AIR L. Come, sweet Lass.
Come, sweet Lass,
Let’s banish Sorrow
’Till To-morrow;
Come, sweet Lass,
Let’s take a chirping Glass.
Wine can clear
The Vapours of Despair
And make us light as Air;
Then drink, and banish Care.
I can’t bear, Child, to see you in such low Spirits.—And I must persuade you to what I know will do you good. [Aside.] I shall now soon be even with the hypocrytical Strumpet.
[Exit.
Polly. All this Wheedling of Lucy cannot be for nothing.—At this time too! when I know she hates me!—The Dissembling of a Woman is always the Forerunner of Mischief.—By pouring Strong-Waters down my Throat, she thinks to pump some Secrets out of me,—I’ll be upon my Guard, and won’t taste a Drop of her Liquor, I’m resolv’d.
Re-enter Lucy, with Strong-Waters.
Lucy. Come, Miss Polly.
Polly. Indeed, Child, you have given yourself trouble to no purpose.—You must, my Dear, excuse me.
Lucy. Really, Miss Polly, you are as squeamishly affected about taking a Cup of Strong-Waters as a Lady before Company. I vow, Polly, I shall take it monstrously ill if you refuse me.—Brandy and Men (though Women love them ever so well) are always taken by us with some Reluctance—unless ’tis in private.
Polly. I protest, Madam, it goes against me.—What do I see! Macheath again in Custody!—Now every Glimm’ring of Happiness is lost.
[Drops the Glass of Liquor on the Ground.
Lucy. Since things are thus, I’m glad the Wench hath escap’d: for by this Event, ’tis plain, she was not happy enough to deserve to be poison’d.
Enter Lockit, Macheath, Peachum.
Lockit. Set your Heart to rest, Captain.—You have neither the Chance of Love or Money for another Escape,—for you are order’d to be call’d down upon your Trial immediately.
Peachum. Away, Hussies!—This is not a Time for a Man to be hamper’d with his Wives.—You see, the Gentleman is in Chains already.
Lucy. O Husband, Husband, my Heart long’d to see thee; but to see thee thus distracts me?
Polly. Will not my dear Husband look upon his Polly? Why hadst thou not flown to me for Protection? with me thou hadst been safe.