Classic and Polite Literature.

THE MERCHANT OF SMYRNA.

Concluded from page 288.

SCENE VII.

KALED. THE SLAVES.

Kaled (to the Slaves.) Now, you fellows, you see what a world of trouble one has to sell you. What a devil of a man that is! He has put me quite heside myself! It does not seem likely that we shall have any more buyers to-day. Let us go in. But who is that whom I hear? Is it a customer?

SCENE VIII.

AN OLD TURK. THE PRECEDING CHARACTERS. Kaled. Oh! 'tis nothing. He's one of the neighbour's slaves.

Old Man. Good day, neighbour. Are these what you have left?

No. 42.

DD

Kaled. Don't hinder me. You'll not buy any thing Old Man. I shall not buy any thing, you say! We shall see that.

Kaled. What does he mean?
Dornal (aside.) I tremble!
Old Man. Have you any women?
that I want.

It is a woman

Kaled. What a fine old buck it is!
Old Man. Have you only one left?
Kaled. And that one you'll not have.
Old Man. And why not?

Kaled. I have refused her to richer folks than you
Old Man. But you will sell her to me?

Kaled, Yes, yes.

Dornal. Is it possible? Can this pitiful creature—? Old Man. What do you ask for her?

Kaled. Four hundred sequins.

Old Man. Four hundred sequins! That's very dear! Kaled. Indeed! Why, she's a Frenchwoman; and they always sell well. Every body wishes to have them, Old Man. Let's look at her.

Kaled. Oh! she's a nice woman.

Old Man. She casts her eyes down; she weeps ; she moves me, and yet she's a Christian, that's strange. Three hundred and fifty.

Kaled. Not a sequin less.

Old Man. Take your money.
Kaled. Take her away.

Dornal. Stop! O my dear Amelia! Stop!

Kaled. Do you want to hinder me from selling her? Truly, I shall have quite trouble enough to get rid of you! The husbands in this country don't like to buy you Frenchmen; you are always prowling round the seraglios, risking all that you have in the world.

Dornal. Old man, you seem not to be devoid of feeling; allow yourself to be softened. Perhaps you have a wife, have children?

Old Man. 1! Oh, no!

Dornal. By every thing that is dearest to you, do not part us. She is my wife.

Old Man. His wife! That alters the case. Really, Kaled, if she's his wife, you charge me too much.

Dornal. The only favour that I entreat is, that you will buy me with her.

Old Man.

Alas! my friend, I would if I could, but

I want only a woman.

Dornal. I will serve you faithfully.

Old Man. Serve me! I am myself a slave.
Andrew. My poor master and mistress!
Amelia. O my friend, what a fate!

Dornal. Do not buy her. Some rich man may, perhaps, purchase us both.

Old Man. That would be the worst thing that could happen to you. He would make you her keeper. Dornal (to Kaled.) Caunot you put it off for a few days?

Kaled. Put it off! "Tis quite plain you know nothing about trade. Can I put it off, indeed! I find my profit now, and I take it.

Dornal. O Heaven! can it be-But what can I say to move such a man? What a trade! what minds! Sell one's fellow creatures!

Kaled. What is the man talking about? Don't you sell the negroes? Well then! I sell you. It is only the difference of black and white.

Old Man. Really, I have not the courage to—

Kaled. Come! come! are you going to cry too?I shall keep your money, and you take away your purchase, if you please. 'Tis growing late.

Amelia. Adieu, my dear Dornal.

Dornal. Dear Amelia!

Amelia. I shall never survive it!
Kaled. That's not my affair now.
Dornal. I shall expire.

Kaled. Softly there, I beg of you! That will not do for me. You are not going to play me the same trick that the Englisman did? (pushes Dornal.) Dornal, O God, that I should be in these fetters! Andrew. O my dear mistress!

SCENE IX.

KALED, DORNAL, ANDREW, THE SPANIARD, THE ITALIAN.

Kaled. I'm quit of her, however. It is very lucky for me that I have a hard heart; I should have given way else. By my faith, if it had not been for his ready money, I was so much moved that he should not have

had her. Plague on't, if I had allowed myself to be softened, I should have lost four hundred sequins. One-two-there's only four hundred of them. Oh I've done very well with her-I've done very well with her.

SCENE X.

THE PRECEDING CHARACTERS. HASSAN.. Hassan (to Kaled.) Well, neighbour, how's trade? Kaled. Very bad! very hard times! (Aside) One must always complain.

Hassan. So, these are the poor unfortunate creatures. I can't deliver them all, and I am very sorry for it. However, as I've a good action to do, let me try to do it to a deserving object. That's a duty, that's a duty. (To the Spaniard) What countryman are you? Speak. You look proud enough. Speak out. Spaniard. I am a Spanish gentleman. Hassan. A Spaniard! Fine fellows, but rather haughty, I was told in France. What are you? Spaniard. I have told you already-a gentleman. Hassan. A gentleman! I don't know what that is. What do you do?

Spaniard. Nothing.

Hassan. So much the worse for you, friend; for you'll soon be tired. (To Kaled) You seem not to have made a good purchase here.

Kaled. There now! I'm certainly caught again. Gentleman, no doubt, means just the same thing as German baron. "Tis your fault-why did you say you are a gentleman? I shall never get rid of you.

Hassan (to the Italian.) And who are you with your black jacket? What's your country? Italian. I come from Padua.

Hassan. Padua ! I don't know that country. What's your trade?

Italian. I belong to the law.

Hassan. Very good, but what's your particular employment?

Italian. To manage other people's suits for money; and to gain the worst causes, or at least to spin them out for ten, fifteen, or twenty years.

Hassan. An excellent trade! Now, tell me, do you

do this service to every body indiscriminately? To those who are in the wrong as well as those who are in the right?

Italian. Undoubtedly! Justice is for every body. Hassan. And they allow this at Padua ?

Italian. Certainly.

Hassan (laughing.) What an odd country Padua is! I dare say it can very well do without you. (To Andrew What are you?

Andrew. Worse than nothing. I'm a poor man. Hassan. You are poor, are you? You do nothing, then?

Kaled. Alas! I'm the son of a peasant. I was one myself.

Kaled. Ah! that's something like. Those are the fellows I make my money by.

Andrew. I then went into the service of a good master, but he's more unfortunate even than myself. Kaled. That may well be, Perhaps he does not know how to till the ground, But this is a French dress, is it not?

Andrew. I am a Frenchman.

The French are Hassan. You are a Frenchman! good folks, they hate nobody. You are a Frenchman, friend! That's enough! I must set you free!

Andrew. Generous Musulman, if you wish to deliver a Frenchman, chuse some other than me. I have neither father, mother, wife, nor children. I am used to misfortune. It is not I who am most worthy of pity. Give freedom to my poor master.

And where

Hassan. Your master! What do I hear! Why these French! Are they all in this way? is your master?

Andrew (shewing Dornal to him.) Here he is. He is lost in sorrow,

Hassan. Let him speak then. He hides himself; he turns away; he'll not speak. (Hassan comes forward and looks at him, in spite of Dornal's endea vours to prevent him.) Is it possible! I am not deceived! It is, it is himself; it is my deliverer! (He embraces him ardently.)

Dornal, O happiness! O unexpected meeting! Kaled. How they hug each other! He loves him; very good! He'll pay.