University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

—A Gaming House, the Dragon, as croupier, Almidor and others playing.
Chorus.
AIR AND CHORUS.
Come boys, make your game, be steady,
Faint heart ne'er won lady fair,
Seven's the main, down with the ready,
He's/I've thrown sixes I declare.
Whilst the dice he's/I'm shaking,
See what cash doth yet remain,
What's the use of quaking,
Here the ivories go again.

Alm.
I've lost again, what can the reason be?

Dra.
Now, make your game.

[Dragon pulls in money.
Alm.
You're making game of me,

Dra.
Let's change the game—that table there be nimble.

[A table and cups brought in.
Alm.
What's that?

Dra.
Why that's a rather large sized thimble
This game's exceeding fair, as you will see,
Under this here (a cup)
, young man, I put the pea,
Now 'tis your turn the Dragon's purse to plunder
If you know which of these the pea is under.
You need but use your eyes—now, one, two, three,
Under which thimble have I got the pea?

Alm.
(aside)
Enter St. George R.
Well, he's very verdant I declare,
I twig'd the pea (aloud)
. Now paws off—it is there.

[Points to one.
Dra.
Well, if I lose, I lose—now let us see.
[Raises cup.
It isn't there.

Bystander.
Of course not, here's the pea.

[Raises another cup and shows it.
St. Geo.
Just as I thought, the Dragon's hooked Morocco.
He'll very soon discover what's o'clock O.

Alm.
I've lost again; these peas are wondrous skippers—
I'll try once more, so there's my Sunday slippers.
[Places slippers.
I must win once.

Dra.
(shuffling cups about)
Should you those slippers lose?

Alm.
Oh! that will be another pair of shoes.

St. Geo.
Well, so you've lost?

Alm.
Oh lord! he's such a dab.
Lend me a shilling, will you, for a cab?

St. Geo.
With pleasure (gives money)
there.

Dra.
(comes down)
Of course you'll go and brag on
The clever way in which you've done the dragon.

[Laughs loudly.
Alm.
My goodness gracious, there's a frightful laugh,
I find old dragons won't be caught with chaff.

[Retires up, as he is going, gamblers shake dice box, he hesitates, and then sneaks up to the table and appears to play.
Dra.
(to St. George.)
Will you sir, take a turn?

Bystander.
Of course he will.

St. Geo.
I've not a bob about me but a bill.

Dra.
Oh! that'll do for me.

St. Geo.
I think your right,
It only passed the House of Lords last night.

Dra.
(opens large bill given to him by St. George.)

Dra.
What's this, qui tam, oh la! that bill will floor us.

St. Geo.
What ho! police, come in and join the chorus.

CHORUS.
Air—“Bartlemy Fair.”
Come toddle, brother prig,
Here's an end to thimble rig,
If we stop, I'm thinking really
We shall visit the Old Bailey,
For the act says very plain
We shall never play again.
Hark! the row has began—beware oh!
There they are
On the stair,
Exit, you,
Up the flue;
You get out
Down the spout,
Done I am
By qui tam.

[Enter policeman to Dragon, ditto to Almidor; Dragon floors policeman, Almidor floors policeman.

Hi down! go down!

Both.
I'm off for there's no time to spare oh!