,--too good for me, miss, too simple and +unsuspecting. He was what the world calls a fool, miss: he loved me too +well,--the kind o' crime, miss,--beggin' your pardon, and all precepts +to the contrairy,--the one thing that women like me never forgives. He +had a pardner, miss, that governed him as HE never governed me; +that held him with the stronger will, and maybe ME too. I was young, +miss,--no older than yourself then; and I ran away with him,--left all, +and ran away with my husband's pardner. My husband--nat'rally--took +to drink. I axes your pardin', miss; but ye'll see now, allowin' your +larnin', that Alexander Morton ain't the man as will take my child. + +Miss Mary. Nonsense. You are wrong. He has reformed; he has been +restored to his home,--your child's home, your home if you will but +claim it. Do not fear: I will make that right. + +Enter SANDY slowly and sheepishly, R.; stops on observing the Duchess, +and stands amazed and motionless. + +Miss Mary (observing SANDY--aside). He HAS returned. Poor fellow! How +shall I get rid of this woman? (Aloud.) Enough. If you are sincere, I +will take your child, and, God help me! bring him to his home and yours. +Are you satisfied? + +The Duchess. Thank ye! Thank ye, miss; but--but thar's a mistake +somewhar. In course--it's natural--ye don't know the father of that +child, my boy Tommy, under the name o' Alexander Morton. Ye're thinking, +like as not, of another man. The man I mean lives yer, in this camp: +they calls him Sandy, miss,--SANDY! + +Miss Mary (after a pause, coming forward passionately). Hush! I have +given you my answer, be it Alexander Morton or Sandy. Go now: bring me +the child this evening at my house. I will meet you there. (Leads the +DUCHESS to wing. The DUCHESS endeavors to fall at her feet.) + +The Duchess. God bless you, miss! + +Miss Mary (hurriedly embracing her). No more, no more--but go! + +[Exit DUCHESS. MISS MARY returns hurriedly to centre, confronting SANDY. + +Miss Mary (to SANDY, hurriedly and excitedly). You have heard what that +woman said. I do not ask you under what alias you are known here: I +only ask a single question.--Is SHE your wife? are you the father of her +child? + +Sandy (sinking upon his knees before her, and covering his face with his +hands). I am! + +Miss Mary. Enough! (Taking flower from her bosom.) Here, I give you back +the flower you gave me this morning. It has faded and died here upon my +breast. But I shall replace it with your foundling,--the child of that +woman, born like that flower in the snow! And I go now, Sandy, and leave +behind me, as you said this morning, the snow and rocks in which it +bloomed. Good-by! Farewell, farewell--forever! (Goes toward schoolhouse +as--) + +Enter COL. STARBOTTLE. + +Miss Mary (to STARBOTTLE). You are here in season, sir. You must have +come for an answer to your question. You must first give me one to mine. +Who is this man (pointing to SANDY), the man you met upon the rocks this +morning? + +Col. Starbottle. Ahem! I am--er--now fully prepared and responsible, I +may say, miss--er--personally responsible, to answer that question. When +you asked it this morning, the ordinary courtesy of the--er--code of +honor threw a--er--cloak around the--er--antecedents of the--er--man +whom I had--er--elected by a demand for personal satisfaction, to the +equality of myself, an--er--gentleman! That--er--cloak is now removed. I +have waited six hours for an apology or a--er--reply to my demand. I am +now free to confess that the--er--person you allude to was first known +by me, three months ago, as an inebriated menial,--a groom in the +household of my friend Don Jose Castro,--by the--er--simple name of +"Diego." + +Miss Mary (slowly). I am satisfied. I accept my cousin's invitation. + +[Exit slowly, supported by COL. STARBOTTLE, R. + +As STARBOTTLE and MISS MARY exeunt R., CONCHO and HOP SING enter +cautiously, L. SANDY slowly rises to his feet, passes his hand across +his forehead, looks around toward exit of STARBOTTLE and MISS MARY. + +Sandy (slowly, but with more calmness of demeanor). Gone, gone--forever! +No: I am not mad, nor crazed with drink. My hands no longer tremble. +There is no confusion here. (Feeling his forehead). I heard them all. It +was no dream. I heard her every word. Alexander Morton, yes, they +spoke of Alexander Morton. She is going to him, to my father. She is +going--she, Mary, my cousin--she is going to my father. He has been +seeking me--has found--ah! (Groans.) No, no, Sandy! Be patient, be calm: +you are not crazy--no, no, good Sandy, good old boy! Be patient, be +patient: it is coming, it is coming. Yes, I see: some one has leaped +into my place; some one has leaped into the old man's arms. Some one +will creep into HER heart! No! by God! No! I am Alexander Morton. Yes, +yes! But how, how shall I prove it?--how? Who (CONCHO steps cautiously +forward towards SANDY unobserved) will believe the vagabond, the +outcast--my God!--the crazy drunkard? + +Concho (advancing, and laying his hand on SANDY). I will! + +Sandy (staggering back amazedly). You! + +Concho. Yes,--I, I,--Concho! You know me, Diego, you know me,--Concho, +the major-domo of the Blessed Innocents. Ha! You know me now. Yes, I +have come to save you. I have come to make you strong. So--I have come +to help you strip the Judas that has stepped into your place,--the sham +prodigal that has had the fatted calf and the ring,--ah! ah! + +Sandy. You? You do not know me! + +Concho. Ah! you think, you think, eh? Listen: Since you left I have +tracked HIM--THE IMPOSTOR, this Judas, this coyote--step by step, until +his tracks crossed yours; and then I sought you out. I know all. I found +a letter you had dropped; that brought me to Poker Flat. Ah, you start! +I have seen those who knew you as Alexander Morton. You see! Ah, I am +wise. + +Sandy (aside). It is true. (Aloud.) But (suspiciously) why have you done +this? You, Concho?--you were not my friend. + +Concho. No, but HE is my enemy. Ah, you start! Look at me, Alexander +Morton, Sandy, Diego! You knew a man, strong, active, like yourself. +Eh! Look at me now! Look at me, a cripple! Eh! lame and crushed here +(pointing to his leg), broken and crushed here (pointing to his heart), +by him,--the impostor! Listen, Diego. The night I was sent to track you +from the rancho, he--this man--struck me from the wall, dashed me to the +earth, and made MY BODY, broken and bruised, a stepping-stone to leap +the wall into your place, Diego,--into your father's heart,--into my +master's home. They found me dead, they thought,--no, not dead, Diego! +It was sad, they said,--unfortunate. They nursed me; they talked +of money--eh, Diego!--money! They would have pensioned me to hush +scandal--eh! I was a dog, a foreigner, a Greaser! Eh! That is why I am +here. No! I love you not, Diego; you are of his race; but I hate--Mother +of God!--I HATE him! + +Sandy (rising to his feet, aside). Good! I begin to feel my courage +return: my nerves are stronger. Courage, Sandy! (Aloud.) Be it +so, Concho: there is my hand! We will help each other,--you to my +birthright, I to your revenge! Hark ye! (SANDY'S manner becomes more +calm and serious.) This impostor is NO craven, NO coyote. Whoever he is, +he must be strong. He has most plausible evidences. We must have rigid +proofs. I will go with you to Poker Flat. There is one man, if he be +living, knows me better than any man who lives. He has done me wrong,--a +great wrong, Concho,--but I will forgive him. I will do more,--I will +ask his forgiveness. He will be a witness no man dare gainsay--my +partner--God help him and forgive him as I do!--John Oakhurst. + +Concho. Oakhurst your partner! + +Sandy (angrily). Yes. Look ye, Concho, he has wronged me in a private +way: that is MY business, not YOURS; but he was MY partner, no one shall +abuse him before me. + +Concho. Be it so. Then sink here! Rot here! Go back to your husks, O +prodigal! wallow in the ditches of this camp, and see your birthright +sold for a dram of aguardiente! Lie here, dog and coyote that you are, +with your mistress under the protection of your destroyer! For I tell +you--I, Concho, the cripple--that the man who struck me down, the man +who stepped into your birthright, the man who to-morrow welcomes your +sweetheart in his arms, who holds the custody of your child, is your +partner,--John Oakhurst. + +Sandy (who has been sinking under CONCHO'S words, rising convulsively to +his feet). God be merciful to me a sinner! (Faints.) + +Concho (standing over his prostrate body exultingly). I am right. You +are wise, Concho, you are wise! You have found Alexander Morton! + +Hop Sing (advancing slowly to SANDY'S side, and extending open palm). +Me washee shirt flo you, flowty dozen hab. You no payee me. Me wantee +twenty dollar hep. Sabe! + +Curtain. + +END OF ACT II. + + + + +ACT III. + + +SCENE 1.--The bank parlor of Morton & Son, San Francisco. Room richly +furnished; two square library desks, left and right. At right, safe in +wall; at left, same with practicable doors. Folding door in flat C., +leading to counting-room. Door in left to private room of ALEXANDER +MORTON, sen.; door in right to private room of MORTON, jun. ALEXANDER +MORTON, sen., discovered at desk R., opening and reading letters. + +Morton, sen. (laying down letter). Well, well, the usual story; letters +from all sorts of people, who have done or intend to do all sorts of +things for my reclaimed prodigal. (Reads.) "Dear Sir: five years ago +I loaned some money to a stranger who answers the description of your +recovered son. He will remember Jim Parker,--Limping Jim, of Poker Flat. +Being at present short of funds, please send twenty dollars, amount +loaned, by return mail. If not convenient, five dollars will do as +instalment." Pshaw! (Throws letter aside, and takes up another.) "Dear +Sir: I invite your attention to enclosed circular for a proposed Home +for Dissipated and Anonymous Gold-Miners. Your well-known reputation for +liberality, and your late valuable experience in the reformation of your +son, will naturally enlist your broadest sympathies. We enclose a draft +for five thousand dollars, for your signature." We shall see! Another: +"Dear Sir: the Society for the Formation of Bible Classes in the Upper +Stanislaus acknowledge your recent munificent gift of five hundred +dollars to the cause. Last Sabbath Brother Hawkins of Poker Flat related +with touching effect the story of your prodigal to an assemblage of over +two hundred miners. Owing to unusual expenses, we regret to be compelled +to draw upon you for five hundred dollars more." So! (Putting down +letter.) If we were given to pride and vainglory, we might well be +puffed up with the fame of our works and the contagion of our example: +yet I fear that, with the worldly-minded, this praise of charity to +others is only the prayerful expectation of some personal application to +the praiser. (Rings hand-bell.) + +Enter JACKSON. + +(To JACKSON.) File these letters (handing letters) with the others. +There is no answer. Has young Mr. Alexander come in yet? + +Jackson. He only left here an hour ago. It was steamer day yesterday: he +was up all night, sir. + +Old Morton (aside). True. And the night before he travelled all night, +riding two hours ahead of one of our defaulting agents, and saved the +bank a hundred thousand dollars. Certainly his devotion to business is +unremitting. (Aloud.) Any news from Col. Starbottle? + +Jackson. He left this note, sir, early this morning. + +Old Morton (takes it, and reads). "I think I may say, on my own personal +responsibility, that the mission is successful. Miss Morris will arrive +to-night with a female attendant and child." (To JACKSON.) That is all, +sir. Stop! Has any one been smoking here? + +Jackson. Not to my knowledge, sir. + +Old Morton. There was a flavor of stale tobacco smoke in the room this +morning when I entered, and ashes on the carpet. I KNOW that young Mr. +Alexander has abandoned the pernicious habit. See that it does not occur +again. + +Jackson. Yes, sir. (Aside.) I must warn Mr. Alexander that his friends +must be more careful; and yet those ashes were good for a deposit of +fifty thousand. + +Old Morton. Is any one waiting? + +Jackson. Yes, sir,--Don Jose Castro and Mr. Capper. + +Old Morton. Show in the Don: the policeman can wait. + +Jackson. Yes, sir. [Exit. + +Old Morton (taking up STARBOTTLE'S note). "Miss Morris will arrive +to-night." And yet he saw her only yesterday. This is not like her +mother: no. She would never have forgiven and forgotten so quickly. +Perhaps she knew not my sin and her mother's wrongs; perhaps she +has--has--CHRISTIAN forgiveness (sarcastically); perhaps, like my +prodigal, she will be immaculately perfect. Well, well: at least her +presence will make my home less lonely. "An attendant and child." A +child! Ah, if HE, my boy, my Alexander, were still a child, I might warm +this cold, cold heart in his sunshine! Strange that I cannot reconstruct +from this dutiful, submissive, obedient, industrious Alexander,--this +redeemed outcast, this son who shares my life, my fortunes, my +heart,--the foolish, wilful, thoughtless, idle boy, that once defied me. +I remember (musing, with a smile) how the little rascal, ha, ha! once +struck me,--STRUCK ME!