Dandy Dick Part 57

Then I _am_ at home. Where are they?

[_He goes out rapidly, followed by SALOME and SHEBA. Directly they have disappeared, NOAH TOPPING, looking dishevelled, rushes in at the window, with HANNAH clinging to him._

NOAH.

[_Glaring round the room._] Is this 'ere the Deanery?

[_GEORGIANA and SIR TRISTRAM come to him._

 

HANNAH.

Noahry, Noah, come back!

NOAH.

Theer's been a man rescued from my lawful custody while my face was unofficially held downwards in the mud. The villain has been traced back to the Deanery.

SIR TRISTRAM.

Go away!

HANNAH.

Come away!

NOAH.

The man was a unknown lover of my nooly made wife!

GEORGIANA.

You mustn't bring your domestic affairs here; this is a subject for your own fireside of an evening.

[_THE DEAN appears outside the window with SALOME, SHEBA, TARVER and DARBEY._

THE DEAN.

[_Outside._] Come in, Major Tarver--come in, Mr. Darbey!

NOAH.

That's his voice!

_THE DEAN enters, followed by SALOME, TARVER, SHEBA and DARBEY._

NOAH.

[_Confronting THE DEAN._] My man.

HANNAH.

No, no, Noahry!

GEORGIANA.

You're speaking to Dr. Jedd, the Dean of St. Marvells.

NOAH.

I'm speaking to the man I took last night--the culprit as 'as allynated the affections of my wife.

SIR TRISTRAM.

Wait--one moment! [_Going out at the window._

[_SALOME and TARVER go into the Library and sit at the writing-table.

DARBEY sits in an arm-chair with SHEBA on the arm._

THE DEAN.

[_Mildly._] Do not let us chide a man who is conscientious even in error. [_Looking at HANNAH._] I think I see Hannah Evans, once an excellent cook under this very roof.

HANNAH.

I'm Mrs. Topping now, sir--bride o' the constable. And oh, do forgive him--he's a ma.s.s o' ignorance.

NOAH.

Coom away!

[_HANNAH returns to NOAH. as SIR TRISTRAM re-enters with HATCHAM._

SIR TRISTRAM.

[_To HATCHAM._] Hatcham--[_pointing to THE DEAN_]--Is that the man you and the Constable secured in the stable last night?

HATCHAM.

That, sir! Bless your 'art, sir, that's the Dean 'imself.

SIR TRISTRAM.

That'll do.

HATCHAM.

[_To NOAH._] Why, our man was a short, thin individual!

[_HATCHAM goes out at the window._