K.--Pooh--ooh! [bursting with laughter]. Here"s a novel, by jingo! Here"s John in love with the governess. Fond of plush, Miss Pemberton--ey? Gad, it"s the best thing I ever knew. Saved a good bit, ey, Jeames? Take a public-house? By Jove! I"ll buy my beer there.
JOHN.--Owe for it, you mean. I don"t think your tradesmen profit much by your custom, ex-Cornet Kicklebury.
K.--By Jove! I"ll do for you, you villain!
JOHN.--No, not that way, Captain. [Struggles with and throws him.]
K. [screams.]--Hallo, Bulkeley! [Bulkeley is seen strolling in the garden.]
Enter BULKELEY.
BULKELEY.--What is it, sir?
K.--Take this confounded villain off me, and pitch him into the Thames--do you hear?
JOHN.--Come here, and I"ll break every bone in your hulking body. [To BULKELEY.]
BULKELEY.--Come, come! whathever his hall this year row about?
MISS P.--For heaven"s sake don"t strike that poor man.
BULKELEY.--YOU be quiet. What"s he a-hittin" about my master for?
JOHN.--Take off your hat, sir, when you speak to a lady. [Takes up a poker.] And now come on, both of you, cowards! [Rushes at BULKELEY and knocks his hat off his head.]
BULKELEY [stepping back].--If you"ll put down that there poker, you know, then I"ll pitch into you fast enough. But that there poker ain"t fair, you know.
K.--You villain! of course you will leave this house. And, Miss Prior, I think you understand that you will go too. I don"t think my niece wants to learn DANCIN", you understand. Good-by. Here, Bulkeley! [Gets behind footman and exit.]
MISS P.--Do you know the meaning of that threat, Mr. Howell?
JOHN.--Yes, Miss Prior.
MISS P.--I was a dancer once, for three months, four years ago, when my poor father was in prison.
JOHN.--Yes, Miss Prior, I knew it. And I saw you a many times.
MISS P.--And you kept my secret?
JOHN.--Yes, Ju--Jul--Miss Prior.
MISS P.--Thank you, and G.o.d bless you, John Howell. There, there. You mustn"t! indeed you mustn"t!
JOHN.--You don"t remember the printer"s boy who used to come to Mr.
O"Reilly, and sit in your "all in Bury Street, Miss Prior? I was that boy. I was a country-bred boy--that is if you call Putney country, and Wimbledon Common and that. I served the Milliken family seven year. I went with Master Horace to college, and then I revolted against service, and I thought I"d be a man and turn printer like Doctor Frankling. And I got in an office: and I went with proofs to Mr. O"Reilly, and I saw you. And though I might have been in love with somebody else before I did--yet it was all hup when I saw you.
MISS P. [kindly.]--YOU must not talk to me in that way, John Howell.
JOHN.--Let"s tell the tale out. I couldn"t stand the newspaper night-work. I had a mother and brothers and sisters to keep, as you had.
I went back to Horace Milliken and said, Sir, I"ve lost my work. I and mine want bread. Will you take me back again? And he did. He"s a kind, kind soul is my master.
MISS P.--He IS a kind, kind soul.
JOHN.--He"s good to all the poor. His hand"s in his pocket for everybody. Everybody takes advantage of him. His mother-in-lor rides over him. So does his Ma. So do I, I may say; but that"s over now; and you and I have had our notice to quit. Miss, I should say.
MISS P.--Yes.
JOHN.--I have saved a bit of money--not much--a hundred pound. Miss Prior--Julia--here I am--look--I"m a poor feller--a poor servant--but I"ve the heart of a man--and--I love you--oh! I love you!
MARY.--Oh ho--ho! [Mary has entered from garden, and bursts out crying.]
MISS P.--It can"t be, John Howell--my dear, brave, kind John Howell.
It can"t be. I have watched this for some time past, and poor Mary"s despair here. [Kisses Mary, who cries plentifully.] You have the heart of a true, brave man, and must show it and prove it now. I am not--am not of your pardon me for saying so--of your cla.s.s in life. I was bred by my uncle, away from my poor parents, though I came back to them after his sudden death; and to poverty, and to this dependent life I am now leading. I am a servant, like you, John, but in another sphere--have to seek another place now; and heaven knows if I shall procure one, now that that unlucky pa.s.sage in my life is known. Oh, the coward to recall it! the coward!
MARY.--But John whopped him, Miss! that he did. He gave it him well, John did. [Crying.]
MISS P.--You can"t--you ought not to forego an attachment like that, John Howell. A more honest and true-hearted creature never breathed than Mary Barlow.
JOHN.--No, indeed.
MISS P.--She has loved you since she was a little child. And you loved her once, and do now, John.
MARY.--Oh, Miss! you hare a hangel,--I hallways said you were a hangel.
MISS P.--You are better than I am, my dear much, much better than I am, John. The curse of my poverty has been that I have had to flatter and to dissemble, and hide the faults of those I wanted to help, and to smile when I was hurt, and laugh when I was sad, and to coax, and to tack, and to bide my time,--not with Mr. Milliken: he is all honor, and kindness, and simplicity. Who did HE ever injure, or what unkind word did HE ever say? But do you think, with the jealousy of those poor ladies over his house, I could have stayed here without being a hypocrite to both of them? Go, John. My good, dear friend, John Howell, marry Mary. You"ll be happier with her than with me. There! There! [They embrace.]
MARY.--O--o--o! I think I"ll go and hiron hout Miss Harabella"s frocks now. [Exit MARY.]
Enter MILLIKEN with CLARENCE--who is explaining things to him.
CLARENCE.--Here they are, I give you my word of honor. Ask "em, d.a.m.n em.
MILLIKEN.--What is this I hear? You, John Howell, have dared to strike a gentleman under my roof! Your master"s brother-in-law?
JOHN.--Yes, by Jove! and I"d do it again.
MILLIKEN.--Are you drunk or mad, Howell?
JOHN.--I"m as sober and as sensible as ever I was in my life, sir--I not only struck the master, but I struck the man, who"s twice as big, only not quite as big a coward, I think.
MILLIKEN.--Hold your scurrilous tongues sir! My good nature ruins everybody about me. Make up your accounts. Pack your trunks--and never let me see your face again.
JOHN.--Very good, sir.
MILLIKEN.--I suppose, Miss Prior, you will also be disposed to--to follow Mr. Howell?
MISS P.--To quit you, now you know what has pa.s.sed? I never supposed it could be otherwise--I deceived you, Mr. Milliken--as I kept a secret from you, and must pay the penalty. It is a relief to me, the sword has been hanging over me. I wish I had told your poor wife, as I was often minded to do.