--when I corrected him: ha, ha! (Rubbing his hands +with amusement, and then suddenly becoming grave and lugubrious.) No, +no. These are the whisperings of the flesh. Why should I find fault with +him for being all that a righteous conversion demands,--all that I asked +and prayed for? No, Alexander Morton: it is you, YOU, who are not yet +regenerate. It is YOU who are ungrateful to Him who blessed you, to Him +whose guiding hand led you to-- + +Enter JACKSON. + +Jackson. Don Jose Castro. + +Enter DON JOSE. + +Don Jose. A thousand pardons, senor, for interrupting you in the hours +of business; but it is--it is of business I would speak. (Looking +around.) + +Old Morton (to JACKSON). You can retire. (Exit JACKSON.) Be seated, Mr. +Castro: I am at your service. + +Don Jose. It is of your--your son-- + +Old Morton. Our firm is Morton & Son: in business we are one, Mr. +Castro. + +Don Jose. Bueno! Then to you as to him I will speak. Here is a letter +I received yesterday. It has significance, importance perhaps. But, +whatever it is, it is something for you, not me, to know. If I am +wronged much, Don Alexandro, you, you, are wronged still more. Shall +I read it? Good. (Reads.) "The man to whom you have affianced your +daughter is not the son of Alexander Morton. Have a care. If I do not +prove him an impostor at the end of six days, believe me one, and not +your true friend and servant, Concho." In six days, Don Alexandro, the +year of probation is over, and I have promised my daughter's hand to +your son. (Hands letter to MORTON.) + +Old Morton (ringing bell). Is that all, Mr. Castro? + +Don Jose. All, Mr. Castro? Carramba! is it not enough? + +Enter JACKSON. + +Old Morton (to JACKSON). You have kept a record of this business during +the last eighteen months. Look at this letter. (Handing letter.) Is the +handwriting familiar? + +Jackson (taking letter). Can't say, sir. The form is the old one. + +Old Morton. How many such letters have you received? + +Jackson. Four hundred and forty-one, sir. This is the four hundred and +forty-second application for your son's position, sir. + +Don Jose. Pardon. This is not an application: it is only information or +caution. + +Old Morton (to JACKSON). How many letters of information or caution have +we received? + +Jackson. This makes seven hundred and eighty-one, sir. + +Old Morton. How, sir! (Quickly.) There were but seven hundred and +seventy-nine last night. + +Jackson. Beg pardon, sir! The gentleman who carried Mr. Alexander's +valise from the boat was the seven hundred and eightieth. + +Old Morton. Explain yourself, sir. + +Jackson. He imparted to me, while receiving his stipend, the fact that +he did not believe young Mr. Alexander was your son. An hour later, +sir, he also imparted to me confidentially that he believed you were his +father, and requested the loan of five dollars, to be repaid by you, +to enable him to purchase a clean shirt, and appear before you in +respectable condition. He waited for you an hour, and expressed some +indignation that he had not an equal show with others to throw himself +into your arms. + +Don Jose (rising, aside, and uplifting his hands). Carramba! These +Americanos are of the Devil! (Aloud.) Enough, Don Alexandro! Then you +think this letter is only worth-- + +Old Morton. One moment. I can perhaps tell you exactly its market value. +(To JACKSON.) Go on, sir. + +Jackson. At half-past ten, sir, then being slightly under the influence +of liquor, he accepted the price of a deck passage to Stockton. + +Old Morton. How much was that, sir? + +Jackson. Fifty cents. + +Old Morton. Exactly so! There you have, sir (to DON JOSE), the market +value of the information you have received. I would advise you, as a +business matter, not to pay more. As a business matter, you can at any +time draw upon us for the amount. (To JACKSON.) Admit Mr. Capper. [Exit +JACKSON. + +Don Jose (rising with dignity). This is an insult, Don Alexandro. + +Old Morton. You are wrong, Mr. Castro: it is BUSINESS; sought, I +believe, by yourself. Now that it is transacted, I beg you to dine with +me to-morrow to meet my niece. No offence, sir, no offence. Come, come! +Business, you know, business. + +Don Jose (relaxing). Be it so! I will come. (Aside.) These Americanos, +these Americanos, are of the Devil! (Aloud.) Adios. (Going.) I hear, +by report, that you have met with the misfortune of a serious loss by +robbery? + +Old Morton (aside). So our mishap is known everywhere. (Aloud.) No +serious misfortune, Mr. Castro, even if we do not recover the money. +Adios. + +[Exit Don Jose. + +Old Morton. The stiff-necked Papist! That he should dare, for the sake +of his black-browed, froward daughter, to--question the faith on which +I have pinned my future! Well, with God's blessing, I gave him some +wholesome discipline. If it were not for my covenant with Alexander--and +nobly he has fulfilled his part,--I should forbid his alliance with the +blood of this spying Jesuit. + +Enter Mr. JACKSON, leading in CAPPER. + +Jackson. Policeman, sir. [Exit. + +Capper (turning sharply). Who's that man? + +Old Morton. Jackson, clerk. + +Capper. Umph! Been here long? + +Old Morton. A year. He was appointed by my son. + +Capper. Know anything of his previous life? + +Old Morton (stiffly). I have already told you he is an appointee of my +son's. + +Capper. Yes! (Aside.) "Like master, like man." (Aloud.) Well, +to business. We have worked up the robbery. We have reached two +conclusions,--one, that the work was not done by professionals; the +other, consequent upon this, that you can't recover the money. + +Old Morton. Excuse me, sir, but I do not see the last conclusion. + +Capper. Then listen. The professional thief has only one or two ways of +disposing of his plunder, and these ways are always well known to us. +Good! Your stolen coin has not been disposed of in the regular way, +through the usual hands which we could at any time seize. Of this we are +satisfied. + +Old Morton. How do you know it? + +Capper. In this way. The only clew we have to the identification of the +missing money were two boxes of Mexican doubloons. + +Old Morton (aside). Mr. Castro's special deposit! He may have reason for +his interest. (Aloud.) Go on. + +Capper. It is a coin rare in circulation in the interior. The night +after the robbery, the dealer of a monte-table in Sacramento paid out +five thousand dollars in doubloons. He declared it was taken in at the +table, and could not identify the players. Of course, OF COURSE! So far, +you see, you are helpless. We have only established one fact, that the +robber is--is--(significantly) a gambler. + +Old Morton (quietly). The regular trade of the thief seems to me to be +of little importance if you cannot identify him, or recover my money. +But go on, sir, go on: or is this all? + +Capper (aside). The old fool is blind. That is natural. (Aloud.) It is +not all. The crime will doubtless be repeated. The man who has access +to your vaults, who has taken only thirty thousand dollars when he could +have secured half a million,--this man, who has already gambled that +thirty thousand away,--will not stop there. He will in a day or two, +perhaps to-day, try to retrieve his losses out of YOUR capital. I am +here to prevent it. + +Old Morton (becoming interested). How? + +Capper. Give me, for forty-eight hours, free access to this building. +Let me conceal myself somewhere, anywhere, within these walls. Let it be +without the knowledge of your clerks, even of YOUR SON! + +Old Morton (proudly). Mr. Alexander Morton is absent to-day. There is +no other reason why he should not be here to consent to the acts of his +partner and father. + +Capper (quickly). Very good. It is only to insure absolute secrecy. + +Old Morton (aside). Another robbery might excite a suspicion, worse +for our credit than our actual loss. There is a significant earnestness +about this man, that awakens my fears. If Alexander were only here. +(Aloud.) I accept. (CAPPER has been trying doors R. and L.) + +Capper. What room is this? (At R.) + +Old Morton. My son's: I would prefer-- + +Capper. And this? (At L.) + +Old Morton. Mine, sir; if you choose-- + +Capper (locking door, and putting key in his pocket). This will do. +Oblige me by making the necessary arrangements in your counting-room. + +Old Morton (hesitating and aside). He is right: perhaps it is only +prudence, and I am saving Alexander additional care and annoyance. +[Exit. + +Enter MR. SHADOW cautiously, C. + +Shadow (in a lisping whisper to CAPPER). I've got the litht of the +clerkth complete. + +Capper (triumphantly). Put it in your pocket, Shadow. We don't care for +the lackeys now: we are after the master. + +Shadow. Eh! the mathter? + +Capper. Yes: the master,--the young master, the reclaimed son, the +reformed prodigal! ha, ha!--the young man who compensates himself for +all this austere devotion to business and principle by dipping into +the old man's vaults when he wants a pasear: eh, Shadow? That's the +man we're after. Look here! I never took any stock in that young man's +reformation. Ye don't teach old sports like him new tricks. They're a +bad lot, father and son,--eh, Shadow?--and he's a chip of the old block. +I spotted him before this robbery, before we were ever called in +here professionally. I've had my eye on Alexander Morton, alias John +Oakhurst; and, when I found the old man's doubloons raked over a +monte-table at Sacramento, I knew where to look for the thief. Eh, +Shadow? + +Shadow (aside). He ith enormouth, thith Mithter Capper. + +Enter OLD MORTON. + +Old Morton. I have arranged everything. You will not be disturbed or +suspected here in my private office. Eh! (Looking at SHADOW.) Who has +slipped in here? + +Capper. Only my Shadow, Mr. Morton; but I can rid myself even of that. +(Crosses to SHADOW.) Take this card to the office, and wait for further +orders. Vanish, Shadow! [Exit SHADOW. + +Enter JACKSON. + +Jackson. Mr. Alexander has come in, sir. (OLD MORTON and CAPPER start.) + +Old Morton. Where is he? + +Jackson. In his private room, sir. + +Old Morton. Enough: you can go. + +[Exit JACKSON. + +Capper (crossing to MORTON). Remember, you have given your pledge of +secrecy. Beware! Your honor, your property, the credit and reputation of +your bank, are at stake. + +Old Morton (after a pause of hesitation, with dignity). I gave you +my word, sir, while my son was not present. I shall save myself +from breaking my word with you, or concealing anything from him, by +withdrawing myself. For the next twenty-four hours, this room (pointing +to private room R.) is yours. + +Each regards the other. Exit OLD MORTON C., as CAPPER exit in private +room R. After a pause, door of room L. opens, and HARRY YORK appears, +slightly intoxicated, followed by JOHN OAKHURST. + +Harry York (looking around). By Jove! Morton, but you've got things in +style here. And this yer's the gov'nor's desk; and here old Praise +god Barebones sits opposite ye. Look yer, old boy (throwing himself in +chair), I kin allow how it comes easy for ye to run this bank, for it's +about as exciting, these times, as faro was to ye in '49, when I first +knew ye as Jack Oakhurst; but how the Devil you can sit opposite that +stiff embodiment of all the Ten Commandments, day by day, damn it! +that's wot GETS me! Why, the first day I came here on business, the +old man froze me so that I couldn't thaw a deposit out of my pocket. It +chills me to think of it. + +Oakhurst (hastily). I suppose I am accustomed to him. But come, Harry: +let me warm you. (Opens door of safe L., and discovers cupboard, +decanter, and glasses.) + +York (laughing). By Jove! under the old man's very nose. Jack, this is +like you. (Takes a drink.) Well, old boy, this is like old times. But +you don't drink? + +Oakhurst. No, nor smoke. The fact is, Harry, I've taken a year's pledge. +I've six days still to run; after that (gloomily), why (with a reckless +laugh), I shall be Jack Oakhurst again. + +York. Lord! to think of your turning out to be anybody's son, +Jack!