University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

—Office in Lafont's House, as before.
Morluc and Du Viray, disguised as Exempts, discovered seated at a table, C., with wine, &c. St. Lo leaning near them, and Jean Ruse uneasily walking up and down.
Mor.
More wine, there, wench! More wine!

Enter Manou, with wine, L.
St. Lo.
[Whispering.]
Bravo, Morluc!
Nature intended you a thieftaker,
You look the part so well!—

Du V.
And I, St. Lo?

St. Lo.
Du Viray, you look just as great a scoundrel!

Jean.
What a most horrid world! Think of exempts
Posting themselves here, in our private office,
Where they're like matches in a magazine!
Gentlemen, gentlemen! Your orders were
To go to Elmore's—not to sit down here.

Mor.
[Starting up.]
How!—Dog! cur! hound! knave! minion! scrub!
Wilt thou teach gentlemen of law their duty?

Du V.
Good fellow, we have found some graver matter,
As thou wilt quickly learn.

Jean.
[Aside.]
There!—there!—I knew it!
I said he must be mad, to send for them!
Oh, what I'd give to be an honest man
Just for five minutes, till I'd kicked them out!

St. Lo.
[Whispers,]
Oh, brother Jean—I'm very sorry for you!

Jean.
[Alarmed.]
Why?—What?

Man.
[Whispers.]
They mean that key, Jean.

Jean.
Wh--- what key?
I've got no key!—I never said I had one.

Man.
No key!—Deny the key?

Jean.
[Impatiently.]
All lies—all lies!

Man.
And my twelve hundred crowns, Jean!

Jean.
All lies, too!
I don't believe you ever had as much.
You've played upon me—made a fool of me—
You and St. Lo there. Yes—I see it all—
But now I wash my hands of you—I leave you.
[Aside.]
Master may look to this himself!

[Going, L.
Mor.
Stay, prisoner!

Jean.
[Trembling.]
Prisoner!

Mor.
It has been reported to us
That certain evil practices have passed
Within this house—

Jean.
[Agitated.]
I'll call my master.

[Going, L.
Mor.
[In a loud voice.]
Stay!

Du V.
And, prisoner, 'tis said the secret proofs
Are placed in yonder closet, to which you,
Feloniously, have made a second key.

Jean.
[In agony.]
No, no—I have not!—It's all false!
—That woman—

Man.
Sweet gentlemen, indeed he only found it,
And put it in that left-hand pocket.

Du V.
[Snatching it out.]
Ha!
What's this, thou villain?

Jean.
[Trembling.]
That?

St. Lo.
That's not a key,
No more than he's a man!—Can't you perceive
It's but a skeleton!

Mor.
A skeleton key!

Jean.
It's nothing but the key of my own trunk.

Du V.
[Advancing to the closet, L. F.]
I'll try it here.

Jean.
[Screaming.]
No!—Pray, sir—pray, sir, don't!
It's possible—just by the merest chance—
That—by an accident—the key might fit—
And then you'd ruin me!

St. Lo.
[Aside to Jean.]
Oh brother Jean,
I fear you're very likely to be ruined!
They want your master's papers.

Jean.
[Eagerly.]
Is that all?
Break down the door then! I'll make no resistance.
It will be all the same, you know, to you;
I'll even run and fetch a crow-bar for you,
But not my key! Sweet, gentle gentlemen,
I'm a poor man, but I have fifty crowns,
The savings of some five-and-thirty years—
I'll give you all to spare me!
What will become of me!

[Clasping his hands.
Man.
[Aside to Jean.]
Fly for your life!

Jean.
I will—I will!—
Oh what a wicked—what a horrid world!

Exit, L.—Du Viray and Morluc open the closet, and pull out papers.
Man.
Quick, quick! I tremble lest my master come!

[Exit, following Jean, L.
St. Lo.
Find what relates to Herminie.

Mor.
Here!

Du V.
Here!

[They draw out papers, examine and hand some to St. Lo, the rest are scattered about the floor.— Scene closes.