Page:Grimshaw, Bagshaw and Bradshaw.djvu/25

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GRIMSHAW, BAGSHAW, AND BRADSHAW.
21

[Emily, Fanny, and Bagshaw go out at door l. h.


Enter Grimshaw at door r. h.


Grim. Towzer sticks to it—he called me Bradshaw no less than seventeen times before he got to the street door; and he's in earnest too about his son John, for I looked through the keyhole, and saw him—six feet four in his stockings? he's ten feet if he's an inch! The five minutes are nearly gone, so I think the best thing I can do is to go before they're quite gone. I will—(taking Bagshaw's hat off table and putting it on) Oh! this is too bad! somebody has taken my new hat, and left this mutilated tile. I can't go out with such a thing as this on my head. I can't have a crowd of dirty little boys running after me and crying—"What a shocking bad hat!" I have it—I'll shut the door and barricade myself in.

Enter Emily, he crosses behind to r. h., turns and sees Emily.

—Good gracious! here's somebody else—ha, ha, ha! (laughing hysterically) It's done nothing but rain men and women in my second floor back! I shall have to walk about with my umbrella up. (to Emily) Who are you?—what do you want here?—how did you get here? not by the door—I should have seen you. If you came down the chimney, you'd be black; who are you, I say?
Emily. Hush, I entreat!—hark! a step on the stairs. (runs in at closet, r. c.)
Grim. Now she's gone and shut herself up among the pickles! (turns and finds himself face to face with Towzer, who has entered at door, r. h.) Here's another. Ha, ha, ha!
Tow. Here I am again!
Grim I see you are, Towzer; but where's the Corporal-Major? why didn't you bring young six foot-four with you? the more the merrier—ha, ha! (seizing Towzer, suddenly) Towzer, I shall do you a serious mischief—yes, Towzer, in spite of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, I feel I shall do you a mischief—Towzer, will you go?
Tow. No, Bradshaw!
Grim. He's at it again. (shouting) Grimshaw!
Tow. Not without Emily.
Grim, (shouting) But I tell you that—(stopping—then aside) Good gracious! perhaps that's Emily among the pickles! of course it must be. (here Fanny, who has entered