--least of all, HIS! (Pointing to chair.) + +Oakhurst (laughing recklessly). Not more strange than that I should find +Harry York, the spendthrift of Poker Flat, the rich and respected Mr. +York, produce merchant of San Francisco. + +York. Yes; but, my boy, you see I didn't strike it--in a rich father. I +gave up gambling, married, and settled down, saved my money, invested a +little here and there, and--worked for it, Jack, damn me,--worked for it +like a damned horse! + +Oakhurst (aside). True, this is not work. + +York. But that ain't my business with ye now, old boy: it's this. You've +had some trials and troubles in the bank lately,--a defalcation of +agents one day, a robbery next. It's luck, my boy, luck! but ye know +people will talk. You don't mind my sayin' that there's rumors 'round. +The old man's mighty unpopular because he's a saint; and folks don't +entirely fancy you because you used to be the reverse. Well, Jack, it +amounts to 'bout this: I've withdrawn my account from Parkinson's, in +Sacramento, and I've got a pretty heavy balance on hand--nigh on two +hundred thousand--in bonds and certificates here; and if it will help +you over the rough places, old boy, as a deposit, yer it is (drawing +pocket-book.) + +Oakhurst (greatly affected, but endeavoring to conceal it). Thank you, +Harry, old fellow--but-- + +York (quickly). I know: I'll take the risk, a business risk. You'll +stand by me all you can, old boy; you'll make it pay all you can; and if +you lose it--why--all right! + +Oakhurst (embarrassed). As a deposit with Morton & Son, drawing two per +cent monthly interest-- + +York. Damn Morton & Son! I'll back it with Jack Oakhurst, the man I +know. + +Oakhurst (advancing slowly). I'll take it, Harry. + +York (extending his hand). It's a square game, Jack! + +Oakhurst (seizing his hand with repressed emotion). It's a square game, +Harry York, if I live. + +York. Then I'll travel. Good-night, old boy. I'll send my clerk around +in the morning to put things right. Good-night (going). + +Oakhurst (grasping YORK'S hand). One moment--no--nothing! Good-night. +[Exit YORK. + +OAKHURST follows him to door, and then returns to desk, throwing himself +in chair, and burying his face in his hands. + +Oakhurst (with deep feeling). It needed but this to fill the measure of +my degradation. I have borne the suspicions of the old man's enemies, +the half-pitying, half-contemptuous sympathy of his friends, even his +own cold, heartless, fanatical fulfilment of his sense of duty; but +THIS--this confidence from one who had most reason to scorn me, this +trust from one who knew me as I WAS,--this is the hardest burden. And +he, too, in time will know me to be an impostor. He too--a reformed man; +but he has honorably retraced his steps, and won the position I hold +by a trick, an imposture. And what is all my labor beside his honest +sincerity? I have fought against the chances that might discover my +deception, against the enemies who would overthrow me, against the +fate that put me here; and I have been successful--yes, a successful +impostor! I have even fought against the human instinct that told this +fierce, foolish old man that I was an alien to his house, to his blood; +I have even felt him scan my face eagerly for some reflection of his +long-lost boy, for some realization of his dream; and I have seen him +turn away, cold, heartsick, and despairing. What matters that I have +been to him devoted, untiring, submissive, ay, a better son to him than +his own weak flesh and blood would have been? He would to-morrow cast +me forth to welcome the outcast, Sandy Morton. Well, what matters? +(Recklessly.) Nothing. In six days it will be over; in six days the year +of my probation will have passed; in six days I will disclose to him the +deceit I have practised, and will face the world again as John Oakhurst, +the gambler, who staked and lost ALL on a single cast. And Jovita! Well, +well!--the game is made: it is too late to draw out now. (Rings bell. +Enter JACKSON.) Who has been here? + +Jackson. Only Don Jose, and Mr. Capper, the detective. + +Oakhurst. The detective? What for? + +Jackson. To work up the robbery, sir. + +Oakhurst. True! Capper, Capper, yes! A man of wild and ridiculous +theories, but well-meaning, brave, and honest. (Aside.) This is the old +man's idea. He does not know that I was on the trail of the thieves an +hour before the police were notified. (Aloud.) Well, sir? + +Jackson. He told your father he thought the recovery of the money +hopeless, but he came to caution us against a second attempt. + +Oakhurst (aside, starting). True! I had not thought of that. +(Excitedly.) The success of their first attempt will incite them to +another; the money they have stolen is gone by this time. (Aloud.) +Jackson, I will stay here to-night and to-morrow night, and relieve your +regular watchman. You will, of course, say nothing of my intention. + +Jackson. Yes, sir. (Lingering.) + +Oakhurst (after a pause). That is all, Mr. Jackson. + +Jackson. Beg your pardon, Mr. Morton; but Col. Starbottle, with two +ladies, was here half an hour ago, and said they would come again when +you were alone. + +Oakhurst. Very well: admit them. + +Jackson. Beg pardon, sir; but they seemed to avoid seeing your father +until they had seen you. It looked mysterious, and I thought I would +tell you first. + +Oakhurst (laughing). Admit them, Mr. Jackson. (Exit JACKSON.) This +poor fellow's devotion is increasing. He, too, believes that his old +associate in dissipation, John Oakhurst, IS the son of Alexander Morton. +He, too, will have to share in the disgrace of the impostor. Ladies! +umph! (Looking down at his clothes.) I'm afraid the reform of Alexander +Morton hasn't improved the usual neatness of John Oakhurst. I haven't +slept, nor changed my clothes, for three days. (Goes to door of MORTON, +sen.'s, room.) Locked, and the key on the inside! That's strange. +Nonsense! the old man has locked his door and gone out through the +private entrance. Well, I'll find means of making my toilet here. [Exit +into private room L. + +Enter JACKSON, leading in COL. STARBOTTLE, MISS MARY, the DUCHESS, and +child of three years. + +Jackson. Mr. Alexander Morton, jun., is in his private room. He will be +here in a moment. [Exit JACKSON. + +Starbottle. One moment, a single moment, Miss Mary. Permit me to--er--if +I may so express myself, to--er--group the party, to--er--place +the--er--present company into position. I have--er--observed as part of +my--er--legal experience, that in cases of moral illustration a great, I +may say--er--tremendous, effect on the--er--jury, I mean the--er--guilty +party, has been produced by the attitude of the--er--victim and martyr. +You, madam, as the--er--injured wife (placing her), shall stand here, +firm yet expectant, protecting your child, yet looking hopefully for +assistance toward its natural protector. You, Miss Mary, shall stand +here (placing her), as Moral Retribution, leaning toward and slightly +appealing to me, the image of--er--er--Inflexible Justice! (Inflates his +chest, puts his hand in his bosom, and strikes an attitude.) + +Door of young Morton's room opens, and discloses MR. OAKHURST gazing at +the group. He starts slightly on observing the DUCHESS, but instantly +recovers himself, and faces the company coldly. The DUCHESS starts +on observing OAKHURST, and struggles in confusion towards the door, +dragging with her the child and MISS MARY, who endeavors to re-assure +her. COL. STARBOTTLE looks in astonishment from one to the other, and +advances to front. + +Col. Starbottle (aside). The--er--tableau, although striking in moral +force, is apparently--er--deficient in moral stamina. + +Miss Mary (angrily to the DUCHESS). I'm ashamed of you! (To OAKHURST, +advancing.) I don't ask pardon for my intrusion. If you are Alexander +Morton, you are my kinsman, and you will know that I cannot introduce +myself better than as the protector of an injured woman. Come here! (To +the DUCHESS, dragging her towards OAKHURST. To OAKHURST.) Look upon this +woman: she claims to be-- + +Starbottle (stepping between MISS MARY and the DUCHESS). A moment, +Miss Mary, a single moment! Permit me to--er--explain. The whole thing, +the--er--situation reminds me, demn me, of most amusing incident at +Sacramento in '52. Large party at Hank Suedecois: know Hank? Confirmed +old bach of sixty. Dinner for forty. Everything in style, first +families, Ged,--Judge Beeswinger, Mat Boompointer, and Maje Blodgett +of Ahlabam: know old Maje Blodgett? Well, Maje was there. Ged, sir, +delay,--everybody waiting. I went to Hank. "Hank," I says, +"what's matter? why delay?"--"Star," he says,--always called me +Star,--"Star,--it's cook!"--"Demn cook," I says: "discharge +cook,--only a black mulatto anyway!"--"Can't, Star," he says: +"impossible!"--"Can't?" says I.--"No," says he. "Listen, Star," he says, +"family secret! Honor! Can't discharge cook, because cook--demn +it--'s MY wife!" Fact, sir, fact--showed marriage certificate--married +privately seven years! Fact, sir-- + +The Duchess (to MISS MARY). Some other time, miss, let us go now. +There's a mistake, miss, I can't explain. Some other time, miss! See, +miss, how cold and stern he looks! another time, miss! (Struggling.) For +God's sake, miss, let me go! + +Miss Mary. No! This mystery must be cleared up now, before I enter HIS +house,--before I accept the charge of this-- + +Starbottle (interrupting, and crossing before MISS MARY). A moment--a +single moment, miss. (To OAKHURST.) Mr. Morton, you will pardon the +exuberance, and perhaps, under the circumstances, somewhat natural +impulsiveness, of the--er--sex, for which I am perhaps responsible; I +may say--er--personally, sir,--personally responsible-- + +Oakhurst (coldly). Go on, sir. + +Starbottle. The lady on my right is--er--the niece of your father,--your +cousin. The lady on my left, engaged in soothing the--er--bashful +timidity of infancy, is--er--that is--er--claims to be, the mother of +the child of Alexander Morton. + +Oakhurst (calmly). She is right. + +Miss Mary (rushing forward). Then you are-- + +Oakhurst (gently restraining her). You have another question to ask: you +hesitate: let me ask it. (Crossing to the DUCHESS.) You have heard my +answer. Madam, are you the legal wife of Alexander Morton? + +The Duchess (sinking upon her knees, and dropping her face in her +hands). No! + +Oakhurst. Enough: I will take the child. Pardon me, Miss Morris, but you +have heard enough to know that your mission is accomplished, but what +else passes between this woman and myself becomes no stranger to hear. +(Motions toward room L.) + +Miss Mary (aside). It is HIS son. I am satisfied (going). Come, colonel. + +[Exeunt into room L., STARBOTTLE and MISS MARY. + +The Duchess (crossing to OAKHURST, and falling at his feet). Forgive me, +Jack, forgive me! It was no fault of mine. I did not know that you were +here. I did not know that you had taken his name! + +Oakhurst. Hush--on your life! + +The Duchess. Hear me, Jack! I was anxious only for a home for my child. +I came to HER--the schoolmistress of Red Gulch--for aid. I told her the +name of my boy's father. She--she brought me here. Oh, forgive me, Jack! +I have offended you! + +Oakhurst. How can I believe you? You have deceived HIM. You have +deceived me. Listen! When I said, a moment ago, you were not the wife +of Alexander Morton, it was because I knew that your first husband--the +Australian convict Pritchard--was still living; that you had deceived +Sandy Morton as you had deceived me. That was why I left you. Tell me, +have you deceived me also about him, as you did about the other? Is HE +living, and with you; or dead, as you declared. + +The Duchess (aside). He will kill me if I tell him. (Aloud.) No, no. He +is gone--is dead these three years. + +Oakhurst. You swear! + +The Duchess (hesitates, gasps, and looks around for her child; then +seizing it, and drawing it toward her). I--swear. + +Oakhurst. Enough. Seek not to know why I am here, and under his name. +Enough for you that it has saved your child's future, and secured him +his heritage past all revocation. Yet remember! a word from you within +the next few days destroys it all. After that, I care not what you say. + +The Duchess. Jack! One word, Jack, before I go. I never thought to bring +my shame to you!