“Has he ever done anything more solid himself? Never in his life. Well, listen to me, Bram, if you go back home and crawl to that brother of yours, I swear I’ll break off our engagement. Now there it is straight.”
“You know there’s only one reason would make me go home.”
“Well, you’ll have to marry a squib, my dear, for you’ll certainly never marry your Nancy if you do.”
“There doesn’t seem much chance of my ever marrying you as things are now,” Bram sighed.
“Will you elope? Now listen to me, I’m serious. I’m after thinking that an elopement is the only solution for us. What is it Touchstone sings to Audrey:
Come, sweet Audrey:
We must be married, or we must live in bawdry!
At least he doesn’t sing it in our version, because dear old Ma Hart is so damned genteel she wouldn’t have such a sentiment uttered by a member of her pure company. But it’s in Shakespeare, for I read it when I was studying the part.”
“But your father, you lunatic?”
“Och, my father! He can’t drink any more than he’s drinking now, and it would give him a gentlemanly excuse for getting drunk if he was to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. Listen. You’ve enough money to buy the ring and the license?”