SETH.

I can't stop any longer—the polls are almost closing, and I must spread the game for the boys. Hurrah, for rum drinking and cheap licence for the retailers! that's my ticket. [Re-enter VILLAGERS, shouting.](151) Here, boys, see what you can make of this old critter.—I give him up for the awfulest specimen of human nature in the States. [Exit into house.

2D VILLAGER.

Are you a Federal or a Democrat?

RIP.

Fiddle who? damn who's cat?

2D VILLAGER.

What's your politics?

RIP.

Oh, I am on de safe side dere; I am a faithful subject of King George!

2D VILLAGER.

He's a Tory! Kill him! Duck him!

VILLAGERS.

[To the horse pond! Duck him.](152)

Music.—They seize RIP and are about hurrying him off when GUSTAFFE rushes in and throws them off.(153)

GUSTAFFE.

Stand back, [cowards.](154)

OMNES.

Cowards!

GUSTAFFE.

Yes, cowards! who but cowards would rush in numbers one grey-haired man?

RIP.

Yah, yah, dat's a fact!

GUSTAFFE.

Sheer off! you won't? then damme, here's at ye. [Drives them off.] Tell me, old man, what cause had you given them to attack you?

RIP.

I don't know; do you?

GUSTAFFE.

You appear bewildered: can I assist you?

RIP.

Just tell me where I live, dat's all I want to know.

GUSTAFFE.

And don't you know?

RIP.

I'm d——d fun I does.

GUSTAFFE.

What is your name?

RIP.

Why, I was Rip Van Winkle.

GUSTAFFE.

Rip Van Winkle? impossible!

RIP.

Well, I won't swear to it myself.

GUSTAFFE.

Stay,—you have a daughter?

RIP.

To be sure I has: a pretty little girl about so old—Lorrenna; and I have a son too, a lublicka boy, but my daughter is a girl.

GUSTAFFE.

Do you remember entering into a contract, binding your daughter to marry Herman Van Slaus?

RIP.

Oh! I remember, de burgomaster came to my house last night mit a paper, and I wrote my name down on it, but I was drunk.

GUSTAFFE.

Last night! His brain wanders: yet it must be he; come, come with me, old man.

RIP.

Where are you going to take me to?

GUSTAFFE.

Your daughter.

RIP.

Yes, yes, take me to my child. Stop, my gracious!—I am so changed,—suppose she should forget me too; no, no, she can't forget her poor father. Come, come! [Exeunt.

*Footnotes*

144 In K., "Kilderkin."

145 In K., "and pointing at RIP, who comes on."

146 In K., "Vhere I was I wonder? my kneiber freunds, sprechen sie deutsch?"

147 Not in K.

148 Not in K. After "who is he," read, "I do not know him, but—" and continue with next Rip speech.

149 "But, now, I'm going to ask a ticklish question" in K. This speech is in dialect in K.

150 In K., "is his old voman dead too?" SETH. No. She's alive and kicking. RIP. Kicking—yes, she always vas dat. SETH. And she's married agin. RIP. She's done what agin? SETH. She's got a second husband. RIP. Second husband!—I pities the poor creetur. But there vas—vill you tell me, my friend— SETH. I can't stop any longer, because—

