Shrieks of horror from the young
ladies, who desist from knocking their croquet-balls into the orchestra
and the proscenium boxes; and triumphant falling of a new act-drop_.
STOEPEL, _having thought of a sweet passage for the fife, in a Chinese
opera, plays it uninterruptedly for forty-five minutes. A deaf old
gentleman approvingly remarks that this is really classical music_.
ACT II.--_A storm at the inn on the Moor_. Miss SYLVESTER _waits for
her_ GEOFFREY _and her tea. Enter_ ARNOLD.
ARNOLD. " GEOFFREY can't come, so he has sent me. I know your situation,
and shall have to feel for you if it gets much darker and they don't
bring candles. That is, if I'm to shake hands with you. I have told
everybody here that you are my wife. Let's have a little game of
seven-up, and pass the time profitably."
ANNIE. "Oh, villain (I mean GEOFFREY,) you have de-ser-er-erted me. Oh,
rash young person, (I mean you, ARNOLD,) I'm inclined to think that
you've married me by Scotch law, without having meant it. If so, you'll
have to go to America and see BEECHER about a divorce." (_Curtain
subsequently falls, and_ STOEPEL _orders the big drum to beat for an
hour, while the musicians take advantage of the noise to tune their
instruments.
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