Читать книгу The Pedestrian's Guide through North Wales. A tour performed in 1837 онлайн

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All went on smoothly enough, until the scene where Richard rushes on the stage in the midst of alarums, crying out. “What ho! young Richmond ho!” Here, as ill luck would have it, Richmond could not find his fighting sword, and his confusion was so great, when Richard again roared out, “’Tis Richard calls!” Richmond rebellowed from behind the scenes, “Call and be d—d,” thinking the actor was taking an unwarrantable liberty in calling for him before so many people in such an authoritative style.

Richard. “I say come forth, and singly face me.”

Richmond, (behind) “What the devil’s the use of my coming, when I can’t find my sword?”

At length, the combatants met, Richmond having picked up a powerful weapon, instead of the short, blunt and harmless sword intended for the encounter. It was keen, long, and pointed, like a lancet—a terrible weapon in unpractised hands.

Richard. “Do you remember the cuts?” (in an undertone, with doubting fear).

Richmond. “Oh, d—n the cuts!” at the same time dealing a blow that laid open the shin of the crook backed tyrant, who, thinking it better to die at once in jest, than to be killed outright in earnest, fell down exclaiming, “Perdition catch thy arm! you’ve cut my leg open!”