151 In K., the stage directions are, "VILLAGERS hurry on, shouting."

152 In K., read, "Duck him—duck him."

153 In K., read, "Music. All are rushing on RIP.—GUSTAVE enters."

154 In K., read, are you not ashamed—a score of you to attack a single man? RIP. [Aside.] Yes. I am a single man—now my vife is marry agin; dat is a fact! From this point, the two plays differ so that what remains in Kerr is here reproduced. GUSTAVE. And a poor old, gray-haired man. RIP. Yes, I am poor, dat is a fact; but I know I'm not old, and I can't be gray-haired. GUSTAVE. Take yourselves off! What cause had you given them to attack you? VILLAGERS sneak off. RIP. I don't know—do you? GUSTAVE. [Smiling.] How should I— RIP. I say—vhere do I live? GUSTAVE. Don't you know? RIP. I'm stewed fun I does. But, young man, you seems to know somezing, so, perhaps you knows Rip Van Winkle? GUSTAVE. Young Rip Van Winkle—I should think I do. RIP. [Aside.] Here is von vhat knows me! dat is goot! GUSTAVE. I only wish his father hadn't gone away and died, twenty years ago. RIP. [Aside.] His fader! Ah! he means my young Rip, and I'm dead myself arter all—dat is a fact. GUSTAVE. Poor old Rip Van Winkle—perhaps you know his daughter? RIP. His daughter—yes, I tink I—and she is not dead, like her fader? GUSTAVE. No, thank heaven! and she would have been my wife before this but for— RIP. But for what, young man? Enter LOWENA. LOWENA. Gustave. [Moving to him. GUSTAVE. Ah! dear Lowena! RIP. Lowena! Ah! dat is my daughter—and I have a son too, a lublicka boy; but my daughter is a girl, and I always lub my leetle girl so much, ven she vas only so big—and I must not hug her now to my poor heart, because she—she has got another fader—and I am dead—yes, dey all tell me dat is a fact! I am dead to meinself and—and I am dead to my leetle girl. LOWENA. Oh, yes, Gustave, it is indeed a sad misfortune for us both, that my father should have entered into a contract which had for its object to coerce me into becoming the wife of Herman Van Slaus. RIP. [Aside.] Yes, dat is a fact. I remember, de burgomaster come to my house last night mit a paper, and I wrote my name down on it; but I vas trunk. GUSTAVE. And having loved you so long, is it now impossible that you can become my wife? LOWENA. No, not impossible; but—oh, my poor dear father, if you had but survived to see this day! RIP. [Aside.] I wish what I had—but I am dead, dat is a fact. Enter HERMAN VAN SLAUS. LOWENA. Oh, Gustave! see, protect me from that wicked man—I will be thine, and only thine! HERMAN. No, Lowena; you will be mine, for you will not be suffered to resign into my hands that fortune of which I covet the possession, but which would lose half its value to me if you come not with it. RIP. [Aside.] Dat is young Slaus; and he is as big a tam rascal as vas his resbectable fader. HERMAN. Hereafter, Lowena, I will cause you to repent that you have given a rival to the man to whom, from your very childhood, you have been pledged and bound. RIP. Herman Van Slaus, you are bledged to old Nick, and vill never be redeemed. HERMAN. Who is this miserable old wretch? GUSTAVE. I would kill you sooner than you should become the husband of my heart's adored. Enter KNICKERBOCKER and ALICE. KNICKERBOCKER. So, there you are, Master Herman, sticking to your rascally work like a crab to its shell, as fishmongers have it. ALICE. I should like to throw him into a saucepan of boiling water till he was done to rags. RIP. [Aside.] Dat is my sister Alice—and dat is Knickerbocker—how fat they both is got since last night! What great big suppers they must have eat! Enter NICHOLAS VEDDER and DAME VEDDER. DAME. Oh, do try if you cannot save my poor girl! RIP. [Aside.] Tonner unt blitzen! dat is mein frau! [Retreating.] No, no! I forget—she not is mine frau now! [Chuckles. DAME. Let him take half the fortune and— VEDDER. What is that you observe? DAME. Nothing—nothing! VEDDER. Then don't observe it any more. DAME. I—I only— VEDDER. [Shouting.] Silence! RIP. [Aside.] Dat is goot! [Laughing.] Mine frau have caught a Tartar. De second one make her pay for de virst. Ha, ha, ha! I'm stewed fun dat is a fact! HERMAN. Nicholas Von Vedder, say—[Producing paper.]