4th Figure.
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Good morning, Mister Harman, How are you this morning? I brought a serious complain about the old Barbadian. What about the 'badian? Him shirt has no border, Him face favour marlan, Come give me me one an' ninepence. |
The singer goes to Mr. Harman, who is employing the Barbadian (whom he accuses of wearing a ragged shirt and having a face like a marlingspike), to try and get some money which the latter owes the complainant. This is an excellent example in short of an interview between two Black men. Of the sixteen bars four are occupied with salutation, four with complaint, and four with abuse. Two are given to a question as to the cause of complaint which receives no answer, and two to a demand for money owed by another person. So we have three-quarters of the interview devoted in equal parts to compliment, complaint, and abuse; one-eighth to an attempt on the part of the person interviewed to discover what is amiss; and one-eighth to a demand for money from the wrong man.
CLXI.
The lovers' quarrel which comes next is evidently not serious:—