--to HIM! + +Oakhurst. It was no trick, then, no contrivance, that brought her here. +No: it was fate. And at least I shall save his child. + +Re-enter STARBOTTLE, MISS MARY, and DUCHESS. + +Col. Starbottle (impressively). Permit me, Mr. Alexander Morton, as +the friend of my--er--principal to declare that we have +received--honorable--honorable--satisfaction. Allow me, sir, to grasp +the hand, the--er--cherished hand of a gentleman who, demn me! has +fulfilled all his duties to--er--society and gentlemen. And allow me to +add, sir, should any invidious criticism of the present--er--settlement +be uttered in my presence, I shall hold that critic responsible, +sir--er--personally responsible! + +Miss Mary (sweeping truculently and aggressively up to JOHN OAKHURST). +And permit ME to add, sir, that, if you can see your way clearly out +of this wretched muddle, it's more than I can. This arrangement may be +according to the Californian code of morality, but it doesn't accord +with my Eastern ideas of right and wrong. If this foolish, wretched +creature chooses to abandon all claim upon you, chooses to run away from +you,--why, I suppose, as a GENTLEMAN, according to your laws of honor, +you are absolved. Good-night, Mr. Alexander Morton. (Goes to door C., +and exit, pushing out STARBOTTLE, the DUCHESS, and child. MR. OAKHURST +sinks into chair at desk, burying his face in his hands. Re-enter slowly +and embarrassedly, MISS MARY: looks toward OAKHURST, and comes slowly +down stage.) + +Miss Mary (aside). I was too hard on him. I was not so hard on Sandy +when I thought that he--he--was the father of her child. And he's my own +flesh and blood, too; and--he's crying. (Aloud.) Mr. Morton. + +Oakhurst (slowly lifting his head). Yes; Miss Mary. + +Miss Mary. I spoke hastily just then. I--I--thought--you +see--I--(angrily and passionately) I mean this. I'm a stranger. I don't +understand your Californian ways, and I don't want to. But I believe +you've done what you thought was right, according to a MAN'S idea of +right; and--there's my hand. Take it, take it; for it's a novelty, Mr. +Morton: it's the hand of an honest girl! + +Oakhurst (hesitates, then rises, sinks on one knee, and raises MISS +MARY'S fingers to his lips). God bless you, miss! God bless you! + +Miss Mary (retreating to centre door). Good-night, good-night +(slowly),--cousin--Alexander. [Exit. Dark stage. + +Oakhurst (rising swiftly). No, no: it is false! Ah! She's gone. Another +moment, and I would have told her all. Pshaw! courage, man! It is only +six days more, and you are free, and this year's shame and agony forever +ended. + +Enter JACKSON. + +Jackson. As you ordered, sir, the night watchman has been relieved, and +has just gone. + +Oakhurst. Very good, sir; and you? + +Jackson. I relieved the porter, sir; and I shall bunk on two chairs in +the counting-room. You'll find me handy if you want me, sir. Good-night, +sir. [Exit C. + +Oakhurst. I fear these rascals will not dare to make their second +attempt to-night. A quiet scrimmage with them, enough to keep me awake +or from thinking, would be a good fortune. No, no! no such luck for +you to-night, John Oakhurst! You are playing a losing game.... Yet +the robbery was a bold one. At eleven o'clock, while the bank was yet +lighted, and Mr. Jackson and another clerk were at work here, three +well-dressed men pick the lock of the counting-house door, enter, and +turn the key on the clerks in this parlor, and carry away a box of +doubloons not yet placed in the vaults by the porter; and all this done +so cautiously that the clerks within knew nothing of it until notified +of the open street door by the private watchman, and so boldly that the +watchman, seeing them here, believed them clerks of the bank, and let +them go unmolested. No: this was the coincidence of good luck, not of +bold premeditation. There will be no second attempt. (Yawns.) If they +don't come soon I shall fall asleep. Four nights without rest will tell +on a man, unless he has some excitement to back him. (Nods.) Hallo! What +was that? Oh! Jackson in the counting-room getting to bed. I'll look at +that front door myself. (Takes revolver from desk and goes to door C., +tries lock, comes down stage with revolver, examines it, and lays it +down.) + +Oakhurst (slowly and quietly.) The door is locked on the outside: that +may have been an accident. The caps are taken from my pistol: THAT was +not! Well, here is the vault, and here is John Oakhurst: to reach the +one, they must pass the other. + +(Takes off his coat, seizes poker from grate, and approaches safe.) Ha! +some one is moving in the old man's room. (Approaches door of room R. +as-- + +Enter noiselessly and cautiously from room L., PRITCHARD, SILKY, and +SOAPY. PRITCHARD and his confederates approach OAKHURST from behind, +carrying lariat, or slip-noose. + +Oakhurst (listening at door R.) Good. At least I know from what quarter +to expect the attack. Ah! + +PRITCHARD throws slip-noose over OAKHURST from behind; OAKHURST puts +his hand in his breast as the slip-noose is drawn across his bosom, +pinioning one arm over his breast, and the other at his side. SILKY and +SOAPY, directed by PRITCHARD, drag OAKHURST to chair facing front, and +pinion his legs. PRITCHARD, C., regarding him. + +Oakhurst (very coolly). You have left me my voice, I suppose, because it +is useless. + +Pritchard. That's so, pard. 'Twon't be no help to ye. + +Oakhurst. Then you have killed Jackson. + +Pritchard. Lord love ye, no! That ain't like us, pard! Jackson's tendin' +door for us, and kinder lookin' out gin'rally for the boys. Thar's +nothin' mean about Jackson. + +Soapy. No! Jackson's a squar man. Eh, Silky? + +Silky. Ez white a man ez they is, pard! + +Oakhurst (aside). The traitor! (Aloud.) Well! + +Pritchard. Well, you want ter know our business. Call upon a business +man in business hours. Our little game is this, Mr. Jack Morton +Alexander Oakhurst. When we was here the other night, we was wantin' +a key to that theer lock (pointing to vault), and we sorter dropped in +passin' to get it. + +Oakhurst. And suppose I refuse to give it up? + +Pritchard. We were kalkilatin' on yer bein' even that impolite: wasn't +we, boys? + +Silky and Soapy. We was that. + +Pritchard. And so we got Mr. Jackson to take an impression of it in wax. +Oh, he's a squar man--is Mr. Jackson! + +Silky. Jackson is a white man, Soapy! + +Soapy. They don't make no better men nor Jackson, Silky. + +Pritchard. And we've got a duplicate key here. But we don't want any +differences, pard: we only want a squar game. It seemed to us--some of +your old pards as knew ye, Jack--that ye had a rather soft thing here, +reformin'; and we thought ye was kinder throwin' off on the boys, not +givin' 'em any hand in the game. But thar ain't anythin' mean about us. +Eh, boys? + +Soapy. We is allers ready to chip in ekal in the game. Eh, Silky? + +Silky. That's me, Soapy. + +Pritchard. Ye see, the boys is free and open-handed, Jack. And so the +proposition we wanter make to ye, Jack, is this. It's reg'lar on the +squar. We reckon, takin' Mr. Jackson's word,--and thar ain't no man's +word ez is better nor Jackson's,--that there's nigh on to two millions +in that vault, not to speak of a little speshil deposit o' York's, ez we +learn from that accommodatin' friend, Mr. Jackson. We propose to share +it with ye, on ekil terms--us five--countin' Jackson, a square man. In +course, we takes the risk o' packin' it away to-night comfortable. Ez +your friends, Jack, we allow this yer little arrangement to be a deuced +sight easier for you than playin' Sandy Morton on a riglar salary, with +the chance o' the real Sandy poppin' in upon ye any night. + +Oakkurst. It's a lie. Sandy is dead. + +Pritchard. In course, in course; that is your little game! But we +kalkilated, Jack, even on that, on yer bein' rambunktious and contrary; +and so we went ter Red Gulch, and found Sandy. Ye know I take a kind o' +interest in Sandy: he's the second husband of my wife, the woman you run +away with, pard. But thar's nothin' mean about me! eh, boys? + +Silky. No! he's the forgivingest kind of a man, is Pritchard. + +Soapy. That's so, Silky. + +Pritchard. And, thinkin' ye might be dubious, we filled Sandy about +full o' rye whiskey, and brought him along; and one of our pards is +preambulatin' the streets with him, ready to bring him on call. + +Oakhurst. It's a lie, Pritchard,--a cowardly lie! + +Pritchard. Is it? Hush! + +Sandy (without, singing),-- + + + Oh, yer's yer Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + Oh, yer's yer Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + Oh, yer's yer Sandy Morton, + All alive and just a-snortin'! + Oh, yer's yer Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + + +Pritchard. We don't propose to run him in yer, cept we're took, or yer +unaccommodatin' to the boys. + +Oakhurst. And if I refuse? + +Pritchard. Why, we'll take what we can get; and we'll leave Sandy Morton +with you yer, to sorter alleviate the old man's feelin's over the loss +of his money. There's nothin' mean about us; no! eh, boys? (Going toward +safe.) + +Oakhurst. Hear me a moment, Henry Pritchard. (PRITCHARD stops abreast +of OAKHURST.) Four years ago you were assaulted in the Arcade Saloon in +Sacramento. You would have been killed, but your assailant suddenly fell +dead by a pistol-shot fired from some unknown hand. I stood twenty feet +from you with folded arms; but that shot was fired by me,--me, Henry +Pritchard,--through my clothes, from a derringer hidden in my waistcoat! +Understand me, I do not ask your gratitude now. But that pistol is in my +right hand, and now covers you. Make a single motion,--of a muscle,--and +it is your last. + +Pritchard (motionless, but excitedly). You dare not fire! No, dare not! +A shot here will bring my pal and Sandy Morton to confront you. You will +have killed me to save exposure, have added murder to imposture! You +have no witness to this attempt! + +Capper (opening door of room L., at the same moment that two policemen +appear at door C., and two at room R). You are wrong: he has five +(crossing to SILKY and SOAPY, and laying his hands on their shoulders); +and, if I mistake not, he has two more in these gentlemen, whom I +know, and who will be quite as willing to furnish the necessary State's +evidence of the robbery, as of the fact that they never knew any other +Alexander Morton than the gentleman who sits in that chair. + +Soapy. That's so, Silky. + +Silky. That's so, Soapy. + +Capper (to policemen). Take them away. + +[Exit policemen with PRITCHARD, SOAPY, and SILKY. CAPPER unbinds +OAKHURST. + +Oakhurst. Then I have to thank you, Mr. C. + +Capper. Yes! "A man of ridiculous theories, but well-meaning, brave, and +honest." No, sir; don't apologize: you were right, Mr. Oakhurst. It is +I who owe you an apology. I came here, believing YOU were the +robber, having no faith in you or your reformation, expecting,--yes, +sir,--hoping, to detect you in the act. Hear me! From the hour you first +entered the bank, I have shadowed your every movement, I have been the +silent witness of all that has passed in this room. You have played a +desperate game, Mr. Oakhurst; but I'll see you through it. If you are +true to your resolve, for the next six days, I will hold these wretches +silent. I will protect your imposture with the strong arm of the law. I +don't like YOUR theories, sir; but I believe you to be well-meaning, and +I know you to be brave and honest. + +Oakhurst (grasping his hand). I shall not forget this. But Sandy-- + +Capper. I will put my men on his track, and have him brought quietly +here. I can give you no aid beyond that. As an honorable man, I need not +tell you your duty. Settle it with him as best you can. + +Oakhurst. You are right; I WILL see him. (Aside.) Unless he has changed, +he will listen to me, he will obey me. + +Capper. Hush! (Blows out candle.) Stand here! + +CAPPER and OAKHURST retreat to wing L., as enter MORTON, sen., from room +R. + +Morton. The private door open, the room dark, and Capper gone. I don't +like this. The more I think of the mystery of that man's manner this +morning, the more it seems to hide some terrible secret I must fathom! +There are matches here. (Strikes a light, as CAPPER draws OAKHURST, +struggling, back into shadow.) What's this? (Picking up key.) The key of +the vault. A chair overturned. (Touches bell.) No answer! Jackson gone! +My God! A terrible suspicion haunts me! No. Hush! (Retreats to private +room R., as door of L. opens and--) + +Enter SANDY. + +Sandy (drunkenly). Shoo! Shoo! boys, whar are ye, boys, eh? Pritchard, +Silky, Soapy! Whar are ye, boys? + +Morton (aside). A crime has been committed, and here is one of the +gang. God has delivered him in my hands. (Draws revolver, and fires, as +OAKHURST breaks from CAPPER, and strikes up MORTON'S pistol. CAPPER at +same moment seizes SANDY, and drags him in room L. MORTON and OAKHURST +struggle to centre.) + +Morton (relaxing hold of OAKHURST). Alexander! Good God! Why are you +here? Why have you stepped between me and retribution? You hesitate. God +in heaven! Speak, Alexander, my son, speak for God's sake! Tell me--tell +me that this detective's suspicions are not true. Tell me that you are +not--not--no, I cannot say it. Speak, Alexander Morton, I command you! +Who is this man you have saved? Is it--is it--your accomplice? + +Oakhurst (sinking at his feet). Don't ask me! You know not what you ask! +I implore you-- + +Capper (appearing quietly from room L., and locking the door behind +him). Your son has acted under MY orders. The man he has saved, as he +has saved you, was a decoy,--one of my policemen. + +TABLEAU. + +CAPPER, MORTON, OAKHURST. + +Curtain. + +END OF ACT III. + + + + +ACT IV. + + +SCENE 1.