—is this contract to be fulfilled? VEDDER. Certainly. Lowena, the time for trifling is past; you have delayed until the very last hour, and must now at once consent to become Herman's wife. LOWENA. Never! Welcome poverty, if I may be wealthy only with that man for my husband. Whatever privations I may be made to endure, I shall not repine; for he whom I love will share them with me. RIP. [Aside.] Dat is mine own girl, I vill swear to dat. GUSTAVE. I am poor, Lowena, but my love will give me courage to toil manfully, and heaven will smile upon my efforts and enable me to replace that fortune which, for my sake, you so readily sacrifice. HERMAN. Well, be it as you will. This document gives me a claim which may not be evaded. [Reads.] "We, Deidrich Van Slous, Burgomaster, and Rip Van Winkle, desirous of providing for the prosperity of our offspring, do hereby mutually agree that Herman Van Slous, and Lowena Van Winkle, shall be united on the demand of either. Whosoever of those contracted fails in fulfilling the agreement shall forfeit their fortune to the party complaining.—Rip Van Winkle—Deidrich Van Slous." RIP. [Aside.] Yes, dat is a fact—I remember dat baber, and I've got him somevheres. [Feels in his pockets. VEDDER. Lowena, I command that you consent to become Herman's wife—I will not suffer that your fortune be sacrificed to— HERMAN. And here is the now useless codicil. RIP. [Advancing, paper in hand.] Let me read it. [All turn amazedly towards him.] "Should the said Rip Van Winkle tink fit to annul dis contract vithin twenty years and a day, he shall be at full liberty to do so." HERMAN. How came you by that document? RIP. You see I've got it, and dat is a fact. HERMAN. Who gave it to you? RIP. Your old blackguard of a fader. DAME. Oh, you are—you are— RIP. Yes, I am—I am Rip Van Winkle! [All start.—DAME, with a loud scream, falls into Knickerbocker's arms.] Dere! for de first time in my life, I have doubled up my old woman! KNICKERBOCKER carries off DAME. LOWENA. Oh, it is my father—my dear, dear father! [Runs into his arms. RIP. Yes, and you are mein taughter, my darling dat I always was love so! Oh, bless your heart, how you have grown since last night as you was a little girl. ALICE. [Embracing him.] Oh, my poor dear brother. RIP. Yes, I tink I am your broder 'cos you is my sister. KNICKERBOCKER returns. ALICE. And here is my husband. RIP. He is a much deal uglier, dan he used to vas before. KNICKERBOCKER. [Embracing him.] My blessed brother-in-law. VEDDER. Ah! and now you have come back, I suppose you want your wife! RIP. No, I'll be tam if I do! You've got her, and you keep her—I von't never have her no more. VEDDER. I sha'n't have her—I have done with her, and glad to be rid of her. [Exit. RIP. Ha, ha! Then my poor frau is a vidder, with two husbands, an' she ain't got none at all. HERMAN. It is Rip Van Winkle, and alive! RIP. Yes, and to the best of my belief, I have not never been dead at all. HERMAN. And I am left to poverty and despair. [Exit. RIP. And serve you right too—I'm stewed fun dat is fact. [Looking round.] But I had a leetle boy, last night—vhere is my young baby boy, my leetle Rip? ALICE. I saw him just now—oh, here he is. Enter, young Rip Van Winkle, a very tall young man. RIP. Is dat my leetle baby boy? How he is grown since last night. Come here, you young Rip. I am your fader. Vell, he is much like me—he is a beautiful leetle boy. KNICKERBOCKER. But tell us, Rip, where have you hid yourself for the last twenty years? RIP. Ech woll! ech woll! Vhen I take mine glass, I vill tell mine strange story, and drink the health of mine friends—and, ladies and gentlemen, I will drink to your good hells and your future families, and may you all—and may Rip Van Winkle too—live long and brosber. Curtain.

