PAMMERSTEIN, afterwards HARLEQUIN, Captain of the Robbers. FUCHSEN-MAUL, afterwards SCARAMOUCH, a grasping Robber. RIBALDO, afterwards SPRITE, an impudent Robber. BREWIS, afterwards JEAMES, a respectable Robber. RALPHO, a comic Robber. BEETLE, a prosing Robber. HALLE, an insignificant Robber. Various other ROBBERS of inferior character. CRANULA, afterwards COLUMBINE, a very old woman, Housekeeper to the Robbers. SHODDY, a Demon. Subordinate Characters in Pantomime. FIGS, a Grocer. An OGRE. STILETTO, COSPETTO, and MALEDETTO, Refugees. Old GENTLEMAN. Old LADY. EX-PRESIDENT of the Peace Society. SOLDIERS. LAZZARONI, CHINESE. POSTMAN. &c. &c. "Go forth," she said, "my pretty one, go forth, That slowly creeps along the labourers' field, Enter ATE from the Cavern. Still the same in mind and feature, Still the same engaging creature. What is't brings thee, darling Hanschen, To thine aged mother's mansion! Tell me all, my little Jack! ATE. Cut it short! I know the rest- Seek thou some renowned magician— HANS. Horror! that way lies perdition! ATE. That's a point for you to settle. Hark! I hear the embers hissing Farewell, Hans, and take my blessing! HANS. Avaunt, foul witch -O that I had been born Since strength and stature fail me for the spear ! [Exit ATE. Yea, though I league with fiends, and write my name I will have vengeance! Shoddy-I am thine! SCENE II. [Exit HANS. Hall in Pammerstein's Castle. The ROBBERS carousing. ROBBERS. Ha, ha, ha! very good, Ribaldo! Excellent! bravo! capital! first-rate ! PAMMERSTEIN. And whom saw you else at Nuremberg, Ribaldo? Wet your whistle, my lad, and tell us all about it. RIBALDO. Why, there was another fellow there, a burgomaster, who strutted about like a cock-and yet not like a cock either, but like one of your turkeycocks, with a red comb and wattles. My eye! how he did gobble! Old chap, thinks I, if I got hold of you at Christmas time, wouldn't I have your feathers off, your fat legs skewered, your carcass stuffed with truffles, and a chain of sausages doubled round your neck, for all the world like an alderman's collar! Ha, ha, ha! OMNES. PAMMERSTEIN. Funny rogue-funny rogue! Any one else worth queering? RIBALDO. Ay, there was a French Count-a real swell, quite a spick and span man, with the true Jerusalem toggery. I was doing a bit of business in turquoises at a jeweller's-half buying, half prigging-when I sees my hairy top-sawyer at work in a picture-dealer's shop right opposite. Oho! thinks I, here's summat going on; so I kept half an eye upon him-I couldn't do more, for the jeweller was beginning to look awake-and I'm blowed if I didn't see him whip a picture out of its frame, as neat as ninepence, stuff it into his coat-pocket, and walk off as cool as a cucumber, smoking a halfpenny cigar. PAMMERSTEIN. Ha, ha, ho! This boy will be the death of me! But what art thou doing, Brewis? Hast got the colic, man, that thou lookest both blue and yellow? BREWIS. I am trying to make up our accounts, noble captain. But, by the fackens, I am many dollars short. PAMMERSTEIN. Tush, man, what of that? Is there not the country-side to lay under contribution? What matters it counting the number of drops that go to a bloodletting? Drink, ho, and hang the dollars! But let us see how business goes. Whose turn was it to go out yesterday? Thine, Fuchsen-maul ? FUCHSEN-MAUL. My turn it was, noble captain; but, 'uds daggers! this plaguy gout has so swelled my toes that I can hardly limp. But what of that? There's a tight young lad, a nevoy of my own, whom I will back to strip a passenger as cleanly as any man alive, if so be that he is provided for. Heigho! I fear my time is nearly up. I shall hop the twig, as one may say, a victim in the cause of plunder. But when I am dead and gone, I hope you'll take care of Dobbin. PAMMERSTEIN. Don't be downhearted, my fine old malefactor! You are game for a swearing-bout for the next twenty years. As for your nephew, never fear. I'll look after him. Some old fellows must be sent to the right-about by-andby, and then comes his turn. I like to encourage rising ambition. But, I say, you seem melancholy, lads. Let's have a song. Come, Ribaldo, tune your pipes. RIBALDO. Shall it be a sea-song or a land-song? PAMMERSTEIN. Why, considering that you know as much about sea-matters as a billy-goat does about razors, you may tip us one of the former. Well, then, here goes. (Sings.) RIBALDO. There was a jolly admiral And he lived in his ship, And called upon his mariners To yo, heave, yo ! On board that ship a jack-an-ape Was rated, do ye see; And up the shrouds or on the yards Still skipped and scrambled he, And ever as the admiral Was pacing down below, He chattered at the fine old salt, I forget the rest of it. he jumped into the sea. But the jack-an-ape drove the old man mad, and BREWIS. Then let it be when I am abroad, I beseech thee, good Ribaldo! |