--MR. MORTON'S villa, Russian Hill, Night. OAKHURST'S bedroom. +Sofa in alcove C., door in flat left of C. SANDY MORTON discovered, +unconscious, lying on sofa; OAKHURST standing at his head, two policemen +at his feet. Candles on table L. + +Oakhurst. That will do. You are sure he was unconscious as you brought +him in? + +First Policeman. Sure, sir? He hasn't known anything since we picked him +up on the sidewalk outside the bank. + +Oakhurst. Good! You have fulfilled your orders well, and your chief +shall know it. Go now. Be as cautious in going out as you were +on entering. Here is the private staircase. (Opens door L.) [Exit +policeman. + +Oakhurst (listening). Gone! and without disturbing any one. So far, luck +has befriended me. He will sleep to-night beneath his father's roof. His +father! umph! would the old man recognize him here? Would he take to his +heart this drunken outcast, picked from the gutters of the street, and +brought here by the strong arm of the law? Hush! (A knock without.) Ah, +it is the colonel: he is prompt to the hour. (Opens door cautiously, and +admits COL. STARBOTTLE.) + +Starbottle (looking around, and overlooking SANDY). I presume the +other--er--principal is not yet on the ground? + +Oakhurst (motioning to sofa). He IS! + +Starbottle (starting as he looks towards sofa). Ged, you don't mean to +say it's all OVER, without witnesses, without my--er--presence? + +Oakhurst. Pardon me, Col. Starbottle; but, if you look again, you will +perceive that the gentleman is only drunk. + +Starbottle. Eh? Ged! not uncommon, sir, not uncommon! I remember +singular incident at--er--Louisville in '47. Old Judge Tollim--know old +Judge Tolly?--Ged! he came to ground drunk, sir; couldn't stand! Demn +me, sir, had to put him into position with kitchen poker down his back, +and two sections of lightning-rod in his--er--trousers, demn me! +Firm, sir, firm, you understand, here (striking his breast), but--here +(striking his legs)--er--er--wobbly! No, sir! Intoxication of principal +not a bar, sir, to personal satisfaction! (Goes towards sofa with +eyeglass.) Good Ged! why, it's Diego! (Returning stifly to OAKHURST.) +Excuse me, sir, but this is a case in which I cannot act. Cannot, +sir,--impossible! absurd! pre--post--or--ous! I recogmze in +the--er--inebriated menial on yonder sofa a person, sir, who, having +already declined my personal challenge, is--er--excluded from the +consideration of gentlemen. The person who lies there, sir, is Diego,--a +menial of Don Jose Castro,---alias "Sandy," the vagabond of Red Gulch. + +Oakhurst. You have omitted one title, his true one. He is Alexander +Morton, the son of the master of this house. + +Starbottle (starting in bewilderment). Alexander Morton! (Aside.) Ged! +my first suspicions were correct. Star, you have lost the opportunity +of making your fortune as a scoundrel; but you have at a pecuniary +sacrifice, preserved your honor. + +Oakhurst. Yes. Hear me, Col. Starbottle. I have summoned you here +to-night, as I have already intimated, on an affair of honor. I have +sought you as my father's legal counsel, as a disinterested witness, as +a gentleman of honor. The man who lies before you was once my friend and +partner. I have wronged him doubly. As his partner, I ran away with the +woman he believed, and still believes, to be his wife; as his friend, +I have for a twelvemonth kept him from the enjoyment of his home, his +patrimony, by a shameful deception. I have summoned you to-night to +witness my confession; as a lawyer, to arrange those details necessary +to restore to him his property; as a man of honor, to receive from me +whatever retribution he demands. You will be a witness to our +interview. Whatever befalls me here, you will explain to Mr. Morton--to +Jovita--that I accepted it as a man, and did not avoid, here or +elsewhere, the penalty of my crime. (Folding his arms.) + +Slarbottle. Umph! The case is, as you say, a delicate one, but +not--not--peculiar. No, sir! Ged, sir, I remember Tom Marshall--know Tom +Marshall of Kentucky?--said to me, "Star!"--always calls me Star,--"how +in blank, sir, can you remember the REAL names of your clients?"--"Why," +says I, "Tom," always called him Tom,--"yesterday I was called to make +will--most distinguished family of Virginia--as lawyer and gentleman, +you understand: can't mention name. Waited for signature--most +distinguished name: Ged, sir, man signed Bloggins,--Peter Bloggins. +Fact, demme! 'Mistake,' I said,--'excitement; exaltation of fever. Non +compos. Compose yourself, Bob.'--'Star,' he said,--always called me +Star,--'for forty-seven years I have been an impostor!'--his very words, +sir. 'I am not'--you understand: 'I AM Peter Bloggins!'" + +Oakhurst. But, my dear colonel, I-- + +Starbottle (loftily). Say no more, sir! I accept the--er position. Let +us see! The gentleman will, on recognition, probably make a personal +attack. You are armed. Ah, no? Umph! On reflection I would not permit +him to strike a single blow: I would anticipate it. It will provoke the +challenge from him, leaving YOU, sir, the--er--choice of weapons. + +Oakhurst. Hush! he is moving! Take your stand here, in this alcove. +Remember, as a gentleman, and a man of honor, Col. Starbottle, I trust +you not to interfere between the injured man and--justice! (Pushes COL. +STARBOTTLE into alcove behind couch, and approaches SANDY.) + +Sandy (waking slowly--and incoherently). Hush, Silky! hush! Eh? Oh, hush +yourself! (Sings.) + + + Oh, yer's yer Sandy Morton, + Drink him down! + + +Eh! Oh! (Half sits up on couch.) Eh! (Looking around him.) Where the +devil am I? + +Oakhurst (advancing and leaning over SANDY'S couch). In the house of +your father, Alexander Morton. + +Sandy (recoiling in astonishment). His voice, John Oakhurst! What--ah! +(Rises, and rushes towards OAKHURST with uplifted hand.) + +Starbottle (gesticulating in whisper). A blow! a single blow would be +sufficient. + +Sandy (looking at OAKHURST, who regards him calmly). I--eh! I--eh! Ha, +ha! I'm glad to see--old pard! I'm glad to see ye! (COL. STARBOTTLE +lifts his hand in amazement.) + +Oakhurst (declining his hand). Do you understand me, Sandy Morton? +Listen. I am John Oakhurst,--the man who has deceived your father, who +has deceived you. + +Sandy (without heeding his words, but regarding him affectionately). +To think of it--Jack Oakhurst! It's like him, like Jack. He was allers +onsartain, the darned little cuss! Jack! Look at him, will ye, boys? +look at him! Growed too, and dressed to kill, and sittin' in this yer +house as natril as a jaybird! (Looking around.) Nasty, ain't it, Jack? +and this yer's your house--the old man's house--eh? Why, this is--this +is where she came. Jack, Jack! (Eagerly.) Tell me, pard, where is she? + +Starbottle (aside, rubbing his hands). We shall have it now! + +Oakhurst. She has gone,--gone! But hear me. She had deceived you as she +has me. She has gone,--gone with her first husband, Henry Pritchard. + +Sandy (stupefied). Gone! Her first husband! Pritchard! + +Oakhurst. Ay, your wife! + +Sandy. Oh, damn my wife! I'm talking of Mary,--Miss Mary,--the little +schoolma'am, Jack; the little rose of Poker Flat. Oh! I see--ye didn't +know her, Jack,--the pertiest, sweetest little-- + +Oakhurst (turning away coldly). Ay, ay! She is here! + +Sandy (looking after him affectionately). Look at him, boys! Allers +the same,--high-toned, cold, even to his pardner! That's him,--Jack +Oakhurst! But Jack, Jack, you're goin' to shake hands, ain't ye? +(Extends his hand, after a pause. OAKHURST takes it gloomily.) + +Col. Starbottle (who has been regarding interview with visible scorn +and disgust, advancing to OAKHURST). You will--er--pardon me if, +under the--er--circumstances, I withdraw from this--er--disgraceful +proceeding. The condonation, by that man, of two of the most tremendous +offences to society and to the code, without apology or satisfaction, +Ged, sir, is--er--er--of itself an insult to the spectator. I go, sir-- + +Oakhurst. But, Col. Starbottle-- + +Starbottle. Permit me to say, sir, that I hold myself for this, sir, +responsible, sir,--personally responsible. + +[Exit STARBOTTLE, glancing furiously at SANDY, who sinks on sofa +laughing. + +Oakhurst (aside). He will change his mind in half an hour. But, in the +mean time, time is precious. (Aloud.) Sandy, come! + +Sandy (rising with alacrity). Yes, Jack, I'm ready. + +Oakhurst. We are going (slowly and solemnly)--we are going to see your +father. + +Sandy (dropping back with bashful embarrassment, and struggling to +release his arm from OAKHURST). No, Jack! Not just yet, Jack; in a +little while, ole boy! in about six months, or mebbe--a year, Jack! not +now, not now! I ain't feelin' exactly well, Jack,--I ain't. + +Oakhurst. Nonsense, Sandy! Consider your duty and my honor. + +Sandy (regaining his seat). That's all very well, Jack; but ye see, +pard, you've known the old man for nigh on a year, and it's twenty-five +since I met him. No, Jack; you don't play any ole man on to me to-night, +Jack. No, you and me'll just drop out for a pasear. Jack, eh? (Taking +OAKHURST'S arm.) Come! + +Oakhurst. Impossible! Hush! (Listening.) It is HE passing through the +corridor. (Goes to wing R., and listens.) + +Sandy (crowding hastily behind OAKHURST in alarm). But, I say, Jack! he +won't come in here? He's goin' to bed, you know. Eh? It ain't right for +a man o' his years--and he must be goin' on ninety, Jack--to be up like +this. It ain't healthy. + +Oakhurst. You know him not. He seems to need no rest (sadly). Night +after night, long after the servants are abed, and the house is still, +I hear that step slowly pacing the corridor. It is the last sound as I +close my eyes, the first challenge of the morning. + +Sandy. The ol' scound--(checking himself)--I mean, Jack, the ol' man has +suthin' on his mind. But, Jack (in great alarm), he don't waltz in upon +ye, Jack? He don't p'int them feet in yer, Jack? Ye ain't got to put up +with that, Jack, along o' yer other trials? + +Oakhurst. He often seeks me here. Ah--yes--he is coming this way now. + +Sandy (in ludicrous terror). Jack, pard, quick I hide me somewhere, +Jack! + +Oakhurst (opening door R.). In there, quick! Not a sound, as you value +your future! [Exit SANDY hurriedly R. + + +SCENE 2.--The same. Enter door R., OLD MORTON, in dressing-gown, with +candle. + +Old Morton. Not abed yet, Alexander? Well, well, I don't blame you, my +son it has been for you a trying, trying night. Yes, I see: like me, you +are a little nervous and wakeful. (Slowly takes chair, and comfortably +composes himself.) + +Oakhurst (aside). He is in for a midnight gossip. How shall I dispose of +Sandy? + +Old Morton. Yes (meditatively),--yes, you have overworked lately. Never +mind. In a day or two more you shall have a vacation, sir,--a vacation! + +Oakhurst (aside). He knows not how truly he speaks. (Aloud.) Yes, sir, I +was still up. I have only just now dismissed the policemen. + +Old Morton. Ay. I heard voices, and saw a light in your window. I came +to tell you, Alexander, Capper has explained all about--about the decoy! +More; he has told me of your courage and your invaluable assistance. For +a moment, sir,--I don't mind telling you now in confidence,--I doubted +YOU-- + +Oakhurst (in feigned deprecation). Oh, sir! + +Old Morton. Only for a moment. You will find, Alexander, that even +that doubt shall have full apology when the year of your probation has +expired. Besides, sir. I know all. + +Oakhurst (starting). All! + +Old Morton. Yes, the story about the Duchess and your child. You are +surprised. Col. Starbottle told me all. I forgive you, Alexander, for +the sake of your boy. + +Oakhurst. My boy, sir! + +Old Morton. Yes, your boy. And let me tell you, sir, he's a fine young +fellow. Looks like you,--looks as you did when YOU were a boy. He's a +Morton too, every inch of him, there's no denying that. No, sir. You may +have changed; but he--he--is the living image of my little Alexander. He +took to me, too,--lifted his little arms--and--and-- (Becomes affected, +and leans his head in his hands.) + +Oakhurst (rising). You are not well, sir. Let me lead you to your room. + +Old Morton. No! it is nothing: a glass of water, Alexander! + +Oakhurst (aside). He is very pale. The agitation of the night has +overcome him. (Goes to table R.) A little spirits will revive him. +(Pours from decanter in glass, and returns to MORTON.) + +Old Morton (after drinking). There was spirits in that water, Alexander. +Five years ago, I vowed at your mother's grave to abandon the use of +intoxicating liquors. + +Oakhurst. Believe me, sir, my mother will forgive you. + +Old Morton. Doubtless. It has revived me. I am getting to be an old man, +Aleck. (Holds out his glass half-unconsciously, and OAKHURST replenishes +it from decanter.) Yes, an old man, Aleck; but the boy,--ah, I live +again in him. The little rascal! He asked me, Aleck, for a "chaw +tobacker!" and wanted to know if I was the "ol' duffer." Ha, ha! He +did. Ha, ha! Come, come, don't be despondent. I was like you once, damn +it,--ahem--it's all for the best, my boy, all for the best. I'll take +the young rascal (aside)--damn it, he's already taken me--(aloud) on +equal terms. There, Aleck, what do you say? + +Oakhurst. Really, sir, this forbearance,--this kindness--(aside) I see a +ray of light. + +Old Morton. Nonsense! I'll take the boy, I tell you, and do well for +him,--the little rascal!--as if he were the legal heir. But, I say, +Aleck (laughing), ha, ha!--what about--ha, ha!