Scene IV
Half dark.—A front wood.—The report of a gun is heard; shortly after, Rip enters, with his fowling piece.
Rip.
[Whip-poor-Will! egad, I think they’ll whip poor Rip.]109—[Takes aim at bird; it flashes in the pan.]—Another miss! Oh, curse the misses and the missusses! hang me if I can get a single shot at the sky-flyers. [Wish]110 I had one of de German guns which Knickerbocker talks so much about—one dat fires round111 corners: la! how I’d bring dem down! bring dem down! were I to wing as many daily as would fill a dearborn, Dame wouldn’t be satisfied—not that she’s avaricious—but den she must have something or somebody to snarl at, and I’m the unlucky dog at whom she always lets fly. Now, she got at me mit de broomstick so soon as I got back again; if I go home again, she will break my back. Tunner wasser! how sleepy I am—I can’t go home, she will break my back—so I will sleep in de mountain to-night, and to-morrow I turn over a new leaf and drink no more liquor.112
Voice.
[Outside:] Rip Van Winkle.
A dead pause ensues.—Suddenly a noise like the rolling of cannonballs is heard—then a discordant shout of laughter.—Rip wakes and sits up astonished.
Rip.
What [the deuce]113 is that? [my wife] at mine elbow? Oh, no, nothing of the kind: I must have been dreaming; so I’ll contrive to nap, since I’m far enough from her din. [Reclines and sleeps.114
Voice
[Outside.] Rip Van Winkle. [The laugh being repeated, Rip again awakes.115
Rip.
I can’t be mistaken dis time. Plague on’t, I’ve got among the spirits of the mountains, metinks, and haven’t a drop of spirits left to keep them off.
Swaggrino.
Rip.
Rip Van Winkle! that’s me to a certainty.
Music.—[Swaggrino, the grotesque dwarf, enters],117 bending beneath the weight of a large cask which he bears on his shoulder.—He pauses, examines Rip, then invites him to assist him in placing the cask on the ground, which Rip complies with.
Rip.
Hang me, if he hasn’t brought my heart up into my mouth: what an outlandish being, [a sea snake,]118 by dunder!
Music.—[Swaggrino,]119 pointing to the cask, [entreats] Rip’s assistance in bearing it up the mountains.
Rip.
Want me to help you up mit it? Why not say so at first, my old codger? What a queer old chap, to be sure; but I can’t let him toil up the mountain with such a heavy load as dat, no, no, and so, old [broad]120 chops, I’ll help you.
Music.—[Dwarf]121 assists in placing cask on Rip’s shoulder. A loud laugh is heard; Rip is alarmed, but [Dwarf] signs him to proceed and be of good courage—leads way up rocks. Another peal of laughter, and Rip hastily follows him.
Footnotes
116[Without.] Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle.
109 Not in K.
110 “I vishes” in K. No attempt is being made to indicate small differences ofdialect.
111 “der” inserted in K.
112 In K., stage direction, “[Lies down.]”.
113 “der debil” in K.; also “mein frau.”
114 In K., the stage directions are: [Lies down to sleep.
115 Voice. [Without.] Rip Van Winkle!
In K., the speech takes this form:
116 No name in K., only “Voice.”
117 In K., read. “One of the Spectre Crew enters.”
118 Not in K.
119 “The Imp” in K.; also “asks.”
120 “pale” in K.
121 “Imp” in K.