Vandyke Brown: A Farce in One Act

by Adolphus Charles Troughton

VAN. (to MRS. BOBBINS) Come, madam! come with me! (drawing her towards him) Let us be revenged upon them both.

MRS. BOBBINS. (to VANDYKE) Let me alone, sir! let me alone! Augustus, come to my assistance! Why do you suffer him to treat me like this?

(BOBBINS turns his back to her indignantly.)

VAN. It’s all fair! Exchange is no robbery! He takes my wife—I take his. You see your husband does not object.

AUGUS. Not I! As she has two husbands already, she may as well take a third. Clap hands and a bargain—I agree to the chop. (meets in centre and shake hands)

MRS. BROWN.	BOBBINS.	BROWN.	MRS. BOBBINS.
R.			C.

MRS. BOBBINS. (crying and crossing to L. C.) Oh, oh, Augustus! what, desert me after all my forbearance and exemplary conduct? Oh, oh, you cruel man!

MRS. BROWN. (crying and crossing to R. C.) Oh, Vandyke! Vandyke!

(MRS. BOBBINS and MRS. BROWN cross at the same time while speaking, and throw themselves into their husbands’ arms. VANDYKE turns up stage, R. indignantly—BOBBINS turns up indignantly.