--what about Dona Jovita, +eh? and what about Don Jose Castro, eh? How will the lady like a +ready-made family, eh? (Poking OAKHURST in the ribs.) What will the Don +say to the family succession? Ha, ha! + +Oakhurst (proudly). Really, sir, I care but little. + +Old Morton (aside). Oh, ho! I'll sound him. (Aloud.) Look ye, Alexander, +I have given my word to you and Don Jose Castro, and I'll keep it. But +if you can do any better, eh--if--eh?--the schoolma'am's a mighty pretty +girl and a bright one, eh, Aleck? And it's all in the family--eh? And +she thinks well of you; and I will say, for a girl brought up as she's +been, and knowin' your relations with the Duchess and the boy, to say a +kind word for ye, Aleck, is a good sign,--you follow me, Aleck,--if you +think--why, old Don Jose might whistle for a son-in-law, eh? + +Oakhurst (interrupting indignantly). Sir! (Aside.) Stop! (Aloud.) Do you +mean to say, sir, that if I should consent to this--suggestion--that, if +the lady were willing, YOU would offer no impediment? + +Old Morton. Impediment, my dear boy! you should have my blessing. + +Oakhurst. Pardon me a moment. You have in the last year, sir, taught +me the importance of business formality in all the relations of life. +Following that idea, the conditions of my engagement with Jovita Castro +were drawn up with your hand. Are you willing to make this recantation +as formal, this new contract as businesslike and valid? + +Old Morton (eagerly). I am. + +Oakhurst. Then sit here, and write at my dictation. (Pointing to table +L. OLD MORTON takes seat at table.) "In view of the evident preferences +of my son Alexander Morton, and of certain family interests, I hereby +revoke my consent to his marriage with the Dona Jovita Castro, and +accord him full permission to woo and win his cousin, Miss Mary Morris, +promising him the same aid and assistance previously offered in his suit +with Miss Castro." + +Old Morton (signing). Alexander Morton, sen. There, Aleck! You have +forgotten one legal formality. We have no witness. Ha, ha! + +Oakhurst (significantly). I will be a sufficient witness. + +Old Morton. Ha, ha! (Fills glass from decanter, after which OAKHURST +quietly removes decanter beyond his reach.) Very good! Aleck, I've been +thinking of a plan,--I've been thinking of retiring from the bank. I'm +getting old, and my ways are not the popular ways of business here. I've +been thinking of you, you dog,--of leaving the bank to you,--to you, +sir, eh--the day--the day you marry the schoolma'am--eh. I'll stay home +and take care of the boy--eh--hic! The little rascal!--lifted his arms +to me--did, Aleck! by God! (Incoherently.) Eh! + +Oakhurst. Hush! (Aside.) Sandy will overhear him, and appear. + +Old Morton (greatly affected by liquor.) Hush! eh!--of course--shoo! +shoo! (The actor will here endeavor to reproduce in OLD MORTON'S drunken +behavior, without exactly imitating him, the general characteristics of +his son's intoxication.) Eh!--I say, Aleck, old boy! what will the Don +say? eh? Ha, ha, ha! And Jovita, that firebrand, how will she--hic--like +it, eh? (Laughs immoderately.) + +Oakhurst. Hush! We will be overheard! The servants, sir! + +Old Morton. Damn the servants! Don't I--hic--pay them wages--eh? + +Oakhurst. Let me lead you to your own room. You are nervously excited. A +little rest, sir, will do you good. (Taking his arm.) + +Old Morton. No shir, no shir, 'm nerrer goin' to bed any more. Bed's bad +habit!--hic--drunken habit. Lesh stay up all ni, Aleck! You and me! Lesh +nev'r--go--bed any more! Whar's whiskey--eh? (Staggers to the table for +decanter as OAKHURST seizes him, struggle up stage, and then OLD MORTON, +in struggle, falls helplessly on sofa, in same attitude as SANDY was +discovered.) + +Enter SANDY cautiously from door L. + +Sandy (to OAKHURST). Jack! Eh, Jack-- + +Oakhurst. Hush! Go! I will follow you in a moment. (Pushes him back to +door L.) + +Sandy (catching sight of OLD MORTON). Hallo! What's up? + +Oakhurst. Nothing. He was overtaken with a sudden faintness. He will +revive presently: go! + +Sandy (hesitating). I say, Jack, he wasn't taken sick along o' me, eh, +Jack? + +Oakhurst. No! No! But go (pushing him toward door). + +Sandy. Hold on: I'm going. But, Jack, I've got a kind of faintness yer, +too. (Goes to side-table, and takes up decanter.) And thar's nothing +reaches that faintness like whiskey. (Fills glass.) Old Morton +(drunkenly and half-consciously from couch). Whiskey--who +shed--whiskey--eh? Eh--O--gimme some, Aleck--Aleck, my son,--my son!--my +old prodigal--Old Proddy, my boy--gimme--whiskey--(sings)-- + + + Oh, yer's yer good old whiskey, + Drink it down! + + +Eh? I com--mand you,--pass the whiskey! + +SANDY, at first panic-stricken, and then remorsefully conscious, throws +glass down, with gesture of fear and loathing. OAKHURST advances to his +side hurriedly. + +Oakhurst (in hurried whisper). Give him the whiskey, quick! It will keep +him quiet. (Is about to take decanter when SANDY seizes it: struggle +with OAKHURST.) + +Sandy (with feeling). No, no, Jack, no! (Suddenly with great strength +and determination, breaks from him, and throws decanter from window.) +No, NEVER! + +Old Morton (struggling drunkenly to his feet). Eh--who sh'd never? +(OAKHURST shoves SANDY in room L., and follows him, closing door.) Eh, +Aleck? (Groping.) Eh, where'sh light? All gone. (Lapses on sofa again, +after an ineffectual struggle to get up, and then resumes his old +attitude.) + +(Change scene quickly.) + + +SCENE 3.--Ante-room in MR. MORTON'S villa. Front scene. Enter DON JOSE +CASTRO and CONCHO, preceded by SERVANT, L. + +Servant. This way, gentlemen. + +Don Jose. Carry this card to Alexander Morton, sen. + +Servant. Beg pardon, sir, but there's only one name here, sir (looking +at CONCHO). + +Don Jose (proudly). That is my servant, sir. [Exit SERVANT. + +Don Jose (aside). I don't half like this business. But my money locked +up in his bank, and my daughter's hand bound to his son, demand it. +(Aloud.) This is no child's play, Concho, you understand. + +Concho. Ah! I am wise. Believe me, if I have not proofs which shall +blanch the cheek of this old man, I am a fool, Don Jose! + +Re-enter SERVANT. + +Servant. Mr. Morton, sen., passed a bad night, and has left word not to +be disturbed this morning. But Mr. Morton, jun., will attend you, sir. + +Concho (aside). So the impostor will face it out. Well, let him come. + +Don Jose (to SERVANT) I wait his pleasure. [Exit SERVANT. + +Don Jose. You hear, Concho? You shall face this man. I shall repeat to +him all you have told me. If you fail to make good your charge, on your +head rests the consequences. + +Concho. He will of course deny. He is a desperate man: he will perhaps +attack me. Eh! Ah! (Drawing revolver.) + +Don Jose. Put up your foolish weapon. The sight of the father he has +deceived will be more terrible to him than the pistol of the spy. + +Enter COL. STARBOTTLE, C. + +Starbottle. Mr. Alexander Morton, Jun., will be with you in a moment. +(Takes attitude by door, puts his hand in his breast, and inflates +himself.) + +Concho (to DON JOSE, aside). It is the bullying lawyer. They will try to +outface us, my patron; but we shall triumph. (Aloud.) He comes, eh!--Mr. +Alexander Morton, gentlemen! I will show you a cheat, an impostor! + +Enter, in correct, precise morning dress, SANDY MORTON. There is in his +make-up and manner a suggestion of the father. + +Concho (recoiling, aside). Diego! The real son. (Aloud, furiously.) +It is a trick to defeat justice,--eh!--a miserable trick! But it shall +fail, it shall fail! + +Col. Starbottle. Permit me, a moment,--a single moment. (To Concho.) You +have--er--er--characterized my introduction of this--er--gentleman as +a "cheat" and an "imposture." Are you prepared to deny that this is +Alexander Morton? + +Don Jose (astonished, aside). These Americanos are of the Devil! (Aloud +and sternly.) Answer him, Concho, I command you. + +Concho (in half-insane rage). It is Alexander Morton; but it is a +trick,--a cowardly trick! Where is the other impostor, this Mr. John +Oakhurst? + +Sandy (advancing with dignity and something of his father's cold +manner). He will answer for himself, when called for. (To DON JOSE.) You +have asked for me, sir: may I inquire your business? + +Concho. Eh! It is a trick,--a trick! + +Don Jose (to CONCHO). Silence, sir! (To SANDY, with dignity.) I know +not the meaning of this masquerade. I only know that you are NOT the +gentleman hitherto known to me as the son of Alexander Morton. I am +here, sir, to demand my rights as a man of property and a father. I have +received this morning a check from the house of Morton & Son, for the +amount of my deposit with them. So far--in view of this complication--it +is well. Who knows? Bueno! But the signature of Morton & Son to the +check is not in the handwriting I have known. Look at it, sir. (To +SANDY, handing check.) + +Sandy (examining check). It is my handwriting, sir, and was signed this +morning. Has it been refused? + +Don Jose. Pardon me, sir. It has not been presented. With this doubt in +my mind, I preferred to submit it first to you. + +Starbottle. A moment, a single moment, sir. While as a--er--gentleman +and a man of honor, I--er--appreciate your motives, permit me to say, +sir, as a lawyer, that your visit is premature. On the testimony of +your own witness, the identification of Mr. Alexander Morton, jun., +is--er--complete; he has admitted the signature as his own; you have not +yet presented the check to the bank. + +Don Jose. Pardon me, Col. Starbottle. It is not all. (To SANDY.) By a +written agreement with Alexander Morton, sen., the hand of my daughter +is promised to his son, who now stands before me, as my former servant, +dismissed from my service for drunkenness. + +Sandy. That agreement is revoked. + +Don Jose. Revoked! + +Sandy (handing paper). Cast your eyes over that paper. At least you will +recognize THAT signature. + +Don Jose (reads). "In view of the evident preferences of my son, +Alexander Morton, and of certain family interests, I hereby revoke my +consent to his marriage with the Dona Jovita Castro, and accord him full +permission to woo and win his cousin, Miss Mary Morris; promising him +the same aid and assistance previously offered in his suit with Miss +Castro.--ALEXANDER MORTON, SEN." + +Concho. Ah! Carramba! Do you not see the trick,--eh, the conspiracy? +It was this man, as Diego, your daughter's groom, helped his friend Mr. +Oakhurst to the heiress. Ah, you comprehend! It was an old trick! You +shall see, you shall see! Ah! I am wise, I am wise! + +Don Jose (aside). Could I have been deceived? But no! This paper that +releases HIM gives the impostor no claim. + +Sandy (resuming his old easy manner, dropping his formality, and placing +his hand on DON JOSE'S shoulder). Look yar, ole man: I didn't allow to +ever see ye agin, and this yer ain't none o' MY seekin'. But, since yer +here, I don't mind tellin' ye that but for me that gal of yours would +have run away a year ago, and married an unknown lover. And I don't +mind adding, that, hed I known that unknown lover was my friend John +Oakhurst, I'd have helped her do it. (Going.) Good-morning, Don Jose. + +Don Jose. Insolent! I shall expect an account for this from +your--father, sir. + +Sandy. Adios, Don Jose. [Exit C. + +Concho. It is a trick--I told you. Ah, I am wise. (Going to DON JOSE.) + +Don Jose (throwing him off). Fool! [Exit DON JOSE. + +Concho (infuriated). Eh! Fool yourself--dotard! No matter: I will expose +all--ah! I will see Jovita;--I will revenge myself on this impostor! (Is +about to follow, when COL. STARBOTTLE leaves his position by the door, +and touches CONCHO on the shoulder.) + +Starbottle. Excuse me. + +Concho. Eh? + +Starbottle. You have forgotten something. + +Conhho. Something? + +Starbottle. An apology, sir. You were good enough to +express--er--incredulity--when I presented Mr. Morton: you were kind +enough to characterize the conduct of my er--principal by--an epithet. +You have alluded to me, sir,--ME-- + +Concho (wrathfully). Bully! (Aside.) I have heard that this pomposo, +this braggart, is a Yankee trick too; that he has the front of a lion, +the liver of the chicken. (Aloud.) Yes, I have said, you hear I have +said, I, Concho (striking his breast), have said you are a--bully! + +Starbottle (coolly). Then you are prepared to give me satisfaction, +sir,--personal satisfaction. + +Concho (raging). Yes, sir, now--you understand, now (taking out pistol), +anywhere, here! Yes, here. Ah! you start,--yes, here and now! Face to +face, you understand, without seconds,--face to face. So. (Presenting +pistol.) + +Starbottle (quietly). Permit me to--er--apologize. + +Concho. Ah! It is too late! + +Starbottle (interrupting). Excuse me, but I feared you would not honor +me so completely and satisfactorily. Ged, sir, I begin to respect you! +I accede to all your propositions of time and position. The pistol you +hold in your hand is a derringer, I presume, loaded. Ah--er--I am right. +The one I now produce (showing pistol) is--er--as you will perceive the +same size and pattern, and--er--unloaded. We will place them both, so, +under the cloth of this table. You shall draw one pistol, I will take +the other. I will put that clock at ten minutes to nine, when we will +take our positions across this table; as you--er--happily express it, +"face to face." As the clock strikes the hour, we will fire on the +second stroke. + +Concho (aside). It is a trick, a Yankee trick! (Aloud.) I am ready. +Now--at once! + +Starbottle (gravely). Permit me, sir, to thank you. Your conduct, sir, +reminds me of singular incident-- + +Concho (angrily interrupting). Come, come! It is no child's play. We +have much of this talk, eh! It is action, eh, you comprehend,--action. + +(STARBOTTLE places pistols under the cloth, and sets clock. CONCHO draws +pistol from cloth; STARBOTTLE takes remaining pistol. Both men assume +position, presenting their weapons; STARBOTTLE pompously but seriously, +CONCHO angrily and nervously.) + +Starbottle (after a pause). One moment, a single moment-- + +Concho. Ah, a trick! Coward! you cannot destroy my aim. + +Starbottle. I overlook the--er--epithet. I wished only to ask, if +you should be--er--unfortunate, if there was anything I could say to +your--er--friends. + +Concho. You cannot make the fool of me, coward. No! + +Starbottle. My object was only precautionary. Owing to the position in +which you--er--persist in holding your weapon, in a line with my +right eye, I perceive that a ray of light enters the nipple, +and--er--illuminates the barrel. I judge from this that you have been +unfortunate enough to draw the--er--er--unloaded pistol. + +Concho (tremulously lowering weapon). Eh! Ah! This is murder! (Drops +pistol.) Murder!