The scene is of the inside of an inn. O. Laura sits on a sofa. There is a table, and a number of chairs.
O. Laura: Sophia had a Relation in Scotland whom we wrote to telling of our Destitute situation. We informed this Relation that we had determined to spend a number of months staying with him. We were just about to leave, in fact we were in our carriage, when a man passed of whom I knew at sight to be my Grandfather.
Lord St. Clair enters with Y. Laura following behind, virtually running, and Sophia comes after her.
Y. Laura (shouting): Grandfather! Grandfather! (Y. Laura falls on her knees in front of Lord St. Clair whose attention she has attracted.) Please acknowledge me as your Granddaughter!
Lord St. Clair starts, and examines Y. Laura’s features. He then draws her to her feet, and throws his arms around her neck. Note: The following listing of relations should be exaggerated.
Lord St. Clair: Acknowledge thee! Yes, dear resemblance of my Laurina and Laurina’s Daughter, sweet image of my Claudia and my Claudia’s Mother, I do acknowledge thee as the Daughter of the one and the Granddaughter of the other.
He then looks to Sophia, and starts.
Lord: Another granddaughter! I see that you are the Daughter of my Laurina’s eldest girl; Your resemblance to the beauteous Matilda sufficiently proclaims it.
Sophia: Oh! When I first beheld you, I knew that you must be of some relation.
They embrace, and Philander enters. Seeing him, Lord draws back a few paces and throws up his hands.
Lord: Another Grandchild! What unexpected Happiness is this! To discover in the space of 3 minutes, as many of my Descendants! This I am sure, is Philander the son of my Laurina’s 3rd Girl, the amiable Bertha; there wants now only the presence of Gustavus to complete the union of Laurina’s Grandchildren.
Enter Gustavus.
Gustavus: And here he is; here he is the Gustavus you desire to see. I am the son of Agatha, your Laurina’s 4th and Youngest Daughter.
Lord: I see you are indeed-But tell me, (looks fearfully towards the door) tell me, have I any other Grandchildren in the House.
Gustavus: None my Lord.
Lord: Then I shall provide for all of you without further delay-Here are 4 Banknotes of 50 pounds each-Take them and remember I have done the Duty of a Grandfather.
The Lord quits the building.
Sophia: Ignoble Grand-shire!
Y. Laura: Unworthy Grandfather!
The girls faint, and the lights go out, when they come back up the girls are alone, excepting O. Laura. They look about their persons.
Y. Laura: No Philander, no Gustavus, and no Banknotes!
The girls cry, until Macdonald enters, with a servant.
Servant: Macdonald.
Sophia: Cousin!
Macdonald: Yes, yes. My Daughter depends on my returning to Macdonald-Hall with you, and your friend may come as well.
Lights go out as Macdonald escorts the girls out the door.
O. Laura: And so he immediately saw our way to Scotland, where we were to meet Janetta, Sophia’s cousin.
The scene should be a bit richer than anything before, but have the feeling of a lodge. There is a partners desk, that is, one with two sides, one visible to the audience, a sofa, a number of chairs. There should be a fireplace, and a shelf of books. When the lights come up, Janetta and Graham are sitting down. O. Laura sits at the front corner of the stage with a book on her lap, reading and glancing up at the characters on stage occasionally.
Janetta: I believe I hear horses!
Graham: I’m sure you’re mistaken, for this is the fourth time you’ve made such a claim.
Janetta: This time I’m entirely certain.
Macdonald (calling from off stage): Janetta! Graham!
Janetta jumps up, and Graham stands to meet the three entering.
O. Laura: Janetta was only fifteen at the time, and might have prevailed to have great Sensibility of Heart had not her Father convinced her to marry Graham.
Macdonald: Sophia, Laura, this is Janetta, and Graham.
O. Laura: We soon saw through his character. He had no soul, had never read The Sorrows of Young Werter, and his hair bore not the least resemblance to auburn, leaving us incapable of believing that she felt anything for him.
Graham: It’s a great pleasure to meet you ladies. He bows.
Sophia and Y. Laura look with contempt upon Graham, and then turn to Janetta with open arms.
Y. Laura and Sophia: Janetta! Dearest one! How glad we are!
Macdonald: Excuse me cousin, but I’m afraid Graham and I have some business to take care of, so if you’ll excuse us.
The men bow and exit from the opposite side of the stage that Macdonald and the girls originally entered through. The girls hurry over to the sofa, and sitting very closely, begin to talk.
Sophia: I feel as if I’d known you forever.
Janetta: It’s very rare that we have visitors of the female persuasion.
