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DROP
MUSICAL INDUCTION： the 'Minuet' from 'DON GIOVANNI'
ACT III。
The stage represents Miss Foster's lodging as in Act I。
SCENE I
DOROTHY； R。； at tambour； ANTHONY； C。； bestriding chair； MISS
FOSTER； L。C。
ANTHONY。 Yes； ma'am； I like my regiment： we are all gentlemen；
from old Fred downwards； and all of a good family。 Indeed； so
are all my friends； except one tailor sort of fellow； Bosbury。
But I'm done with him。 I assure you； Aunt Evelina； we are
Corinthian to the last degree。 I wouldn't shock you ladies for
the world …
MISS FOSTER。 Don't mind me； my dear； go on。
ANTHONY。 Really； ma'am； you must pardon me： I trust I
understand what topics are to be avoided among females … And
before my sister； too！ A girl of her age！
DOROTHY。 Why； you dear； silly fellow； I'm old enough to be your
mother。
ANTHONY。 My dear Dolly； you do not understand； you are not a man
of the world。 But； as I was going on to say； there is no more
spicy regiment in the service。
MISS FOSTER。 I am not surprised that it maintains its old
reputation。 You know； my dear （TO DOROTHY）； it was George
Austin's regiment。
DOROTHY。 Was it； aunt？
ANTHONY。 Beau Austin？ Yes； it was； and a precious dust they
make about him still … a parcel of old frumps！ That's why I went
to see him。 But he's quite extinct： he couldn't be Corinthian
if he tried。
MISS FOSTER。 I am afraid that even at your age George Austin
held a very different position from the distinguished Anthony
Musgrave。
ANTHONY。 Come； ma'am； I take that unkindly。 Of course I know
what you're at： of course the old put cut no end of a dash with
the Duchess。
MISS FOSTER。 My dear child； I was thinking of no such thing；
THAT was immoral。
ANTHONY。 Then you mean that affair at Brighton： when he cut the
Prince about Perdita Robinson。
MISS FOSTER。 No； I had forgotten it。
ANTHONY。 O； well； I know … that duel！ But look here； Aunt
Evelina； I don't think you'd be much gratified after all if I
were to be broke for killing my commanding officer about a
quarrel at cards。
DOROTHY。 Nobody asks you； Anthony； to imitate Mr。 Austin。 I
trust you will set yourself a better model。 But you may choose a
worse。 With all his faults； and all his enemies； Mr。 Austin is a
pattern gentleman： You would not ask a man to be braver； and
there are few so generous。 I cannot bear to hear him called in
fault by one so young。 Better judges； dear； are better pleased。
ANTHONY。 Hey…day！ what's this？
MISS FOSTER。 Why； Dolly； this is April and May。 You surprise
me。
DOROTHY。 I am afraid； indeed； madam； that you have much to
suffer from my caprice。 （SHE GOES OUT； L。）
SCENE II
ANTHONY； MISS FOSTER
ANTHONY。 What is the meaning of all this； ma'am？ I don't like
it。
MISS FOSTER。 Nothing； child； that I know。 You spoke of Mr。
Austin； our dear friend； like a groom； and she； like any lady of
taste； took arms in his defence。
ANTHONY。 No； ma'am； that won't do。 I know the sex。 You mark my
words； the girl has some confounded nonsense in her head； and
wants looking after。
MISS FOSTER。 In my presence； Anthony； I shall ask you to speak
of Dorothy with greater respect。 With your permission； your
sister and I will continue to direct our own affairs。 When we
require the interference of so young and confident a champion；
you shall know。 （CURTSIES； KISSES HER HAND； AND GOES OUT； L。）
SCENE III
ANTHONY
ANTHONY。 Upon my word； I think Aunt Evelina one of the most
uncivil old women in the world。 Nine weeks ago I came of age；
and they still treat me like a boy。 I'm a recognised Corinthian；
too： take my liquor with old Fred； and go round with the
Brummagem Bantam and Jack Bosb… 。 。 。 O damn Jack Bosbury。 If
his father was a tailor； he shall fight me for his ungentlemanly
conduct。 However； that's all one。 What I want is to make Aunt
Evelina understand that I'm not the man to be put down by an old
maid who's been brought up in a work…basket； begad！ I've had
nothing but rebuffs all day。 It's very remarkable。 There was
that man Austin； to begin with。 I'll be hanged if I can stand
him。 I hear too much of him； and if I can only get a good excuse
to put him to the door； I believe it would give Dorothy and all
of us a kind of a position。 After all； he's not a man to visit
in the house of ladies： not when I'm away； at least。 Nothing in
it of course； but is he a man whose visits I can sanction？
SCENE IV
ANTHONY； BARBARA
BARBARA。 Please； Mr。 Anthony； Miss Foster said I was to show
