SCENE III.
JUSTICE HEADSTRONG, OLD MAN _and_ LUCY.
_Lucy._ Ah, now, I’m glad he can speak; now tell papa; and you need notbe afraid to speak to him, for he is very good-natured. Don’t contradicthim, though, because he told _me_ not.
_Just._ Oh, darling, _you_ shall contradict me as often as youplease—only not before I’ve drunk my chocolate, child—hey! Go on, mygood friend; you see what it is to live in Old England, where, thankHeaven, the poorest of His Majesty’s subjects may have justice, and speakhis mind before the first in the land. Now speak on; and you hear shetells you that you need not be afraid of me. Speak on.
_Old M._ I thank your worship, I’m sure.
_Just._ Thank me! for what, sir? I won’t be thanked for doing justice,sir; so—but explain this matter. You lost your money, hey, at the“Saracen’s Head”? You had it safe last night, hey?—and you missed itthis morning? Are you sure you had it safe at night?
_Old M._ Oh, please your worship, quite sure; for I took it out andlooked at it just before I said my prayers.
_Just._ You did—did ye so?—hum! Pray, my good friend, where might youput your money when you went to bed?
_Old M._ Please, your worship, where I always put it—always—in mytobacco-box.
_Just._ Your tobacco-box! I never heard of such a thing—to make a_strong box_ of a tobacco-box. Ha! ha! ha! hum!—and you say the box andall were gone in the morning?
_Old M._ No, please your worship, no; not the box—the box was neverstirred from the place where I put it. They left me the box.
_Just._ Tut, tut, tut, man!—took the money and left the box? I’ll neverbelieve _that_! I’ll never believe that anyone could be such a fool.Tut, tut! the thing’s impossible! It’s well you are not upon oath.
_Old M._ If I were, please your worship, I should say the same; for itis the truth.
_Just._ Don’t tell me, don’t tell me; I say the thing is impossible.
_Old M._ Please, your worship, here’s the box.
_Just._ (_goes on without looking at it_). Nonsense! nonsense! it’s nosuch thing; it’s no such thing, I say—no man would take the money andleave the tobacco-box. I won’t believe it. Nothing shall make mebelieve it ever—that’s poz.
_Lucy_ (_takes the box_, _and holds it up before her father’s eyes_).You did not see the box, did you, papa!
_Just._ Yes, yes, yes, child—nonsense! it’s all a lie from beginning toend. A man who tells one lie will tell a hundred. All a lie! all a lie!
_Old M._ If your worship would give me leave—
_Just._ Sir, it does not signify—it does not signify! I’ve said it,I’ve said it, and that’s enough to convince me, and I’ll tell you more;if my Lord Chief Justice of England told it to me, I would not believeit—that’s poz!
_Lucy_ (_still playing with the box_). But how comes the box here, Iwonder?
_Just._ Pshaw! pshaw! pshaw! darling. Go to your dolls, darling, anddon’t be positive—go to your dolls, and don’t talk of what you don’tunderstand. What can you understand, I want to know, of the law?
_Lucy_. No, papa, I didn’t mean about the law, but about the box;because, if the man had taken it, how could it be here, you know, papa?
_Just._ Hey, hey, what? Why, what I say is this, that I don’t disputethat that box, that you hold in your hands, is a box; nay, for aught Iknow, it may be a tobacco-box—but it’s clear to me that if they left thebox they did not take the money; and how do you dare, sir, to come beforeJustice Headstrong with a lie in your mouth; recollect yourself—I’ll giveyou time to recollect yourself.
(_A pause_.)
_Just._ Well, sir; and what do you say now about the box?
_Old M._ Please, your worship, with submission, I _can_ say nothing butwhat I said before.
_Just._ What, contradict me again, after I gave you time to recollectyourself! I’ve done with you; I have done. Contradict me as often asyou please, but you cannot impose upon me; I defy you to impose upon me!
_Old M._ Impose!
_Just._ I know the law!—I know the law!—and I’ll make you know it, too.One hour I’ll give you to recollect yourself, and if you don’t give upthis idle story, I’ll—I’ll commit you as a vagrant—that’s poz! Go, go,for the present. William, take him into the servants’ hall, do youhear?—What, take the money and leave the box? I’ll never do it—that’spoz!
(_Lucy speaks to the Old Man as he is going off_.)
_Lucy_. Don’t be frightened! don’t be frightened!—I mean, you tell thetruth, never be frightened.
_Old M._ _If_ I tell the truth—(_turning up his eyes_).
(_Old Man is still held back by the young lady_.)
_Lucy_. One moment—answer me one question—because of something that justcame into my head. Was the box shut fast when you left it?
_Old M._ No, miss, no!—open—it was open; for I could not find the lid inthe dark—my candle went out. _If_ I tell the truth—oh!
(_Exit_.)