--eh--help (retreating), help! + +[Exit hurriedly door C., as clock strikes. COL. STARBOTTLE lowers his +pistol, and moves with great pomposity to the other side of the table, +taking up pistol. + +Starbottle (examining pistol). Ah! (Lifts it, and discharges it.) It +seems that I am mistaken. (Going.) The pistol WAS--er--loaded! [Exit. + + +SCENE 4.--Front scene. Room in villa. Enter MISS MARY and JOVITA. + +Miss Mary. I tell you, you are wrong, you are not only misunderstanding +your lover, which is a woman's privilege, but you are abusing my cousin, +which, as his relative, I won't put up with. + +Jovita (passionately). But hear me, Miss Mary. It is a year since we +were betrothed; and such a betrothal! Why, I was signed, sealed, and +delivered to him, on conditions, as if I were a part of the rancho; and +the very night, too, I had engaged to run away with him! And during that +year I have seen the gentleman twice,--yes, twice! + +Miss Mary. But he has written? + +Jovita. Mother of God! Yes,--letters delivered by my father, sent to HIS +CARE, read by him first, of course; letters hoping that I was well, +and obeying my father's commands; letters assuring me of his unaltered +devotion; letters that, compared with the ones he used to hide in the +confessional of the ruined mission church, were as ice to fire, were +as that snow-flower you value so much, Mary, to this mariposa blossom I +wear in my hair. And then to think that this man--this John Oakhurst, as +I knew him; this man who used to ride twenty miles for a smile from me +on the church porch; this Don Juan who leaped that garden wall (fifteen +feet, Mary, if it is an inch), and made old Concho his stepping-stone; +this man, who daily perilled death for my sake--is changed into this +formal, methodical man of business--is--is--I tell you there's a WOMAN +at the bottom of it! I know it sure! + +Miss Mary (aside). How can I tell her about the Duchess? I won't! +(Aloud.) But listen, my dear Jovita. You know he is under probation +for you, Jovita. All this is for you. His father is cold, methodical, +unsympathetic. HE looks only to his bond with this son,--this son +that he treats, even in matters of the heart, as a BUSINESS partner. +Remember, on his complete reformation, and subjection to his father's +will, depends your hand. Remember the agreement! + +Jovita. The agreement; yes! It is the agreement, always the agreement! +May the Devil fly away with the agreement! Look you, Miss Mary, I, Dona +Jovita, didn't fall in love with an agreement: it was with a man! Why, I +might have married a dozen agreements--yes, of a shorter limitation than +this! (Crossing.) + +Miss Mary. Yes. But what if your lover had failed to keep those promises +by which he was to gain your hand? what if he were a man incapable of +self-control? what if he were--a--a drunkard? + +Jovita (musing). A drunkard! (Aside.) There was Diego, he was a +drunkard; but he was faithless. (Aloud.) You mean a weak, faithless +drunkard? + +Miss Mary. No! (Sadly.) Faithless only to himself, but devoted--yes, +devoted to YOU. + +Jovita. Miss Mary, I have found that one big vice in a man is apt to +keep out a great many smaller ones. + +Miss Mary. Yes; but if he were a slave to liquor? + +Jovita. My dear, I should try to change his mistress. Oh, give me a +man that is capable of a devotion to anything, rather than a cold, +calculating average of all the virtues! + +Miss Mary (aside). I, who aspire to be her teacher, am only her pupil. +(Aloud.) But what if, in this very drunkenness, this recklessness, he +had once loved and worshipped another woman? What if you discovered all +this after--after--he had won your heart? + +Jovita. I should adore him! Ah, Miss Mary! Love differs from all the +other contagious diseases: the last time a man is exposed to it, +he takes it most readily, and has it the worst! But you, YOU cannot +sympathize with me. You have some lover, the ideal of the virtues; some +man as correct, as well regulated, as calm as--yourself; some one +who addresses you in the fixed morality and severe penmanship of the +copy-books. He will never precipitate himself over a garden wall or +through a window. Your Jacob will wait for you through seven years, and +receive you from the hands of your cousin and guardian--as a reward of +merit! No, you could not love a vagabond. + +Miss Mary (very slowly and quietly). No? + +Jovita. No! (Passionately.) No, it is impossible. Forgive me, Miss Mary: +you are good; a better girl than I am. But think of me! A year ago my +lover leaped a wall at midnight to fly with me: today, the day that +gives me to him, he writes a few cold lines, saying that he has +business, BUSINESS--you understand--business, and that he shall not see +me until we meet in the presence of--of--of--our fathers. + +Miss Mary. Yes; but you will see him at least, perhaps alone. Listen: it +is no formal meeting, but one of festivity. My guardian has told me, in +his quaint scriptural way, it is the killing of the fatted calf, over +his long-lost prodigal. Have patience, little one. Ah! Jovita, we are +of a different race, but we are of one sex; and as a woman I know how to +accept another woman's abuse of her lover. Come, come! [Exeunt MISS MARY +and JOVITA. + + +SCENE 5.--The drawing-room of MR. MORTON'S villa. Large open arch in +centre, leading to veranda, looking on distant view of San Francisco; +richly furnished,--sofas, arm-chairs, and tete-a-tetes. Enter COL. +STARBOTTLE, C., carrying bouquet, preceded by SERVANT, bowing. + +Starbottle. Take my kyard to Miss Morris. [Exit SERVANT. + +Starbottle. Star! This is the momentous epoch of your life! It is a +moment for which you--are--I may say alone responsible,--personally +responsible! She will be naturally gratified by the--er--flowers. She +will at once recognize this bouquet as a delicate souvenir of Red Gulch, +and will appreciate your recollection. And the fact, the crushing fact, +that you have overlooked the--er--ungentlemanly conduct of her OWN +cousin Sandy, the real Alexander Morton, that you have--er--assisted +to restore the ex-vaquero to his rights, will--er--er--at once open +the door to--er--mutual confidence and--er--a continuance of +that--er--prepossession I have already noticed. Ahem! here she is. + +Enter MISS MARY in full dress. + +Miss Mary. You are early, Col. Starbottle. This promptitude does honor +to our poor occasion. + +Col. Starbottle. Ged, Miss Mary, promptness with a lady and an adversary +is the first duty of--er--gentleman. I wished that--er--the morning +dew might still be--er--fresh in these flowers. I gathered them myself +(presenting bouquet) at--er--er--flower-stand in the--er--California +market. + +Miss Mary (aside). Flowers! I needed no such reminder of poor Sandy. +(Aloud.) I thank you, colonel. + +Starbattle. Ged, ma'am, I am repaid doubly. Your conduct, Miss Mary, +reminds me of little incident that occurred at Richmond, in '58. Dinner +party--came early--but obliged to go--as now--on important business, +before dessert--before dessert. Lady sat next to me--beautiful +woman--excuse me if I don't mention names--said to me, "Star,"--always +called me Star,--"Star, you remind me of the month of May."--"Ged, +madam,"--I said, "delighted, proud; but why?"--"Because," she said, "you +come in with the--er--oysters."--No! Ged, pardon me--ridiculous +mistake! I mean--er--"you come in with the--er--flowers, and go before +the--er--fruits." + +Miss Mary. Ah, colonel! I appreciate her disappointment. Let us hope, +however, that some day you may find that happy woman who will be able to +keep you through the whole dinner and the whole season, until December +and the ices! + +Starbottle. Ged! excellent! Capital! (seriously.) Miss Mary! (Suddenly +inflating his chest, striking attitude, and gazing on MISS MARY with +languishing eyes.) There is--er such a woman! + +Miss Mary (aside). What can he mean? + +Starbottle (taking seat beside her). Allow me, Miss Mary, a few moments +of confidential--er--confidential disclosure. To-day is, as you are +aware--the day on which, according to--er--agreement between parties, my +friend and client, Mr. Morton, sen.,--formally accepts his prodigal son. +It is my--er--duty to state that--er--the gentleman who has for the +past year occupied that position has behaved with great discretion, +and--er--fulfilled his part of the--er--agreement. But it +would--er--appear that there has been a--er--slight delusion regarding +the identity of that prodigal,--a delusion shared by all the parties +except, perhaps, myself. I have to prepare you for a shock. The +gentleman whom you have recently known as Alexander Morton, jun., is not +the prodigal son; is not your--er--cousin; is, in fact, no relation to +you. Prepare yourself, Miss Mary, for a little disappointment,--for-- +er--degradation. The genuine son has been--er--discovered in the person +of--er--low menial--or--vagabond,--"Sandy," the--er--outcast of Red Gulch! + +Miss Mary (rising in astonishment). Sandy! Then he was right. (Aside.) +The child is his! and that woman-- + +Starbottle. Compose yourself, Miss Mary. I know the--er--effect +of--er--revelation like this upon--er--proud and aristocratic nature. +Ged! My own, I assure you, beats in--er--responsive indignation. You +can never consent to remain beneath this roof, and--er--receive +a--er--vagabond and--er--menial on equal terms. The--er--necessities +of my--er--profession may--er--compel me; but you--er--never! Holding +myself--er--er--responsible for having introduced you here, it is +my--er--duty to provide you with--another home! It is my--er--duty to +protect-- + +Miss Mary (aside). Sandy here, and beneath this roof! Why has he not +sought me? Ah, I know too well: he dare not face me with his child! + +Starbottle (aside). She turns away! it is maiden coyness. (Aloud.) If, +Miss Mary, the--er--devotion of a life-time; if the--er--chivalrous and +respectful adoration of a man--er--whose record is--er--not unknown in +the Court of Honor (dropping on one knee with excessive gallantry); if +the--er--measure-- + +Miss Mary (oblivious of COL. STARBOTTLE). I WILL--I MUST see him! Ah! +(looking L.) he is coming! + +Enter SANDY. + +Starbottle (rising with great readiness and tact). I have found it +(presenting flower). It had fallen beneath the sofa. + +Sandy (to MISS MARY, stopping short in embarrassment). I did not know +you--I--I--thought there was no one here. + +Miss Mary (to STARBOTTLE). May I ask you to excuse me for a moment? I +have a few words to say to--to my COUSIN! + +STARBOTTLE bows gallantly to MISS MARY, and stiffly to SANDY, and exit +R. A long pause; MISS MARY remains seated pulling flowers, SANDY remains +standing by wing, foolish and embarrassed. Business. + +Miss Mary (impatiently). Well? + +Sandy (slowly). I axes your pardon, miss; but you told THAT gentleman +you had a few words--to say to me. + +Miss Mary (passionately, aside). Fool! (Aloud.) I had; but I am waiting +to first answer your inquiries about your--your--child. I have fulfilled +my trust, sir. + +Sandy. You have, Miss Mary, and I thank you. + +Miss Mary. I might perhaps have expected that this revelation of our +kinship would have come from other lips than a stranger's; but--no +matter! I wish you joy, sir, of your heritage. (Going.) You have found a +home, sir, at last, for yourself and--and--your child. Good-day, sir. + +Sandy. Miss Mary! + +Miss Mary. I must make ready to receive your father's guests. It is his +orders: I am only his poor relation. Good-by, sir. [Exit L. + +Sandy (watching her). She is gone!