slipped through our fingers, did ye? but now your hour has come, so lay hoult of her, Morris. (MORRIS seizes her.) DORA. Oh, man, man, why are ye so cruel to me-let me go; let me go. MORRIS. Let ye go, is it? oh, certainly he will by all manes, ye'd like to put the sojers upon us, wouldn't ye? But no, no, my jewel, your race is run. DORA. Oh, don't harm me, and it's as dumb as stone I'll be. MORRIS. Shall ye indeed. Well, small blame to the chance we'll give ye; it's your clack that will have the speedy end put to it, and I'll not rest till it's done. DORA. Oh, cowards, cowards. MUSHA. Oh, ye won't hurt our delicate feelings by calling us that? (x's to R.) This way wid her, boy; this way, this way. (music-he also forces her R.) DORA. (resisting) Corney, Ony, save me-save me! (they force her off L. Music changes to march-enter COLONEL and SOLDIERS, R., with CORNELIUS, prisoner, followed by ONY expostulating.) COL. (to ONY) You cannot go with us, for you are innocent, but you, (to CORNELIUS) are condemned. ONY. I move for a new trial for the boy, there was a flaw in the verdict and a misdemeanour in the indictment. COL. I think not. ONY. But I'm sure of it, all the jury were on one side. COL. Of course, on the side of the Crown. ONY. And do ye call that fair? I say no, for no trial can be impartial unless half the jury are for the prisoner, and the other half for the persecution. CORNE. Oh, give over, Ony, give over, it's fated I am to die, and the sooner it's over the better. ONY. And I say the later it's over the better-let those die who deserve it. Oh, Colonel dear, can't ye perceive it's led into the trap by the toasted cheese of treachery he's been, and it's himself is the innocent boy that he ever was, and sure, isn't it from the best authority ye have it ; sure, doesn't he tell ye so himself? COL. His innocence must be proclaimed from other lips. Enter CAPTAIN SINGLETON and LIEUTENANT MUSGRAVE, L. CAPTAIN. Then let it be proclaimed by ours. COL. You here, gentlemen? ONY. Hurroo, hurroo, they're alive, they're alive, how are yez, boys, how are yez? (shaking hande with them) You're not dead are ye; so, of course ye're not. Wasn't I right, Colonel dear, when I said it was himself that was the innocent boy? Speak for him, boys; speak for him. (to CAPTAIN and LIEUTENANT) Put the saddle on the right head, put the cap on the right horse, I mean-nono-the horse on the right saddle-the-oh, you know what I mean. CAPTAIN (to COLONEL) Colonel, these men deserve reward instead of punishment. LIEUT. It's true, Colonel; our evidence will entirely acquit Corney, and be the means, I hope, of convicting the real criminals. CORNE. (to COLONEL) Now, your honour, didn't I speak the truth when I said I was innocent. CAPTAIN (to COLONEL) The chief of the rebels is now well known to us 'tis Brian Clancy, who caused that man (points to CORNEY) to be arrested. He is the leader of the notorious Barrymount Boys, who have so long been the terror of Ulster. COLONEL. He is? Then the evidence of these gentlemen will, no doubt, be the means of giving you immediate release (to CORNEY) CAPTAIN (to CORNEY) Be assured I will not rest till I've secured it for you. CORNE. Oh, thank your honour, thank you. ONY. Oh, blessings on the head of ye, and may the skin of a gooseberry never fit ye for a nightcap. LIEUT. (to CORNEY) Through the aid of the poor girl who is devoted to you we have been enabled to escape from the hands of our enemies. Their stronghold shall no longer afford them shelter-the place I am speaking of is the old abbey. A secret entrance is known to the Captain_and myself, which can be readily pointed out, which Dora has no doubt told you. CORNE. Dora! CAPTAIN. Yes, have you not seen her? OXY. } CAPTAIN (to COLONEL) Then, for Heaven's sake send some of your men, Colonel, to search the ruins for her. I will place myself at their head. CORNE. (to COLONEL) Oh, your honour, help us to save the poor girl. COLONEL. Of course I will. English or Irish, both are equal in my eyes, and my first care shall be to restore you to your home and friends. CORNE. Oh, thank your honour, but if Dora is lost to me, what has a poor boy to live for? Enter