Scene III.
Todd’s Parlour in Cozy Cottage.—(Same as Scene I.)
Todd is discovered asleep, as at the close of the first scene; the candles which were then long, have burnt down in the sockets.
Todd. Call the police! call the fire brigade! help! help! murder!—two wives—Marietta—Mrs. Todd—murder—bigamy—
Enter Mrs. Todd hastily, (dressed as in Scene I.) R. 1 E.
Mrs. T. Samuel, my dear, what’s the matter?
Todd. Murder! Cospetto! Maladetta!
Mrs. T. Why, Samuel, Samuel! (shaking him) You’re asleep—waken—will you—you’ve slept here all night.
Todd. (starts up and staggers about) Hoh! help—police—fire—water—she’s a rattlesnake—a fiend—a demon—a—Lau—Laura—
Mrs. T. (holding and shaking him) Todd—Todd—Samuel!
Todd. (becoming conscious and rubbing his eyes) Hoh! what? Bless me! where am I?
Mrs. T. (R.) Where should you be but in your own parlour?
Todd. (L.) My own parlour? And you are—
Mrs. T. Don’t you see—I’m your own Laura—your dear wife?
Todd. My wife! but where’s the other? Where’s my rattlesnake?
Mrs. T. Why, Sam, you’re not awake yet—you’re still dreaming. You would sit up last night over those papers, (goes to table, C.) and you’ve been smoking a filthy cigar.
Todd. An opium cigar! that’s it! Then I’m not a brigand with two wives! Laura, my love, come to the arms of your doting husband. (they embrace—door bell rings outside)
Mrs. T. There’s the policeman who was to ring the bell at five o’clock. You know we start at six.
Todd. Oh, yes, to be sure! I’ll be ready in five minutes. But first a word with our friends. (to audience) If I have been dreaming that you are pleased, pray don’t dispel so pleasant an illusion—but, with your usual good nature—give me a lucky omen for my dream to-night and to-morrow.—“What will they say at Brompton?”
Mrs. T. R.
Todd. L.
Curtain.
THOMAS SCOTT, PRINTER, WARWICK COURT, HOLBORN.