Y. Laura: Well, we can see that you cannot love Graham.
Janetta (puzzled): What can you mean, he is a sensible good sort of person, and we’re going to marry in a matter of months.
Sophia: You ought not feel any affection towards him, let alone Love.
Janetta: But I believe that I do.
Y. Laura: That is surely impossible.
Sophia: Indeed, the mere fact that he is your Father’s choice should determine you to dislike him.
Y. Laura: Even if he is deserving of you in every other respect.
Janetta: Disobey my Father?
Sophia and Y. Laura: Yes!
Y. Laura: It is your duty as a Daughter.
Janetta: So, I am mistaken in my attachment towards Graham?
Sophia: Please, do not speak his name again.
Y. Laura: The Real question we must know, if we are to help you, is whom you do like.
Sophia: Yes, for your errors up until now only resort from having a lack of Confidence in your own opinion, and a lack of Contempt for your Father’s.
Y. Laura: It is impossible that you do not have a very strong attachment to another, what with your good Nature.
Janetta: I am afraid that while I do not love Graham, I have not the smallest Affection for any other Young Man.
Y. Laura: This is disappointing indeed!
Sophia: Impossible! Who do you think of first when I ask you of the Young Men you know?
Janetta: Why, M’Kenzie, but he is the only young man I am acquainted with other than Graham.
Y. Laura (clapping): Of course! We should have known.
Sophia: You are desperately in Love with him, that is obvious.
Janetta: He is nice, I suppose.
Sophia: Don’t be so modest, Janetta. Young Men like a strong attachment.
Y. Laura: Besides, he has a heart of strong Sensibilities, reads Poetry, and is so Handsome.
Sophia: And Amusing.
Janetta: Are you acquainted with him then?
Y. Laura: We are of the World, Janetta, of which you do not yet know. One can always tell such things about a man merely based on his attachment.
Janetta: Oh! But far from declaring his Love, I have no reason to imagine that he has ever felt any for me.
Sophia: That he adores you, there can be no doubt-The attachment must be reciprocal. Did he never gaze on you with Admiration-tenderly press your hand-drop and involuntary tear-and then leave the room abruptly?
Janetta: Never that I remember-he has always left the room indeed when his visit has ended, but has never gone away particularly abruptly or without making a bow.
Y. Laura: Indeed my Love, you must be mistaken-for it is absolutely impossible that he should ever have left you but with Confusion, Despair, and Precipitation. Consider but for a moment, Janetta, and you must be convinced how absurd it is to suppose that he could ever make a Bow, or behave like any other Person.
Janetta: I have been mistaken on this point as well?
Sophia: So, you do remember, we had only to remind you.
Y. Laura: Let’s compose an Anonymous Letter confirming M’Kenzie of the favorable opinion Janetta entertains of him. Sophia, I suppose you will do us the honor?
Sophia: Indeed.
Sophia walks to the desk and begins to open drawers, which are visible to the audience.
Y. Laura: How happy I am for you, Dearest Janetta. Why should you wait any longer for what you deserve?
Y. Laura and Janetta embrace, and at that moment Sophia pulls out a large number of Bank Notes, and looks at them with amazement. Hastily she puts them away, and pulls out paper. She sits down at the desk.
Y. Laura: Begin-Oh! Happy Lover of beautiful Janetta, oh! Enviable possessor of her Heart whose hand is destined to another, why do you thus delay a confession of your attachment to the amiable Object of it? Oh! Consider that a few weeks will at once put an end to every Hope that you may now entertain, by uniting the Victim of her father’s Cruelty to the Execrable and Detested Graham.
Janetta: Isn’t that a bit harsh?
Sophia: Do you think so?
Y. Laura: Certainly not.
Sophia: Continue.
Y. Laura: Alas! Why do you thus so cruelly connive at the projected Misery of her and yourself by delaying to communicate that scheme which had doubtless long possessed your imagination? A secrete Union will at once secure the felicity of both.
Janetta: You write an Admirable Letter.
Y. Laura: Thank you. Now I believe the best thing to do in cases such as these is to go wait in your room, pining and looking out your window.
Sophia: We’ll see that the letter is Safely delivered.
Janetta: So, I should go to my room now?
Sophia (as she folds the letter): Certainly, and don’t be afraid to make a Fuss, it lends such an elegance to suffering.
Janetta gets up and leaves the room. Sophia comes over to Y. Laura and sits down next to her. Macdonald comes back into the room and walks over to his desk. He opens one of the drawers and rustles through some papers before pulling out an accounting book.