SCENE IV.

KNICKERBOCKER'S House as before.

KNICKERBOCKER, ALICE and LORRENNA enter.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Give me joy, dears; I'm elected unanimously—elected a member of the Legislature.

ALICE.

Why, spouse!

KNICKERBOCKER.

Mr. Knickerbocker, if you please, my dear; damme! I'm so happy I could fly to the moon, jump over a steeple, dance a new fandango on stilts. [Dances.] Fal, lal, la.

Enter HERMAN.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Well, sir, what the devil do you want?

HERMAN.

I came to claim this lady's fortune or her hand.

ALICE.

Knock him down, spouse.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Mr. Knickerbocker, my dear.

ALICE.

Oh, bother! I know if he comes near my niece, woman as I am, I'll scratch his eyes out.

HERMAN.

Mr. Knickerbocker.

KNICKERBOCKER.

The honourable member from —— County, if you please.

HERMAN.

The judge of the district will this day arrive and give judgement on my appeal: my rights are definitive, and I question the whole world to controvert them. We shall meet before the tribunal; then presume to contend longer if you dare. [Exit.

KNICKERBOCKER.

'Twill be difficult, no doubt, but we'll have a wrangle for the bone, as the dog's have it; there will be no curs found in our party, I'll be sworn. [Aside.] Hang me, but I'm really a little chop fallen and there is a strange sense of dizziness in my head which almost overcomes me.

LORRENNA.

My dear uncle, what is to be done in this emergency?

KNICKERBOCKER.

Done! your fortune is done for: but if you ever want a cent whilst I have one, may I be sent to the devil, that's all.

GUSTAFFE.

[Entering.] Bravo! Nunkey Knickerbocker! you are no blind pilot. Awake to breakers and quicksand, Knickerbocker.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Knickerbocker! the honourable Mr. Knickerbocker, if you please; I'm now a member of the Legislature and, curse me, if I'd change my dignified station as representative of an independent people, for that of the proudest potentate who holds supremacy by corruption or the bayonet. [Exeunt.

SCENE LAST.

The Court House.—An arm-chair at the back, in front of which is a large table, covered with baize.—On each side a gallery.—On the right of table are chairs.

Music.—The JUDGE discovered, seated.—The galleries filled with auditors.—HERMAN.—KNICKERBOCKER.

JUDGE.

Mr. Knickerbocker, you will please to bring your client into court.

KNICKERBOCKER goes off, and returns with Lorrenna and ALICE.

JUDGE.

Be pleased to let your ladies take seats. [LORRENNA and ALICE sit.

HERMAN.

And now, sir, I presume 'tis time to enter on my cause. Twenty years have elapsed since this contract, this bond was signed by the father of that lady, by which she or her fortune were made mine. Be pleased to peruse. [Presenting the document to the JUDGE.

JUDGE.

[Reading.] "We, Derric Van Slaus, Burgomaster, and Rip Van Winkle, desirous of providing for the prosperity of our offspring, do hereby mutually agree that Herman Van Slaus and Lorrenna Van Winkle shall be united on the demand of either. Whosoever of those contracted, fails in fulfilling this agreement, shall forfeit their fortune to the party complaining.

"Rip Van Winkle" "Derric Van Slaus."

But here's a codicil. "Should the said Rip Van Winkle think fit to annul this contract within twenty years and a day, he shall be at full liberty to do so. (Signed) Derric Van Slaus." The document is perfect in every form. Rip Van Winkle, 'tis stated, is defunct. Is there any one present to prove his signature?

HERMAN.

Mr. Knickerbocker, if he dare be honest, will attest it.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Dare be honest, sir! presume you to question my veracity? How was that bond obtained?

HERMAN.

Why should you ask? The late Rip Van Winkle, anxious for the prosperity of his offspring, though too indolent to provide for their subsistence, persuaded my deceased father to form this alliance.

KNICKERBOCKER.

It's a lie! Hum!—

JUDGE.

Restrain this violence! a court of justice must not be swayed by such proceedings.

HERMAN.

Behold! sir, a picture of their general effrontery. In a public tribunal to threaten those, who, in pleading their own rights, but advocate the cause of justice.

LORRENNA.

[Comes down stage.] All my hopes vanish—bleak and dreary is the perspective.

HERMAN.

[Advances.] At last I triumph! Now, lady, your hand or your inheritance.

LORRENNA.

My hand! never! Welcome were every privation to an union with one so base.

JUDGE.

It appears, then, that this signature is not denied by the defendant, and in that case the contract must stand in full force against her.

LORRENNA.

Oh, Alice, take me home: poverty, death, anything rather than wed the man I cannot love. [She is led off by ALICE.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Why, damn it, Judge!

JUDGE.

Mr. Knickerbocker!

KNICKERBOCKER.

I beg pardon, I meant no disrespect to the court, but I had thought after—

JUDGE.

I have decided, Mr. Knickerbocker.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Oh! you have decided. Yes, and a damned pretty mess you've made of it. But I sha'n't abide by your decision; I'll appeal to a higher court. I am now a member of the Legislature, and if they allow such blocks as you on the bench, I'll have a tax upon timber, sir—yes, sir, a tax upon timber. [Exit, in a rage.

JUDGE.

