The Beggar's Opera Part 12

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_Lucy._ I like the Fox shall grieve, Whose Mate hath left her Side, Whom Hounds from Morn to Eve, Chase o'er the Country wide.

Where can my Lover hide?

Where cheat the wary Pack?

If Love be not his Guide, He never will come back!

[Exeunt.

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ACT III. SCENE I.

_SCENE, Newgate._

_Lockit_, _Lucy_.

_Lockit._ To be sure, Wench, you must have been aiding and abetting to help him to this Escape.

_Lucy._ Sir, here hath been _Peachum_ and his Daughter _Polly_, and to be sure they know the Ways of _Newgate_ as well as if they had been born and bred in the Place all their Lives. Why must all your Suspicion light upon me?

_Lockit._ _Lucy_, _Lucy_, I will have none of these shuffling Answers.

_Lucy._ Well then-- If I know any thing of him I wish I may be burnt!

_Lockit._ Keep your Temper, _Lucy_, or I shall p.r.o.nounce you guilty.

_Lucy._ Keep yours, Sir,-- I do wish I may be burnt. I do-- And what can I say more to convince you?

_Lockit._ Did he tip handsomly? --How much did he come down with? Come, Hussy, don't cheat your Father; and I shall not be angry with you-- Perhaps, you have made a better Bargain with him than I could have done-- How much, my good Girl?

_Lucy._ You know, Sir, I am fond of him, and would have given Money to have kept him with me.

_Lockit._ Ah _Lucy_! thy Education might have put thee more upon thy Guard; for a Girl in the Bar of an Ale-house is always besieg'd.

_Lucy._ Dear Sir, mention not my Education-- for 'twas to that I owe my Ruin.

AIR XL. If Love's a sweet Pa.s.sion, &c.

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When young at the Bar you first taught me to score, And bid me be free of my Lips, and no more; I was kiss'd by the Parson, the Squire, and the Sot, When the Guest was departed, the Kiss was forgot.

But his Kiss was so sweet, and so closely he prest, That I languish'd and pin'd till I granted the rest.

If you can forgive me, Sir, I will make a fair Confession, for to be sure he hath been a most barbarous Villain to me.

_Lockit._ And so you have let him escape, Hussy-- Have you?

_Lucy._ When a Woman loves; a kind Look, a tender Word can persuade her to any thing-- And I could ask no other Bribe.

_Lockit._ Thou wilt always be a vulgar s.l.u.t, _Lucy_. --If you would not be look'd upon as a Fool, you should never do any thing but upon the foot of Interest. Those that act otherwise are their own Bubbles.

_Lucy._ But Love, Sir, is a Misfortune that may happen to the most discreet Women, and in Love we are all Fools alike-- Notwithstanding all he swore, I am now fully convinc'd that _Polly Peachum_ is actually his Wife. --Did I let him escape, (Fool that I was!) to go to her? --_Polly_ will wheedle herself into his Money, and then _Peachum_ will hang him, and cheat us both.

_Lockit._ So I am to be ruin'd, because, forsooth, you must be in Love!

--a very pretty Excuse!

_Lucy._ I could murder that impudent happy Strumpet: --I gave him his Life, and that Creature enjoys the Sweets of it. --Ungrateful _Macheath_!

AIR XLI. _South-Sea_ Ballad.

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My Love is all Madness and Folly, Alone I lie, Toss, tumble, and cry, What a happy Creature is _Polly_!

Was e'er such a Wretch as I!

With rage I redden like Scarlet, That my dear inconstant Varlet, Stark blind to my Charms, Is lost in the Arms Of that Jilt, that inveigling Harlot!

Stark blind to my Charms, Is lost in the Arms Of that Jilt, that inveigling Harlot!

This, this my Resentment alarms.

_Lockit._ And so, after all this Mischief, I must stay here to be entertain'd with your Catterwauling, Mrs. Puss! --Out of my Sight, wanton Strumpet! you shall fast and mortify yourself into Reason, with now and then a little handsom Discipline to bring you to your Senses.

--Go. [Exit _Lucy_.

_Peachum_ then intends to outwit me in this Affair; but I'll be even with him. --The Dog is leaky in his Liquor, so I'll ply him that way, get the Secret from him, and turn this Affair to my own Advantage.

--Lions, Wolves, and Vultures don't live together in Herds, Droves or Flocks. --Of all Animals of Prey, Man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his Neighbour, and yet we herd together.

--_Peachum_ is my Companion, my Friend. --According to the Custom of the World, indeed, he may quote thousands of Precedents for cheating me-- And shall not I make use of the Privilege of Friends.h.i.+p to make him a Return.

AIR XLII. _Packington's_ Pound.

[Music]

Thus Gamesters united in Friends.h.i.+p are found, Though they know that their Industry all is a Cheat; They flock to their Prey at the Dice-Box's Sound, And join to promote one another's Deceit.

But if by mishap They fail of a Chap, To keep in their Hands, they each other entrap.

Like Pikes, lank with Hunger, who miss of their Ends, They bite their Companions, and prey on their Friends.

Now, _Peachum_, you and I, like honest Tradesmen, are to have a fair Trial which of us two can over-reach the other.

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