MRS. BROPHY, hastily, R. MRS. B. Oh, your honours, your honours, save the poor girl, save the joy of my poor boy's heart, who is even now being taken towards Poul a Dhoil by the villains, Musha and Brian-its either to drown her or take her on board a ship they are, and either way, we shall never see the poor girl more. CORNE. Oh, haste, your honour, haste, and let me lead you to the nearest spot, and save her who's the very life of my heart. COLONEL. In such a case, I'll follow wherever you may lead. ONY. Don't be afraid, Colonel, I'll be by your side. This way, boys (X's to R.) follow me. Keep your powder dry and give 'em paddy whack, whoo! (Exit R., followed by all the others) SCENE FIFTH.-Poul a Dhoil (the Devil's Pool); the foreground of scene all water, and water cloth to roll downset gauze waters, three natural arches of rock in c. of stage through which the water is seen coursing-a narrow bridge about four or five feet above this—a column of rock in the c. of stage as near down to the front as possible, rising about four or five feet out of the water-Music-as scene opens, DORA is dragged on bridge by MUSHA, MORRIS, ANDY, and BRIAN from R. MUSHA. Come ye jade (music piano and agitato all through this) DORA. Help! mercy! save me, save me! Help! help! MUSHA. Help, and where is it to come from? Do you see that jagged rock and deep waters below? Call as loud as you will for help. It's the sound of them that will drown your cries and yourself for ever, come-come. (they try to force her over bridge) DORA. Oh, that death, that dreadful death that yawns before my eyes! Oh, spare me from that, and kill me where I am. MUSHA. No, that wouldn't answer our purpose-your body would be found, and maybe lead to our detection, so put out your strength boys, and over with her. (Music BRIAN. (forcing her hands) Down! down! down! BRIAN. Let go-let go (strikes her over the hands-with a scream of despair she falls on rock of arches below) The divil seize her-she's safe from the water. After her, Morris boy, after her. MUSHA. Aye, after her while we fetch a boat (Exit BRIAN and MUSHA over bridge, R.) DORA. Then now for a leap-for life or death (she leaps into the water below as MORRIS drops from bridge on to rock. She is seen swimming in water to gain column of rock, c. MORRIS plunges in after her-she gains the base of rock pillar, c.) DORA. I am safe! I am safe! (she turns and sees MORRIS swimming after her)_Ah! no, he comes, relentless as death to seal my doom. But no, no, I'll make another effort to save my life! (she climbs pillar of rock and reaches summit -MORRIS is now at its base-he climbs after her, as he does So DORA descends it at the other side in front of audience— ONY is now coming on in boat R., and reaches rock c. as MORRIS has seized DORA-ONY knocks him over the head with oar or boat hook-MORRIS sinks and DORA gets in ONY'S boat-they are going off, when they are met by another boat containing MUSHA and BRIAN-ANDY, who is still on bridge, levels pistol at ONY. Enter CAPTAIN SINGLETON, who wrenches pistol from him and hurls him into water below-MUSHA seizes DORA, BRIAN holds down ONY-at this moment CORNEY is seen swimming from R., he reaches MUSHA's boat, rescues DOBA, and knocks MUSHA into water-ONY struggles with BRIAN and pushes him overboard-MRS. BROPHY enters, followed by LIEUTENANT and SOLDIERS, who cheer ONY, CORNEY, and DORA, who are safe in boats, as the curtain falls, to loud shouts. NOTE.-The waters want to be of as light a hue as possible; the lime light would be effective on this scene. CURTAIN. THE LION SLAYER: OR, OUT FOR A PROWL! A Farce, IN ONE АСТ. BY THOMAS J. WILLIAMS, Esq., (MEMBER OF THE DRAMATIC AUTHORS' SOCIETY.) AUTHOR OF Twedleton's Tail Coat, Turn Him Out, The Better Half, My Wife's Maid, Ici on Parle Francais, The Trials of Tompkins, Jack's Delight, An Ugly Customer, Nursey Chickweed, On and Off, A Race for a Widow, I've written to Brown, Peace and Quiet, Ruth Oakley, Gossip, Truth and Fiction, Cruel to be Kind, The Silent System, A Charming Pair, The Little Sentinel, The Desert Flower, Little Daisy, My Dress Boots, Pipkin's Rustic Retreat, My THOMAS HAILES LACY 89, STRAND, LONDON. |