Caesar (staggered): Ah—Ah—oh—Ah—dat is—(recovering himself suddenly) Dat’s right, Marse Jedge, de liquor. Ah didn’t zacly hear straight, Ah’s gittin so ole—mah ears is wusser an wusser—
Judge (to Jennings): Well, this infernally presumptuous old nigger has been breaking up our arrangements. I don’t know how he found out what I was doing—I had the liquor hid in that vault, and was trying to sneak it out, but here he is, and he’s vetoed the proceedings. He means right, and—well, I reckon he is right. He has noticed that I’ve been indulging a little more than a gentleman should, and he has laid for me some reaching arguments.
Jennings: Well, I’ll be hornswoggled.
Judge: I’m going to quit drinking. I’ve come to the conclusion that a man can’t keep it up and be quite what he’d like to be—“pure and fearless and without reproach”—that’s the way old Caesar quoted it.
Jennings: Well, I’ll have to admit that the old darkey’s argument can’t conscientiously be overruled.
Judge: Still (with a ghost of a smile) there are two quarts of the finest old silk-velvet Bourbon in that satchel you ever wet your lips with. Take it home, Caesar, and put it somewhere I can’t find it!
Caesar: Yes, Marse Jedge; thank’ee, Cunnel Gwathmey. Ah hopes you genlemen has a good fishin day. Looks to me like it promise mighty fine weather—de sun sot red las night, an you know what dat means fo fishermen’s luck. Ah members one time when de Jedge an me was youngsters—(the three of them go off, at right, in the midst of the Negro’s chatter)
Porter (wanders about distracted; goes to cashier’s drawer and opens it): It’s gone! It’s gone! The money isn’t here that ought to be here. And they’ll blame me for it! Oh, why did I ever come into a bank? What do I know about taking care of money? (he stops and gazes at Athol, who enters right, clad as in Act I)
Athol (drifts towards him, dreamlike, silent; at last she whispers): Will!
Porter: Athol! (with intense distress) Sweetheart, some of the money is gone from the drawer, and they’re blaming me for it. You know how it is—people take money out, and they’re supposed to put in a slip, but they forget to do it and what can I do?