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Title- The Contrabandista

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Act 2

Dialogue following song No. 11


Rita exits. Sancho crawls in, and, seeing somebody approach, hides as before in the skin. Enter, L. H., Grigg in the costume of the late Captain of the Ladrones. He has a sword at his side, and large pistols in his belt. He has great difficulty in keeping the sacred hat on his head.

Grigg:
Here's a pretty figure for a waxwork'. I don't think much of the late Captain's taste in dress. He must have been seven feet high if he was an inch. This confounded hat is a perfect extinguisher. It's the law of the Ladrones to wear it, and it's the law of the Ladrones to shoot you if you don't. I've caught a considerable cold in the mountains; and I don't think they've aired this gentleman's clothes. (Sneezes and his hat drops off.) I can't pick it up, because of my pistols. (The pistols in his belt fall.) Ah! that's a relief. I detest firearms. Let me see (sits on rock) - in three days time I've got to marry that cut-throat in petticoats. Very good, or rather very bad - that's the law of the Ladrones, which seems admirably adapted to the commission of all sorts of villany. (Sancho crawls nearer to Grigg.) I wish I could get home again out of the clutches of that infernal Jose the Wolf, and - (during this, Sancho, concealed in the skin, has crawled up to him.) Hullo! here's a wild beast. Ah! Here! Hi!

Sancho:
Hsssssssssh.

Grigg:
It's a goose (about to call). Hi! here's a -

Sancho:
(presenting pistol) Silence!

Grigg:
Not another word. (aside) It's "the Lion".

Sancho:
(advancing with Grigg) There's a plot against you and me.

Grigg:
Is there? What do you think we'd better do?

Sancho:
I know.

Grigg:
Yes?

Sancho:
Hsssssh!

Grigg:
(aside) He's a perfect hurricane!

Sancho:
They come. Breathe a word of my concealment here and you perish. The conspirators against your life and dignity are here. (He retires into concealment.)

Grigg:
If she'd confine themselves to conspiring against my dignity, I should be the last person to offer an objection. But when it comes to conspiring against a fellow's life - why -

Enter Inez, followed by José.



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