[ Music.—A grotesque dance ensues, during which Rip continues to supply himself from the keg.—He at length joins in the dance, and becomes so exhausted, that he reels forward and sinks in front. The dancing ceases, the spirits utter three ho, ho, ho’s!—Some of them sink.—Music, piano, as the curtain slowly descends.
END OF ACT I.
ACT II.
SCENE I.— The last of the First Act repeated; but the distance now presents a richly cultivated country.—The bramble is grown into a lofty tree, and all that remains of Rip’s gun is its rusty barrel, which is at the foot of the tree.
Bird Music.— Rip discovered extended on the ground asleep; his hair gray, and beard grown to unusual length—the hour of the scene is gray dawn and the birds from the sky and hill are chirping.
Rip. ( Speaking in his sleep. ) Mommy! Mommy Van Winkle! Wass du’sht allaweil? Shtup now yusht eh mohl mit deim gatzonk? Du lusht mer gor ne kæ ruh—har-uf now, un shmeis mer net so feel hase wasser doh rumm, for my awga kenna ’s net shtanda—du wid! Uf course, un wann ’d wid don du’shts aw—un demnoch husht aw.—( He awakens in sudden emotion. ) Awer—immer un eawich wass is all des, un wo bin ich? ( Gazing around. ) Uf ’m Blowa Barrick so g’wiss ich labe. Un ich fong ’s aw wann ich hame coom—weil ich now de gons naucht doh g’shlofa hab. Un ich feel so shteif os ’n olter asle uf ’m Lechaw Conawl. Es dinkt mich ich mus ’n ordlich longy tzeit doh g’shlofa hawa. Awer ich hob mich aw goot enjoyd unner denna coryose un looshtiche dinger. Mer hen gadroonka un gadonsd un g’frollickd we gooty karls. Awer wann se now gooty moneer hetta don wæra se net doh fun mer weck g’shneekd un hetta mich doh allainich lya lussa. ( Looking around. ) Wo is awer my flint? Ich hob se doh shtæ lussa wedder ’m a klaina baimly. ( On examining he finds the rusty barrel of his gun. ) Hullo! gook yusht amohl doh—de karls hen so g’wiss ich labe aw my flint g’shtola un hen dar olt ous g’shpeelt un rushtich lawf im plotz derfu g’lusst. Un wass wærd my olty sawga derweaga? By chucks awer desmohl gebt ’s ’n gabuller derhame! Un we ich ei g’shlofa bin war ’s unner ’m ’a klaina baimly, un doh shtate now ’n grosser hickory bawm. Ich wooner eb ich now wocker bin odder eb ich yusht om drawma bin? Is ennich ebber um der wæg os mer ’s sawga con? Ich bin now yusht about ferhootled! Es is yusht ea ding os ich du con un sell is heme gæ tzu der olt fraw—se con mer ’s exactly sawga eb ich wocker bin odder eb ich om shlofa un drawma bin. Wann ich om shlofa bin don insure ich ’s aw os ich ordlich in a hurry uf weck wann ich amohl unner de range fun miner olty coom.
[ Music.—Exit, L. H. ]
SCENE II.— A well furnished apartment in the house of Knickerbocker .
Lorrenna, now a woman, enters R. H.
Lor. Yaw, ’s is hord. Ich hob kæ eltra g’hot sidder os ich ’n gons klæ maidly war. ’N gooty aunt hut for mich g’sorrickd un hut mer plenty fermaucht, awer now, olles os ich hob mus ich uf gevva wann ich net agree ’n mon tzu hira os mer gor net aw shtate. Oh, my ormer dawdy! We ar sell shrivas g’signed hut, we ich noch gons klæ war, hut ar net gawist wass for ’n troovel os ar uf mich bringt.