Sophia: Cousin Macdonald?
Macdonald: Yes, just a minute. (He flips through the pages and then marks one page) Yes, Sophia?
Sophia: Are we to be shown our rooms, or given any Victuals?
Macdonald: Dinner will be in less than an hour, and Janetta…Where is Janetta?
Y. Laura: She felt Ill, and went to her room to rest before dinner.
Macdonald: Well then, I’ll have Graham show you to your rooms, but wait just a moment.
Macdonald hurries out of the room, and Sophia jumps up. She hurries over to the accounting book, but before she can open it Graham comes in.
Graham: Ladies, I believe you wanted to be shown your rooms? They’re not far, if you’ll follow me.
Y. Laura and Sophia follow him out of the room.
Y. Laura (whispering): Something is amiss here.
Sophia nods, and they exit, whereupon the lights go out.
Y. Laura and Sophia and M’Kenzie enter, the girls hurrying. Y. Laura runs to the other side of the stage and calls into the curtains.
Y. Laura: Janetta! Sophia and I want to see you.
M’Kenzie (to Sophia): I must say that it was my Modesty which kept me from Concealing the violence of my affection for Janetta.
Sophia: Indeed, we knew it must be so.
M’Kenzie: I flew on wings of Love to be here after I received your Kind Billet.
Janetta enters a bit flustered. Y. Laura puts her arms around Janetta and pushes her towards M’Kenzie.
M’Kenzie: My Love. You must know how much I care for you, and indeed, how strong my attachment for you has always been.
Janetta: So I am told.
M’Kenzie takes Janetta’s hand and kisses it.
O. Laura: And after a few more private interviews, Sophia and I were satisfied at seeing them depart for Gretna-Green, which they chose for the celebration of their Nuptials, in preference to any other place, although it was at a considerable distance from Macdonald-Hall.
M’Kenzie hurries Janetta out of the room with furtive looks, while Janetta waves back at her friends.
Sophia: Well! Now that has gone off well, and I feel as if I could say I did all I could by Dear Janetta.
Y. Laura: I am so pleased that we could perform this Service for those Young Lovers.
Sophia: Now we have nothing to do but wait for the Triumphant moment when Macdonald and Graham find out.
Graham walks through the room and smiles and quickly bows as he passes through. The girls giggle.
Y. Laura: They haven’t the foggiest!
Sophia: I can’t say I’m surprised that two such men are blind to Love.
Y. Laura: This serves both of them right.
Sophia: Yes, but I have a great secrete as well as this one the both of us share.
Y. Laura: Do tell! Why have you kept it from me thus long?
Sophia (getting up and tip toeing towards the desk): Macdonald keeps his Papers of consequence in these drawers, and among them are bank notes of considerable amount.
As Sophia gestures to the desk, Macdonald rushes in to the room from the direction that Graham has previously entered into. He stops when he sees Y. Laura.
Macdonald (addressing Y. Laura): Have you seen Janetta?
Y. Laura shakes her head no, biting her lip.
Macdonald: Graham and I need to speak with her, so if you will tell her she is wanted if she happens upon you? I don’t know what has become of her lately.
Macdonald goes from whence he came. Y. Laura puts her hand to her mouth, and Sophia gestures for her to come to the desk.
Sophia: The Vile Wretched man! I do not believe he deserves any better than for us to deprive him of Money.
Y. Laura: Perhaps it was dishonestly gained.
Sophia: With out a doubt.
Sophia opens the drawer carefully and pulls out a handful of money.
Sophia: It is agreed then, that we shall take these notes from him?
Y. Laura: It is a wonderful Plan.
Sophia fumbles about with her purse and struggles to put the notes into it when Macdonald enters again. He calls Janetta’s name as he enters, but stops when he catches Sophia red handed. Sophia puts on a “dare to accuse me” look.
Sophia (in a haughty tone): Wherefore is my retirement thus insolently broken in on?
Macdonald comes forward, and takes the notes from Sophia.
Macdonald: What makes you ignobly defraud the man who has taken you in? Honestly, Sophia, I did not think even you capable of This!
Sophia (turning her back on Macdonald): Wretch! How darest thou to accuse me of an Act, of which the bear idea makes me blush?
Macdonald: I have the very evidence in my Grasp. Come now…surely you cannot continue to pretend that you were not Stealing.
Sophia: No more. I can take no more. I shall not bare to hear my name thus dragged through the mud.
Y. Laura (putting her arms around her friend): Base Miscreant!
Sophia: You will be satisfied to know that Janetta is not home. She has left to start her own home.
