# Dramas (Baillie)/Enthusiasm/Act 1

ENTHUSIASM.
ACT I.
SCENE I.—A Saloon, with a Glass Door opening into a Garden in the bottom of the Stage.—Lord Worrymore and Lady Shrewdly are seen walking towards the House in earnest conversation, and enter by the said Door, speaking as they enter.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE (bowing with affected modesty).
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
Enter Blount.
O, 'tis a gay young sailor returned from a three years' station in the Mediterranean.—You're welcome, dear Frank! let me see you as often as you can while you remain in town; it always gives me pleasure. Permit me to present Mr. Francis Blount to your Lordship: the son of an old friend and schoolfellow of mine.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LORD WORRYMORE.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
(Lady Shrewdly frowns to him significantly.)
LORD WORRYMORE (smiling).
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY (who has been frowning and making faces to him behind Lord Worrymore's back, but in vain.)
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
LORD WORRYMORE.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT (holding up his hands, and laughing heartily).
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
(As they are going off, he stops and laughs heartily.)
What tickles your fancy so? Don't stop here.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
BLOUNT.
LADY SHREWDLY.
[Exeunt, she pushing him gently off the Stage, and he still continuing to laugh.
SCENE II.
Colonel Frankland's House.
Enter Clermont, looking round as if disappointed.
CLERMONT.
Enter Miss Frankland.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
Enter Sir John Crofton.
SIR JOHN.
CLERMONT.
MISS FRANKLAND.
Enter Lady Worrymore.
Good morning, Lady Worrymore: how kind you are to call upon me, occupied as you are with so many objects of interest.
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN (to Lady Worrymore).
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN (aside to Miss Frankland).
LADY WORRYMORE (still writing as before).
SIR JOHN.
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN.
LADY WORRYMORE.
Enter a Servant.
Give this to my servant; it is for the mistress of the house where Master Munhaunslet lodges. He must go with it immediately, and wait for an answer.
SERVANT (taking the note).
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN.
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN.
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN (presenting Clermont).
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN.
CLERMONT.
LADY WORRYMORE.
SIR JOHN.
MISS FRANKLAND (aside to Sir John).
LADY WORRYMORE.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY WORRYMORE.
Ah! my dear Miss Frankland, you are too severe: Shakspeare should indeed be paramount to every thing. Dear Shakspeare! dear Petrarch! I doat on them both. (Looking at her watch.) Bless me! I am behind my time. Adieu, adieu! (To Clermont.) And you will send me your sonnet? you will do me that ​honour? you will confer upon me that infinite obligation? Adieu, adieu!
[Exit, hurrying off, and passing Blount without notice, who has entered towards the end of her rhapsody, and drawn himself up by the wall to let her pass.]
BLOUNT (coming forward).
SIR JOHN.
BLOUNT.
SIR JOHN.
MISS FRANKLAND (glancing at Clermont).
BLOUNT.
SIR JOHN.
CLERMONT.
BLOUNT.
CLERMONT.
BLOUNT.
Enter a Servant.
SERVANT.
SIR JOHN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
[Exeunt Sir John, Clermont, and Blount.
MISS FRANKLAND (alone, after a thoughtful pause).
Enter Barbara.
BARBARA.
MISS FRANKLAND.
BARBARA.
SCENE III.
A poor-looking Chamber, with a Sofa near the front of the Stage.
Enter Mrs. Brown, with Hugho, whom she leads to the sofa, then lays him along, and spreads a shawl over him, and then takes a note from her pocket.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
Enter Miss Frankland, and steals on tiptoe to the back of the sofa.
MISS FRANKLAND (speaking softly to Mrs. Brown).
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
HUGHO.
[Mrs. Brown sets a chair for Miss Frankland by the sofa, and Hugho takes her hand and kisses it.]
MISS FRANKLAND.
[He raises his head, and nods to her without speaking.]
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
[A loud rap is heard at the street-door.]
HUGHO (starting up in a fright).
MISS FRANKLAND.
Enter Lady Worrymore.
LADY WORRYMORE (running up to the sofa, clasping her hands affectedly, and hanging over him).
HUGHO.
LADY WORRYMORE.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY WORRYMORE.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY WORRYMORE (persevering).
HUGHO.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
LADY WORRYMORE.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
LADY WORRYMORE.
[Curtsies slightly to Miss Frankland, and hurries off.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
Re-enter Lady Worrymore, and beckons Mrs. Brown, who goes to her apart.
LADY WORRYMORE (aside to Mrs. Brown).
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
I guessed as much; the mint of money won't come from that quarter—Let us move a little to this corner, if you please. (Leads Mrs. Brown away from the sofa, more to the front.) What do you know of the man who brought him to England—this Manhaunslet? Do you think he is really his father?
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
MRS. BROWN.
MISS FRANKLAND.
[Exeunt.