PEACHUM. Murder is as fashionable a crime as a man can be guilty of. How many fine gentlemen have we in Newgate every year, purely upon that article! If they have wherewithal to persuade the jury to bring it in manslaughter, what are they the worse for it? So, my dear, have done upon this subject. Was Captain Macheath here this morning, for the bank-notes he left with you last week? MRS. PEACHUM. Yes, my dear; and though the bank has stopped payment, he was so cheerful and so agreeable! Sure there is not a finer gentleman upon the road than the captain! If he comes from Bagshot at any reasonable hour he hath promised to make one with Polly and me, and Bob Booty, at a party of quadrille. Pray, my dear, is the captain rich? 60 PEACHUM. The captain keeps too good company ever to grow rich. Marybone and the chocolate-houses are his undoing. The man that proposes to get money by play should have the education of a fine gentleman, and be trained up to it from his youth. MRS. PEACHUM. Really, I am sorry upon Polly's account the captain hath not more discretion. What business hath he to keep company with lords and gentlemen? he should leave them to prey upon one another. PEACHUM. Upon Polly's account! What, a plague, does the woman mean?-Upon Polly's account! 74 MRS. PEACHUM. But if Polly should be in love, how should we help her, or how can she help herself? Poor girl, I am in the utmost concern about her. 89 own pleasure better than to make herself a property! My daughter to me should be, like a court lady to a minister of state, a key to the whole gang. Married! if the affair is not already done, I'll terrify her from it, by AIR IV-Why is your faithful slave disdained? the example of our neighbors. 118 PEACHUM. Look ye, wife. A handsome wench in our way of business is as profitable as at the bar of a Temple coffee-house, who looks upon it as her livelihood to grant every liberty but one. You see I would indulge the girl as far as prudently we can-in anything but marriage! After that, my dear, how shall we be safe? Are we not then in her husband's power? For a husband hath the absolute power over all a wife's secrets but her own. If the girl had the discretion SCENE V MRS. PEACHUM MRS. PEACHUM. Never was a man more out of the way in an argument than my husband! Why must our Polly, forsooth, differ from her sex, and love only her husband? And why must Polly's marriage, contrary to all observation, make her the less followed by other men? All men are thieves in love, and like a woman the better for being another's property. AIR V-Of all the simple things we do, etc. of a court lady, who can have a dozen youngoa fellows at her ear without complying with one, I should not matter it; but Polly is tinder, and a spark will at once set her on a flame. Married! If the wench does not know her own profit, sure she knows her 9 1 Bailed out of jail. shame.-Poor lad! how little does he know as yet of the Old Bailey! For the first fact I'll insure thee from being hanged; and going to sea, Filch, will come time enough upon a sentence of transportation. But now, since you have nothing better to do, ev'n go to your book, and learn your catechism; for really a man makes but an ill figure in the ordinary's paper, who cannot give a satisfactory answer to his questions. But, hark you, my lad. Don't tell me a lie; for you know I hate a liar. Do you know of anything that hath passed between Captain Macheath and our Polly? 48 POLLY. I know as well as any of the fine ladies how to make the most of myself and of my man too. A woman knows how to be mercenary, though she hath never been in a court or at an assembly. We have it in our natures, papa. If I allow Captain Macheath some trifling liberties, I have this watch and other visible marks of his favor to show for it. A girl who cannot grant some things, and refuse what is most material, will make but a poor hand of her beauty, and soon be thrown upon the common. 12 AIR VI-What shall I do to show how much I love her, etc. SCENE VIII PEACHUM, POLLY, MRS. PEACHUM MRS. PEACHUM in a very great passion AIR VII-Oh London is a fine town You baggage, you hussy! you inconsiderate jade! Had you been hanged, it would not have vexed me, for that might have been your misfortune; but to do such a mad thing by choice! The wench is married, husband. PEACHUM. Married! The captain is a bold man, and will risk anything for money; to be sure, he believes her a fortune! - Do you think your mother and I should have lived comfortably so long together, if ever we had been married? Baggage! 18 27 MRS. PEACHUM. I knew she was always a proud slut; and now the wench has played the fool and married because, forsooth, she would do like the gentry. Can you support the expense of a husband, hussy, in gaming, drinking and whoring? Have you money enough to carry on the daily quarrels of man and wife about who shall squander most? There are not many husbands and wives who can bear the charges of plaguing one another in a handsome way. If you MRS. PEACHUM. Then all the hopes of our family are gone for ever and ever! PEACHUM. And Macheath may hang his father- and mother-in-law, in hope to get into their daughter's fortune! 75 POLLY. I did not marry him (as 'tis the fashion) coolly and deliberately for honor or money but I love him. MRS. PEACHUM. Love him! worse and worse! I thought the girl had been better bred. O husband, husband! her folly makes me mad! my head swims! I'm distracted! I can't support myself-Oh! (Faints) PEACHUM. See, wench, to what a condition you have reduced your poor mother! a glass of cordial, this instant. How the poor woman takes it to heart! 87 (POLLY goes out and returns with it) Ah, hussy, now this is the only comfort your mother has left! POLLY. Give her another glass, sir; my mama drinks double the quantity whenever she is out of order. - This, you see, fetches her. MRS. PEACHUM. The girl shows such a readiness, and so much concern, that I could almost find in my heart to forgive her. 95 AIR IX-O Jenny, O Jenny, where hast thou been |