Comediettas and Farces

by John Maddison Morton

SKRUFF. Natural enough. By all means, Gritty. Give the gentlemen your reasons, Gritty.

GRITTY. In a word, then, this gentleman (pointing to SKRUFF) informs me—

SKRUFF (shouting). No such thing! I deny it! (Aside to GRITTY.) Don’t go and drag me into it.

GRITTY (handing letter to MALLINGFORD). Do you know this letter, sir?

MALLING. (starting). By all that’s unfortunate, Taunton, my letter to you!

TAUNT. About the one thousand pounds?

GRITTY. You confess it, then?

MALLING. One moment, sir! Knowing your objections to raising money on bills, my friend Taunton and I would certainly rather you had not seen this letter, but fortunately in this case no bill was necessary. You do not appear to have read the whole of the contents. (Opens letter, and presenting it to GRITTY.) Please to turn over the page.

GRITTY (turning over page of letter, and reading to himself). What’s this? Holloa, Samuel, you never told me to turn over!