Enter FASTMAN and REBECCA, C.
REBECCA. Oh, come, here they are—that’s fortunate!
FAST. (throwing himself at MRS. BOBBINS feet) Really, Mrs. Bobbins, I am overwhelmed with confusion!
| VANDYKE. | BOBBINS. | REBECCA. | ||
| MRS. BROWN. | FASTMAN. | MRS. BOBBINS. | ||
| R. | L. | |||
VAN. (taking hold of FASTMAN’S right hand, pulls him towards MRS. BROWN) No, no! you have mistaken your lady—pay your vows here, sir—here sir!
AUGUS. (taking FASTMAN’S left hand) I say fair play to that. No poaching on my manor. (pulling him towards MRS. BOBBINS)
FAST. (shaking them off) Be off, both of you! Go to Bath and get your heads shaved. (throwing himself on his knees to MRS. BOBBINS) How am I to apologise? How am I ever to make amends for my outrageous conduct? I beg your pardon a thousand, and a thousand times! But it was all this gentleman’s fault—(pointing to VANDYKE) he told me that you were his wife! (rises)
VAN. I! I told you she was my wife!
MRS. BOBBINS. Impossible!
FAST. Indeed he did, and I should still have thought so if it hadn’t been for the landlady of these apartments, who, on hearing the disturbance just now, and Mrs. Bobbins going into hysterics, slipped into the passage, as I was leaving the house to inquire what was the matter, and I had no sooner begun to explain than she burst into fits of laughter, and in a very few words cleared up the mystery.