University of Virginia Library

Scene IV.

—A Street. Bradbury outside, surveying his shop window.
Bradbury.
Methinks I have displayed unusual taste,
A readier art and quicker expedition,
In hanging out my bannerets to-day:
My hands seem quicken'd with a conqueror's heart,
And everything I touch slips bravely through them.
As schoolboys at the approach of holidays,
So I, who am almost on the happy eve
Of still diviner days, address myself
As lightly to my task as if 'twere none.
The theory is, we summon up the nerve
Of all our coming idleness, and do
With force of many hours, the work of one. (Draws from his pocket a note, and reads.)

“Supper at nine,” she says, “and then a dance.”
A dance! 'Tis awkward, very! Had it been
A mental thing!—It matters not, but thus
To shuffle all one's self-respect away—
Excuse me, love, I have not learnt the way.—
But let me catch her deeper sense: it needs
Profounder study, larger grasp of mind,
In him that truly reads than him that wrote;
For he must grasp subject and writer both,
And see their wants ere he see all they mean.
With fine naiveté and pertinence she writes,
“Fools we shall have in plenty; but I trust
“That Bradbury will bear with all.” Just so;
And her unwritten thought is clearly this:
That she expects I will not join this troop
Of light feet and light heads, but keep aloof,
And with a patron-majesty look on:
Yes, sit sedately by the old man's side
And smoke a quiet pipe, drop shrewd remarks,
And look approvingly—well pleased to see
Such innocent enjoyment, yet withal
Bearing myself as in a higher sphere.—
“Make no advances to me; you will learn
“Reasons for this ere long.” I see them now—
Yes, thanks to this,

(Tapping his forehead)
Enter Juniper and Friend.
Juniper.
Good morrow, daddy. Got your window dress'd?
Fine display. Splendid shawl that! Gaudy, though!
Coming down to-night, eh? Dance, you know.
Good morning, daddy

[Exeunt.
Bradbury.
“Fools we shall have in plenty.” Verily,
Of all the fools she mentions, he is king!
An empty-headed pack! I scorn them all.
Of such, however, we, the shrewd, the 'cute,
Our profits make, in every branch of trade.
They are the life-blood of the taverns,
And therefore I will teach myself to bear,
To “bear with all,” for Margaret and the house.

[Exit.