your room。
ANTHONY。 Ha！ Baby？ Now； you come here。 You're a girl of
sense； I know。
BARBARA。 La； Mr。 Anthony； I hope I'm nothing of the kind。
ANTHONY。 Come； come！ that's not the tone I want： I'm serious。
Does this man Austin come much about the house？
BARBARA。 O Mr。 Anthony； for shame！ Why don't you ask Miss
Foster？
ANTHONY。 Now I wish you to understand： I'm the head of this
family。 It's my business to look after my sister's reputation；
and my aunt's too； begad！ That's what I'm here for： I'm their
natural protector。 And what I want you； Barbara Ridley； to
understand … you whose fathers have served my fathers … is just
simply this： if you've any common gratitude； you're bound to
help me in the work。 Now Barbara； you know me； and you know my
Aunt Evelina。 She's a good enough woman； I'm the first to say
so。 But who is she to take care of a young girl？ She's ignorant
of the world to that degree she believes in Beau Austin！ Now you
and I； Bab； who are not so high and dry； see through and through
him； we know that a man like that is no fit company for any
inexperienced girl。
BARBARA。 O Mr。 Anthony； don't say that。 （WEEPING。）
ANTHONY。 Hullo！ what's wrong？
BARBARA。 Nothing that I know of。 O Mr。 Anthony； I don't think
there can be anything。
ANTHONY。 Think？ Don't think？ What's this？
BARBARA。 O sir！ I don't know； and yet I don't like it。 Here's
my beautiful necklace all broke to bits： she took it off my very
neck； and gave me her birthday pearls instead； and I found it
afterwards on the table； all smashed to pieces； and all she
wanted it for was to take and break it。 Why that？ It frightens
me； Mr。 Anthony； it frightens me。
ANTHONY （WITH NECKLACE）。 This？ What has this trumpery to do
with us？
BARBARA。 He gave it me： that's why she broke it。
ANTHONY。 He？ who？
BARBARA。 Mr。 Austin did； and I do believe I should not have
taken it； Mr。 Anthony； but I thought no harm； upon my word of
honour。 He was always here： that was six months ago； and
indeed； indeed； I thought they were to marry。 How would I think
else with a born lady like Miss Dorothy？
ANTHONY。 Why； Barbara； God help us all； what's this？ You don't
mean to say that there was …
BARBARA。 Here it is； as true as true： they were going for a
jaunt； and Miss Foster had her gout； and I was to go with them；
and he told me to make…believe I was ill； and I did； and I stayed
at home； and he gave me that necklace； and they went away
together； and； oh dear！ I wish I'd never been born。
ANTHONY。 Together？ he and Dolly？ Good Lord！ my sister！ And
since then？
BARBARA。 We haven't seen him from that day to this； the wicked
villain； and； Mr。 Anthony； he hasn't so much as written the poor
dear a word。
ANTHONY。 Bab； Bab； Bab； this is a devil of a bad business； this
is a cruel bad business； Baby； cruel upon me； cruel upon all of
us； a family like mine。 I'm a young man； Barbara； to have this
delicate affair to manage； but； thank God； I'm Musgrave to the
bone。 He bribed a servant…maid； did he？ I keep his bribe； it's
mine now； dear bought； by George！ He shall have it in his teeth。
Shot Colonel Villiers； did he？ we'll see how he faces Anthony
Musgrave。 You're a good girl； Barbara； so far you've served the
family。 You leave this to me。 And； hark ye； dry your eyes and
hold your tongue： I'll have no scandal raised by you。
BARBARA。 I do hope； sir； you won't use me against Miss Dorothy。
ANTHONY。 That's my affair； your business is to hold your tongue。
Miss Dorothy has made her bed and must lie on it。 Here's Jack
Fenwick。 You can go。
SCENE V
ANTHONY； FENWICK
ANTHONY。 Jack Fenwick； is that you？ Come here； my boy。 Jack；
you've given me many a thrashing； and I deserved 'em； and I'll
not see you made a fool of now。 George Austin is a damned
villain； and Dorothy Musgrave is no girl for you to marry： God
help me that I should have to say it。
FENWICK。 Good God； who told YOU？
ANTHONY。 Ay； Jack； it's hard on me； Jack。 But you'll stand my
friend in spite of this； and you'll take my message to the man；
won't you？ For it's got to come to blood； Jack： there's no way
out of that。 And perhaps your poor friend will fall； Jack； think
of that： like Villiers。 And all for an unworthy sister。
FENWICK。 Now； Anthony Musgrave； I give you fair warning； see you
take it： one word more against your sister； and we quarrel。
ANTHONY。 You let it slip yourself； Jack： you know yourself
she's not a virtuous girl。
FENWICK。 What do you know of virtue； whose whole boast is to be
vicious？ How