--gone! No! She has dropped on the +sofa in the ante-room, and is crying. Crying! I promised Jack I wouldn't +speak until the time came. I'll go back. (Hesitating, and looking toward +L.) Poor girl! How she must hate me! I might just say a word, one word +to thank her for her kindness to Johnny,--only one word, and then go +away. I--I--can keep from liquor. I swore I would to Jack, that night +I saw the old man--drunk,--and I have. But--I can't keep--from--her! +No--damn it! (Going toward L.) No!--I'll go! [Exit L. + +Enter hurriedly and excitedly JOVITA, R., followed by MANUELA. + +Jovita. Where is she? Where is HE?--the traitor! + +Manuela (entreatingly). Compose yourself, Dona Jovita, for the love +of God! This is madness: believe me, there is some mistake. It is some +trick of an enemy,--of that ingrate, that coyote, Concho, who hates the +Don Alexandro. + +Jovita. A trick! Call you this a trick? Look at this paper, put into my +hands by my father a moment ago. Read it. Ah! listen. (Reads.) "In view +of the EVIDENT PREFERENCES of my son, Alexander Morton, I hereby revoke +my consent to his marriage with the Dona Jovita Castro, and accord him +full permission to woo and win his cousin, Miss Mary Morris!" Call you +this a trick, eh? No, it is their perfidy! This is why SHE was brought +here on the eve of my betrothal. This accounts for his silence, his +absence. Oh, I shall go mad! + +Manuela. Compose yourself, miss. If I am not deceived, there is one here +who will aid us,--who will expose this deceit. Listen: an hour ago, as +I passed through the hall, I saw Diego, our old Diego,--your friend and +confidant, Diego. + +Jovita. The drunkard--the faithless Diego! + +Manuela. Never, Miss Jovita; not drunken! For, as he passed before me, +he was as straight, as upright, as fine as your lover. Come, miss, we +will seek him. + +Jovita. Never! He, too, is a traitor. + +Manuela. Believe me, no! Come, Miss Jovita. (Looking toward L.) See, he +is there. Some one is with him. + +Jovita (looking). You are right; and it is she--SHE, Miss Mary! What? he +is kissing her hand! and she--SHE, the double traitress--drops her head +upon his shoulder! Oh, this is infamy! + +Manuela. Hush! Some one is coming. The guests are arriving. They must +not see you thus. This way, Miss Jovita,--this way. After a little, +a little, the mystery will be explained. (Taking JOVITA'S hand, and +leading her R.) + +Jovita (going). And this was the correct schoolmistress, the preceptress +and example of all the virtues! ha! (laughing hysterically) ha! + +[Exeunt JOVITA and MANUELA. + + +SCENE 6.--The same. Enter SERVANT; opens folding doors C., revealing +veranda and view of distant city beyond. Stage, fog effect from without. +Enter STARBOTTLE and OAKHURST, R., in full evening dress. + +Starbottle (walking towards veranda). A foggy evening for our +anniversary. + +Oakhurst. Yes. (Aside.) It was such a night as this I first stepped +into Sandy's place, I first met the old man. Well, it will be soon over. +(Aloud.) You have the papers and transfers all ready? + +Starbottle. In my--er--pocket. Mr. Morton, sen., should be here to +receive his guests. + +Oakhurst. He will be here presently: until then the duty devolves on +me. He has secluded himself even from me! (Aside.) Perhaps it is in very +shame for his recent weakness. + +Enter SERVANT. + +Servant. Don Jose Castro, Miss Castro, and Miss Morris. + +Enter DON JOSE with JOVITA and MISS MARY on either arm. All formally +salute MR. OAKHURST, except MISS JOVITA, who turns coldly away, taking +seat remotely on sofa. COL. STARBOTTLE gallantly approaches MISS MARY, +and takes seat beside her. + +Oakhurst (aside). They are here to see my punishment. There is no +sympathy even in her eyes. + +Enter SERVANT. + +Servant. Mr. Concepcion Garcia and Mr. Capper. + +Concho (approaching OAKHURST, rubbing his hands). I wish you joy, Mr. +Alexander Morton! + +Oakhurst (excitedly, aside). Shall I throw him from the window! The +dog!--even he! + +Capper (approaching MR. OAKHURST). You have done well. Be bold. I will +see you through. As for THAT man (pointing to CONCHO), leave him to ME! +(Lays his hand on Concho's shoulder, and leads him to sofa R. OAKHURST +takes seat in chair L. as SANDY enters quietly from door L., and stands +leaning upon his chair.) + +Starbottle (rising). Ladies and gentlemen, we are waiting only for the +presence of Mr. Alexander Morton, sen. I regret to say that for the last +twenty-four hours--he has been--er--exceedingly preoccupied with the +momentous cares of the--er--occasion. You who know the austere habits +of my friend and--er--client will probably understand that he may be at +this very moment engaged in prayerful and Christian meditation, invoking +the Throne of Grace, previous to the solemn duties of--er--er--tonight. + +Enter SERVANT. + +Servant. Mr. Alexander Morton, sen. + +Enter OLD MORTON, drunk, in evening costume, cravat awry, coat +half-buttoned up, and half-surly, half-idiotic manner. All rise in +astonishment. SANDY starts forward. OAKHURST pulls him back. + +Morton (thickly). Don't rish! Don't rish! We'll all sit down! How do you +do, sir? I wish ye well, miss. (Goes around and laboriously shakes hands +with everybody.) Now lesh all take a drink! lesh you take a drink, and +you take a drink, and you take a drink! + +Starbottle. Permit me, ladies and gentlemen, to--er--explain: our friend +is--er--evidently laboring under--er--er--accident of hospitality! In a +moment he will be himself. + +Old Morton. Hush up! Dry up--yourself--old turkey-cock! Eh! + +Sandy (despairingly). He will not understand us! (To STARBOTTLE.) He +will not know me! What is to be done? + +Old Morton. Give me some whishkey. Lesh all take a drink! (Enter SERVANT +with decanter and glasses.) + +Old Morton (starting forward). Lesh all take a drink! + +Sandy. Stop! + +Old Morton (recovering himself slightly). Who says stop? Who dares +countermand my orderish? + +Concho (coming forward). Who? I will tell you: eh! eh! Diego--dismissed +from the rancho of Don Jose for drunkenness! Sandy--the vagabond of Red +Gulch! + +Sandy (passionately seizing OLD MORTON'S arm). Yes, Diego--Sandy--the +outcast--but, God help me! no longer the drunkard. I forbid you to touch +that glass!--I, your son, Alexander Morton! Yes, look at me, father: I, +with drunkenness in my blood, planted by you, fostered by you--I whom +you sought to save--I--I stand here to save you! Go! (To SERVANT.) Go! +While he is thus, I--I, am master here! + +Old Morton (cowed and frightened). That voice! (Passing his hand over +his forehead.) Am I dreaming Aleck, where are you? Alexander, speak, I +command you: is this the truth? + +Oakhurst (slowly). It is! + +Starbottle. One moment--a single moment: permit me to--er--er--explain. +The gentleman who has just--er--dismissed the refreshment is, to the +best of my legal knowledge, your son. The gentleman who for the +past year has so admirably filled the functions of that office +is--er--prepared to admit this. The proofs are--er--conclusive. It is +with the--er--intention of offering them, and--er--returning your lawful +heir, that we--er--are here to-night. + +Old Morton (rising to his feet). And renounce you both! Out of my +house, out of my sight, out of my heart, forever! Go! liars, swindlers, +confederates! Drunk-- + +Oakhurst (retiring slowly with SANDY). We are going, sir! + +Old Morton. Go! open the doors there WIDE, wide enough for such a +breadth of infamy! Do you hear me? I am master here! + +Stands erect, as OAKHURST and SANDY, hand in hand, slowly retreat +backward to centre,--then suddenly utters a cry, and falls heavily on +sofa. Both pause: OAKHURST remains quiet and motionless; SANDY, after a +moment's hesitation, rushes forward, and falls at his feet. + +Sandy. Father, forgive me! + +Old Morton (putting his hand round SANDY'S neck, and motioning him +to door). Go! both of you, both of you! (Resisting SANDY'S attempt to +rise.) Did you hear me? Go! + +Starbottle. Permit me to--explain. Your conduct, Mr. Morton, reminds me +of sing'lar incident in '47-- + +Old Morton. Silence! + +Oakhurst. One word, Mr. Morton! Shamed and disgraced as I am, I leave +this roof more gladly than I entered it. How I came here, you best know. +How I yielded madly to the temptation, the promise of a better life; how +I fell, through the hope of reformation,--no one should know better than +you, sir, the reformer. I do not ask your pardon. You know that I did my +duty to you as your presumed son. Your real son will bear witness, that, +from the hour I knew of his existence, I did my duty equally to him. +Col. Starbottle has all the legal transfers and papers necessary to +make the restoration of your son--the integrity of your business +name--complete. I take nothing out of this life that I did not bring in +it,--except my self-respect! I go--as I came--alone! + +Jovita (rushing towards him). No! no! You shall take ME! I have wronged +you, Jack, cruelly; I have doubted you; but you shall not go alone. I +care not for this contract! You are more to me, by your own right, Jack, +than by any kinship with such as these! + +Oakhurst (raising her gently). I thank you, darling. But it is too late +now. To be more worthy of you, to win YOU, I waived the title I had to +you in my own manhood, to borrow another's more legal claim. I who would +not win you as a gambler, cannot make you now the wife of a convicted +impostor. No! Hear me, darling! do not make my disgrace greater than it +is. In the years to come, Jovita, think of me as one who loved you well +enough to go through shame to win you, but too well to ask you to share +with him that shame. Farewell, darling, farewell! (Releases himself from +JOVITA'S arms, who falls beside him.) + +Concho (rubbing his hands, and standing before him). Oho! Mr. John +Oakhurst--eh--was it for this, eh--you leaped the garden wall, eh? was +it for this you struck me down, eh? You are not wise, eh? You should +have run away with the Dona when you could--ah, ah, impostor! + +Sandy (leaping to his feet). Jack, you shall not go! I will go with you! + +Oakhurst. No! Your place is there. (Pointing to old MORTON, whose head +has sunk drunkenly on his breast.) Heed not this man; his tongue carries +only the borrowed lash of his master. + +Concho. Eh! you are bold now--bold; but I said I would have revenge--ah, +revenge! + +Sandy (rushing toward him). Coward! + +Don Jose. Hold your hand, sir! Hold! I allow no one to correct my +menials but myself. Concho, order my carriage! + +Concho. It is ready, sir. + +Don Jose. Then lead the way to it, for my daughter and her husband, John +Oakhurst.--Good-night, Mr. Morton, I can sympathize with you; for we +have both found a son. I am willing to exchange my dismissed servant for +your dismissed PARTNER. + +Starbottle (advancing). Ged, sir, I respect you! Ged, sir, permit me, +sir, to grasp that honorable hand! + +Old Morton (excitedly). He is right, my partner. What have I done! +The house of Morton & Son dissolved. The man known as my partner--a +fugitive! No, Alexander! + +Starbottle. One moment--a single moment! As a lawyer, permit me to +say, sir, that the whole complication may be settled, sir, by +the--er--addition of--er--single letter! The house of Morton & Son shall +hereafter read Morton & Sons. The papers for the legal adoption of Mr. +Oakhurst are--er--in my pocket. + +Old Morton (more soberly). Have it your own way, sir! Morton & Sons be +it. Hark ye, Don Jose! We are equal at last. But--hark ye, Aleck! +How about the boy, eh?--my grandson, eh? Is this one of the sons by +adoption? + +Sandy (embarrassedly). It is my own, sir. + +Capper (advancing). He can with safety claim it; for the mother is on +her way to Australia with her husband. + +Old Morton. And the schoolma'am, eh? + +Miss Mary. She will claim the usual year of probation for your prodigal, +and then-- + +Sandy. God bless ye, Miss Mary! + +Old Morton. I am in a dream! But the world--my friends--my patrons--how +can I explain? + +Starbottle. I will--er--explain. (Advancing slowly to front--to +audience.) One moment--er--a single moment! If anything that +has--er--transpired this evening--might seem to you, ladies +and gentlemen--er--morally or--er--legally--or honorably to +require--er--apology--or--er--explanation--permit me to say--that +I--Col. Culpepper Starbottle, hold myself responsible--er--personally +responsible. + +Capper. Concho. + +Old Morton. Sandy. Miss Mary. Don Jose. Jovita. Oakhurst. + +Col. Starbottle. + +Curtain. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Men of Sandy Bar, by Bret Harte + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO MEN OF SANDY BAR *** + +***** This file should be named 2570.txt or 2570.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/7/2570/ + +Produced by Donald Lainson + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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