See, my Courage is out.
[Turns up the empty Pot.
LUCY. No Token of Love?
POLLY. Adieu.
LUCY. Farewell.
MACHEATH. But hark! I hear the Toll of the Bell.
CHORUS. Tol de rol lol, &c.
JAILOR. Four Women more, Captain, with a Child apiece! See, here they come.
[Enter Women and Children.
MACHEATH. What----four Wives more!----This is too much----Here----tell the
Sheriff's Officers I am ready. [Exit Macheath guarded.
Scene 16.
To them, Enter PLAYER and BEGGAR.
PLAYER. But, honest Friend, I hope you don't intend that Macheath shall be
really executed.
BEGGAR. Most certainly, Sir.----To make the Piece perfect, I was for doing
strict poetical Justice----Macheath is to be hang'd; and for the other
Personages of the Drama, the Audience must have suppos'd they were all
hang'd or transported.
PLAYER. Why then Friend, this is a downright deep Tragedy. The Catastrophe
is manifestly wrong, for an Opera must end happily.
BEGGAR. Your Objection, Sir, is very just, and is easily remov'd. For you
must allow, that in this kind of Drama, 'tis no matter how absurdly things
are brought about----So----you Rabble there----run and cry, A Reprieve!
----let the Prisoner be brought back to his Wives in Triumph.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75