AIR V. 'Twas within a furlong. In pimps and politicians The genius is the fame; They play the tempter's part, Enter Flimzy and Polly. Trap. Blefs my eye-fight! what do I fee? I am in a dream, or it is Mifs Poily Peachum ! Mercy upon me! child, what brought you on this fide of the water? Polly. Love, Madam, and the misfortunes of our family. But I am equally furprized to find an acquaintance here: you cannot be ignorant of my unhappy story, and perhaps from you, Mrs. Dye, I may receive fome information that may be useful to me. Trap. You need not be much concern'd, Mifs Polly at a fentence of tranfportation; for a young lady of your beauty hath wherewithal to make her fortune in any country. Tho Polly Pardon me, Madam; you mistake me. I was educated among the most profligate in low-life, I never engag'd in my father's affairs as a thief or thiefcatcher, for indeed I abhorr'd his profeffion. Would my papa had never taken it up, he then still had been alive, and I had never known Macheath! AIR VI. Sortez de vos retraites. She who hath felt a real pain Finds that all abfence is in vain You must have heard, Madam, that I was unhappy in my marriage. When Macheath was tranfported, all my peace was banished with him; and my papa's death hath now given me liberty to purfue my inclinations. Trap. Good lack-a-day! poor Mr. Peachum! Death was fo much oblig'd to him, that I wonder he did not allow him a reprieve for his own fake. Truly, I think he was obliged to nobody more, except the phyficians : but they die, it feems, too. Death is very impartial; he takes all alike, friends and foes. Polly. Every monthly feffions-paper, like the apothecary's files (if I may make the comparifon) was a record of his fervices. But my papa kept company with gentlemen, and ambition is catching. He was in too much hafte to be rich. I with all great men would take warning. 'Tis now feven months fince my papa was hang'd. Trap. This will be a great check indeed to your men of enterprizing genius; and it will be unfafe to push at making a great fortune, if fuch accidents grow common. But fure, child, you are not fo mad as to think of following Macheath. Polly. In following him I am in pursuit of my quiet. I love him; and, like a troubled ghoft, fhall never be at reft till I appear to him. If I can receive any information of him from you, it will be a cordial to a wretch in despair. Trap. My dear, Mifs Polly, you must not think of it. 'Tis now above a year and a half fince he robb'd his mafter, ran away from the plantation, and turn'd pirate. Then too what puts you beyond all poffibility of redrefs, is, that fince he came over he married a tranfported flave, flave, one Jenny Diver, and the is gone off with him. You must give over all thoughts of him, for he is a very devil to our fex; not a woman of the greatest vivacity fhifts her inclinations half fo faft as he can. Befides, he would difown you; for, like an upstart, he hates an old acquaintance. I am forry to fee thofe tears, child, but I love you too well to flatter you. Polly. Why have I a heart fo conftant? Cruel love! AIR VII. O Waly, Waly, up the bank. Trap. I tell you once again, Mifs Polly, you must think no more of him. You are like a child who is crying after a butterfly, that is hopping and fluttering upon every flower in the field; there is not a woman that comes in his way, but he must have a taste of; befides, there is no catching him. But, my dear girl, I hope you took care, at your leaving England, to bring off wherewithal to fupport you. Polly. Since he is loft, I am infenfible of every other misfortune. I brought indeed a fum of money with me, but my cheft was broke open at fea, and I am now a wretched vagabond expos'd to hunger and want, unless charity relieve me. Trap. Poor child! your father and I have had great dealings together, and I fhall be grateful to his memory. I will look upon you as my daughter; you fhall be with me. Polly. As foon as I can have remittances from England, I shall be able to acknowledge your goodness: I have still five hundred pounds there, which will be return'd to me upon demand; but I had rather undertake any ho neft neft fervice that might afford me a maintenance than be burthenfome to my friends. Trap. Sure never any thing happen'd fo luckily! Madam Ducat juft now wants a fervant, and I know the will take my recommendation; and one fo tight and handy as you, must please her: then too, her husband is the civileft, beft-bred man alive. You are now in her house, and I won't leave it till I have fettled you. Be chearful, my dear child, for who knows but all these misfortunes may turn to your advantage? You are in a rich agreeable family, and I dare fay your perfon and behaviour will foon make you a favourite. As to Captain Macheath, you may now fafely look upon yourfelf as a widow; and who knows, if Madam Ducat fhould tip off, what may happen? I hall recommend you, Mifs Polly, as a gentlewoman. AIR VIII. O Jenny, come tie me. Hence, melancholy! Fortune attends you while youth is in flower. Us'd with difcretion, Woman at all times hath joy in her power. Polly. The fervice, Madam, you offer me, makes me as happy as I can be in my circumftance, and I accept of it with ten thoufand obligations. Trap. Take a turn in the hall with my maid for a minute or two, and I'll take care to settle all matters and conditions for your reception. Be affur'd, Mifs Polly, I'll do my best for you. [Exeunt Polly and Flimzy.. Enter Ducat. Trap. Mr. Ducat. Sir. You may come in. I have had this very girl in my eye for you ever fince you and I were first acquainted; and, to be plain with you, Sir, I have run great rifques for her. I had many a ftratagem, to be fure, to inveigle her away from her rela tions! the too herfelf was exceeding difficult; and I can affure you, to ruin a girl of fevere education is no fmall addition to the pleasure of our fine gentlemen.. I can be answerable for it too, that you will have the first of her. I am fure I could have difpos'd of her upon the fame account, for at least a hundred guineas to an alderman of London; and then too I might have had the difpofal of her again as foon as she was out of keeping; but you are my friend, and I fhall not deal hard with you. Duc. But if I like her I would agree upon terms beforchand; for fhould I grow fond of her, I know you have the confcience of other trades-people, and would grow more impofing; and I love to be upon a certainty. Trap. Sure you cannot think a hundred piftoles too much; I mean for me. I leave her wholly to your generofity. Why your fine men, who never pay any body elfe, pay their pimps and bawds well; always ready money. I ever dealt confcientiously, and fet the lowest price upon my ladies; when you fee her, I am fure you will allow her to be as choice a piece of beauty as ever you laid eyes on. Duc. But, dear Mrs Dye, a hundred piftoles fay you? why, I could have half a dozen negro princeffes for the price. Trap. But fure you cannot expect to buy a fine handfome Christian at that rate? You are not us'd to fee fuch goods on this fide of the water For the women, like the clothes, are all tarnished and half worn out before they are fent hither. Do but caft your eye upon her, Sir; the door stands half open; fee, yonder the trips in converfation with my maid Flimzy in the hall. Duc. Why truly I must own fhe is handsome. Trap. Blefs me! you are no more mov'd by her, than if he were your wife. Handfome! what a cold hufband-like expreffion is that! Nay, there is no harm done. If I take her home, I don't question the making more money of her. She was never in any body's house but your own, fince fhe was landed. She is pure as the was imported, without the least adulteration. Duc. I'll have her. I'll pay you down upon the nail. You fhall leave her with me. Come, count your money, Mrs. Dye. Trap. |