第16章 SCENE 2(1)

--The same. Enter CONCHO, lame, cautiously, from R.

Pauses at R., and then beckons to HOP SING, who follows R.

Concho (impatiently). Well! you saw him?

Hop Sing. Me see him.

Concho. And you recognized him?

Hop Sing. No shabe likoquize.

Concho (furiously). You knew him, eh? Carramba! You KNEW him.

Hop Sing (slowly and sententiously). Me shabe man you callee Diego. Me shabbee Led Gulchee call Sandy. Me shabbee man Poker Flat callee Alexandlee Molton. Allee same, John! Allee same!

Concho (rubbing his hands). Bueno! Good John! good John! And you knew he was called Alexander Morton? And go on--good John--go on!

Hop Sing. Me plentee washee shirtee--Melican man Poker Flat. Me plentee washee shirt Alexandlee Molton. Always litee, litee on shirt allee time. (Pointing to tail of his blouse, and imitating writing with finger.) Alexandlee Molton. Melican man tellee me--shirt say Alexandlee Molton--shabbee?

Concho. Bueno! Excellent John. Good John. His linen marked Alexander Morton. The proofs are gathering! (crosses to C.)--the letter I found in his pack, addressed to Alexander Morton, Poker Flat, which first put me on his track; the story of his wife's infidelity, and her flight with his partner to red Gulch, the quarrel and fight that separated them, his flight to San Jose, his wanderings to the mission of San Carmel, to the rancho of the Holy Fisherman. The record is complete!

Hop Sing. Alexandlee Molton--Concho (hurriedly returning to HOP SING). Yes! good John; yes, good John--go on. Alexander Morton--Hop Sing. Alexandlee Molton. Me washee shirt, Alexandlee Molton; he no pay washee. Me washee flowty dozen hep--four bittie dozen--twenty dollar hep. Alexandlee Molton no payee. He say, "Go to hellee!" You pay me (extending his hand).

Concho. Car--! (checking himself). Poco tiempo, John! In good time, John. Forty dollar--yes. Fifty dollar! Tomorrow, John.

Hop Sing. Me no likee "to-mollow!" Me no likee "nex time, John!"

Allee time Melican man say, "Chalkee up, John," "No smallee change, John,"--umph. Plenty foolee me!

Concho. You shall have your money, John; but go now--you comprehend. Carramba! go! (Pushes HOP SING to wing.)

Hop Sing (expostulating). Flowty dozen, hep, John! twenty dollar, John. Sabe. Flowty--twenty--(gesticulating with fingers).

[Exit HOP SING, pushed off by CONCHO.

Concho. The pagan dolt! But he is important. Ah, if he were wiser, I should not rid myself of him so quickly! And now for the schoolmistress,--the sweetheart of Sandy. If these men have not lied, he is in love with her; and, if he is, he has told her his secret before now; and she will be swift to urge him to his rights.

If he has not told her--umph! (laughing) it will not be a DAY--an HOUR--before she will find out if her lover is Alexander Morton, the rich man's son, or "Sandy," the unknown vagabond. Eh, friend Sandy! It was a woman that locked up your secret: it shall be a woman, Madre di Dios! who shall unlock it. Ha! (Goes to door of schoolhouse as door opens, and appears COL. STARBOTTLE.)

Concho (aside). A thousand devils! the lawyer of the old man Morton. (Aloud.) Pardon, pardon! I am a stranger. I have lost my way on the mountain. I am seeking a trail. Senor, pardon!

Starbottle (aside). Another man seeking the road! Ged, I believe he's lying too. (Aloud.) It is before you, sir, DOWN,--down the mountain.

Concho. A thousand thanks, senor. (Aside.) Perdition catch him!

(Aloud.) Thanks, senor. [Exit R.

Starbottle. Ged, I've seen that face before. Ged, it's Castro's major-domo. Demn me, but I believe all his domestics have fallen in love with the pretty schoolma'am.

Enter MISS MARY from schoolhouse.

Miss Mary (slowly refolding letter). You are aware, then, of the contents of this note; and you are the friend of Alexander Morton, sen.?

Col. Starbottle. Permit me a moment, a single moment, to--er--er--explain. I am Mr. Morton's legal adviser. There is--er--sense of--er--responsibility,--er--personal responsibility, about the term "friend," that at the--er--er--present moment I am not--er--prepared to assume. The substance of the letter is before you. I am here to--er--express its spirit. I am here (with great gallantry) to express the--er--yearnings of cousinly affection. I am aware--er--that OUR conduct,--if I may use the--er--the plural of advocacy,--I am aware that--er--OUR conduct has not in the past years been of--er--er--exemplary character. I am aware that the--er--death of our lamented cousin, your sainted mother, was--er--hastened--I may--er--say--pre--cip--itated--by our--er--indiscretion But we are hereto--er--confess judgment--with--er--er--costs.