Graham enters.
Graham: What is this?
Y. Laura: She has married M’Kenzie, and there is nothing which you can do.
Graham: Janetta!?!
Sophia: Yes, she is gone.
Macdonald: You have attempted to rob me, and you have stolen my daughter.
Y. Laura: How canst thou thus undauntedly endeavor to sully the spotless reputation of such bright Excellence? Why dost thou not suspect my innocence as soon?
Macdonald: Be satisfied Madam, I do suspect it, and therefore must desire that you will both leave in less than half an hour.
Sophia (collecting herself): We shall go willingly; our hearts have long detested thee, and nothing but our friendship for thy Daughter could have induced us to remain so long beneath thy roof.
Macdonald: Your Friendship for my Daughter has indeed been most powerfully exerted by throwing her into the arms of an unprincipled Fortune-hunter.
Y. Laura: Yes, admist every misfortune, it will afford us some consolation to reflect that by this one act of Friendship to Janetta, we have amply discharged every obligation that we have received from her father.
Graham: It must indeed be a most grateful reflection, to your exalted minds.
The girls run off stage, and the lights go off. The stage is cleared and the scenery which replaces it should appear to be a meadow with a brook. The scenery can be very simple. When the lights come up the girls come strolling in arm and arm to sit by the brook.
Y. Laura: What a lovely Scene! Alas why are not Edward and Augustus here to enjoy its Beauties with us?
Sophia: Ah! My beloved Laura for pity’s sake forbear recalling to my remembrance the unhappy situation of my imprisoned Husband. Alas, what would I not give to learn the fate of my Augustus! To know if he is still in Newgate, or if he is yet hung. But never shall I be able so far to conquer my tender sensibility as to inquire after him. Oh! Do not, I beseech you ever, let me again hear you repeat his beloved name-It affects me too deeply-I cannot bear to hear him mentioned, it wounds my feelings.
Y. Laura: Excuse me my Sophia for having thus unwillingly offended you-admire the noble Grandeur of the Elms which shelter us from the Eastern Zephyr.
Sophia: Alas! My Laura avoid so melancholy a subject, I entreat you. Do not again wound my Sensibility by observations on those Elms. They remind me of Augustus. He was like them, tall, majestic-he possessed that noble grandeur which you admire in them.
The girls sit in silence for awhile and Y. Laura examines her hands and dress.
Sophia: Why do you not speak my Laura? I cannot support this silence-you must not leave to my own reflections; they ever recur to Augustus.
Y. Laura (giving a sigh of exasperation): What a beautiful sky! How charmingly is the azure varied by those delicate streaks of white!
Sophia glances at the sky before covering her face.
Sophia: Augustus’ blue satin Waistcoat striped with white! In pity to your unhappy friend, avoid a subject so distressing.
Y. Laura throws up her hands. They sit in silence again. Just when it appears that Sophia is about to protest, Edward and Augustus appear on the stage in a carriage which tips over. The girls run over and Sophia faints, while Y. Laura runs about the stage in circles yelling and pulling at her hair. They do this repeatedly, each time eventually waking up and standing still, at which point they begin again. This is repeated three times, when we are able to see Edward’s hand flailing about.
Edward (weakly): Help! Help!
The girls kneel beside Edward and Y. Laura takes up his head.
Sophia and Y. Laura: Please do not die!
Edward: I fear I have been overturned.
Y. Laura: Oh! Tell me Edward tell me, before you die, what has befallen you since that unhappy Day in which Augustus was arrested and we were separated-
Edward: I will…
Edward sighs and his head drops limp. Sophia faints. Y. Laura stands up frantically.
Y. Laura (she talks as if she is giving a very melodramatic monologue, and gestures about): Talk not to me of Carriages-Give me a violin.-I’ll play to him and soothe him in his melancholy Hours-Beware ye gentle Nymphs of Cupid’s Thunderbolts, avoid the piercing Shafts of Jupiter-Look at that Grove of Firs-I see a Leg of Mutton-They told me Edward was not Dead; but they deceived me-they took him for a Cucumber.
Sophia sits up, and then stands.
Sophia: The Damp…the Damp my Dear. Night comes, and we will become Damp.
Y. Laura: And whither shall we go to shelter us from either?
Sophia (pointing off stage): To that white Cottage.
Y. Laura and Sophia walk off stage, and the scene is replaced by the inside of a cottage a women, rather old. A knock is heard and the old woman answers the door, which is behind the stage curtains. She reenters with Y. Laura and Sophia, and the lights go out.
End of Act II
