 | The Whisper |  |
II.
Old Hunks in a room opening to the road. Evening. A Candle. Money-bags upon the table. Old Hunks is angry.Hunks.
I am a victim and a fool;
I always was; it is the rule.
For when I had Faith Fairlight's ring
It turned into a worthless thing;
Next, it escapes my hand, and then
It is a diamond ring again!
There must be some conspiracy—
There must—to get the best of me.
I always was; it is the rule.
For when I had Faith Fairlight's ring
It turned into a worthless thing;
Next, it escapes my hand, and then
It is a diamond ring again!
There must be some conspiracy—
There must—to get the best of me.
A poor old man. It is a sin
That I should thus be taken in;
My money has been hardly earned—
Hah! is that box-iron returned?
No! I will not again be bit,
I will go forth in search of it.
How shameful! A conspiracy
To ruin a poor old man like me!
But who is chief conspirator?
[Laughter without.
That (starting)
was the rats beneath the floor.
[Laughter without.
There must be some one at the door.
[Opens the door—the wind blows the candle out. Laughter again.
In every limb I now do shake,
And know not what of this to make.
[Laughter without.
I cannot strike a light. I find
My tinder-box I left behind.
The window let me open throw,
And call for help. What ho, what ho!
[Calling out at the window.
A lantern not far off I see,
And it is making straight for me.
[A tapping at the door.
Hah! who is there?
That I should thus be taken in;
66
Hah! is that box-iron returned?
No! I will not again be bit,
I will go forth in search of it.
How shameful! A conspiracy
To ruin a poor old man like me!
But who is chief conspirator?
[Laughter without.
That (starting)
was the rats beneath the floor.
[Laughter without.
There must be some one at the door.
[Opens the door—the wind blows the candle out. Laughter again.
In every limb I now do shake,
And know not what of this to make.
[Laughter without.
I cannot strike a light. I find
My tinder-box I left behind.
The window let me open throw,
And call for help. What ho, what ho!
[Calling out at the window.
A lantern not far off I see,
And it is making straight for me.
[A tapping at the door.
Hah! who is there?
67
(outside.)
Faith Fairlight!
Hunks.
Well,
Come in! But—
[Enter Faith with lantern. He covers up his money.
Say how it befell
That you, Faith Fairlight, passed this way
Just now.
[Relighting his candle.
Faith.
Oh, sir, I cannot say.
I came because I heard you call!
Hunks.
You heard no laughter?
Faith.
None at all.
Hunks
(aside).
A thought, a thought! (aloud)
Good-natured thing!
Pray let me see your diamond ring.
Ha, ha! (aside)
it shall be mine again.
Faith.
Pray, sir, forbear.
Whisper.
Old man, refrain!
Hunks
(starting).
Did you hear nothing?
Faith
(smiling).
No.
Hunks.
No sound
That seemed to come from underground?
Faith.
No, none. A voice there might yet be,
But, if it did not speak to me,
I should not hear a word it said.
68
(aside).
A witch she is. Her eyes burn red—
You do hear voices then?
Faith
(smiling).
Yes.
Hunks.
And—
Faith.
The thing they say I understand.
Hunks
(mazed).
To sift this through and through I burn,
For some deception I discern.
Pray, Faith (aloud)
, your lantern—come with me
To find my cousin Dimity.
Faith.
The Dame that I was going to see.
Hunks
(aside).
Upon the road, I may regain
The diamond ring.
Whisper.
Old man, refrain!
Hunks.
There, then! did you not hear a noise?
Faith
(smiling).
I certainly did hear a voice.
Hunks
(seizing her by the shoulder).
What said the voice? What did you hear?
Faith.
It only whispered, Do not fear.
Hunks
(aside).
That is not what it said to me;
The voices do not quite agree.
[Ironically.
[Exeunt.
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