Twenty years and a day is the period within which the contract could be cancelled by the negature of Rip Van Winkle, and as he has rendered no opposition during this lengthened time—

HERMAN.

'Tis not very probable, sir, that he will alter his intentions by appearing to do so within the few brief hours that will complete the day. Can the grave give up its inmates? No, no! Who dare pretend to dispute my rights? The only one who could do so has been dead these twenty years.

Enter GUSTAFFE and RIP.

GUSTAFFE.

'Tis false! Rip Van Winkle stands before you!

OMNES.

Rip Van Winkle!

HERMAN.

You, Rip Van Winkle! Van Winkle come back after such a lapse of time? Impossible!

RIP.

Nothing at all impossible in anything Rip Van Winkle undertakes, and, though all of you are in the same story, dat he has been gone so long, he is nevertheless back soon enough, to your sorrow, my chap.

HERMAN.

If this, indeed, be Rip Van Winkle, where has he hid himself for twenty years?

JUDGE.

What answer do you make to this?

RIP.

Why, dat I went up in de mountains last night, and got drunk mit some jolly dogs, and when I come back dis morning I found myself dead for twenty years.

HERMAN.

You hear him, sir.

JUDGE.

This is evidently an impostor; take him into custody.

GUSTAFFE.

Stay! delay your judgement one moment till I bring the best of proofs—his child and sister. [Exit.

HERMAN.

If you are Rip Van Winkle, some one here would surely recognize you.

RIP.

To be sure dey will! every one knows me in Catskill. [All gather round him and shake their heads.] No, no, I don't know dese peoples—dey don't know me neither, and yesterday dere was not a dog in the village but would have wagged his tail at me; now dey bark. Dere's not a child but would have scrambled on my knees—now dey run from me. Are we so soon forgotten when we're gone? Already dere is no one wot knows poor Rip Van Winkle.

HERMAN.

So, indeed, it seems.

RIP.

And have you forgot de time I saved your life?

HERMAN.

Why, I—I—I—

RIP.

In course you have! a short memory is convenient for you, Herman.

HERMAN.

[Aside] Should this indeed be he! [Aloud.] I demand judgement.

JUDGE.

Stay! If you be Rip Van Winkle you should have a counterpart of this agreement. Have you such a paper?

RIP.

Paper! I don't know; de burgomaster gave me a paper last night. I put it in my breast, but I must have loosed him. No, no—here he is! here is de paper! [Gives it to JUDGE, who reads it.

JUDGE.

'Tis Rip Van Winkle! [All gather round and shake hands with him.

RIP.

Oh! everybody knows me now!

HERMAN.

Rip Van Winkle alive! then I am dead to fortune and to fame; the fiends have marred my brightest prospects, and nought is left but poverty and despair. [Exit.

GUSTAFFE.

[Without.] Room there! who will keep a child from a long lost father's arms?

Enter GUSTAFFE, with LORRENNA, ALICE and KNICKERBOCKER.

LORRENNA.

My father! [Embraces RIP.

RIP.

Are you mine daughter? let's look at you. Oh, my child—but how you have grown since you was a little gal. But who is dis?

ALICE.

Why, brother!—

RIP.

Alice! give us a hug. Who is dat?

ALICE.

Why, my husband—Knickerbocker.

RIP.

Why Knick, [Shakes hands.] Alice has grown as big round as a tub; she hasn't been living on pumpkins. But where is young Rip, my baby?

KNICKERBOCKER.

Oh, he was in the court-house just now. Ah! here he comes!

Enter RIP VAN WINKLE, JR.

RIP.

Is dat my baby? come here, Rip, come here, you dog; I am your father. What an interesting brat it is.

KNICKERBOCKER.

But tell us, Rip, where have you hid yourself for the last twenty years?

RIP.

Ech woll—ech woll. I will take mine glass and tell mine strange story and drink the health of mine frients. Unt, ladies and gents, here is your goot health and your future families and may you all live long and prosper.

THE END.



TRANSCRIBERS' NOTES

On page 43, Rory speaking:



though, for its full of emptiness.—Ha, ha, ha! though, for it's full of emptiness.—Ha, ha, ha!

In the long footnote on page 62, Dame speaking:



Her's will break if she is compelled to— Hers will break if she is compelled to—