BEFORE A SCENE REPRESENTING A DYING CHILD.
_A Gallant Swain_. That's the kid in bed, yer see. Like to see it die, POLLY, eh? A penny does it.
_Polly_ (_with a giggle_). Well, if it ain't _too_ 'arrowing. (_The penny is dropped in, and the mechanical mother is instantly agitated by the deepest maternal anxiety._) That's the mother kneeling by the bed, I suppose--she do pray natural. There's the child waking up--see, it's moving its 'ed. (_The little doll raises itself in bed, and then falls back lifeless._) Ah, it's gone--look at the poor mother 'idin' her face.
_The G.S._ Well, it's all over. Come along and see something more cheerful.
_Polly_. Wait a bit--it isn't 'alf over yet. There's a angel got to come and carry her away fust--there, the door's opening, that'll be the angel come for it, I expect. (_Disappointed._) No, it's only the doctor. (_A jerky and obviously incompetent little medical practitioner puts his head in at the door, and on being motioned back by the bereaved mother, retires with more delicacy than might have been expected._) Well, he might ha' seen for himself if the child _was_ dead! (_The back of the bed disappears, disclosing a well-known picture of an angel flying upwards with a child._) I did think they'd have a real angel, and not only a picture of one, and anyone can see it's a different child--there's the child in bed just the same. I call that a take-in!
_The G.S._ I dunno what more you expect for a penny.
_A Person on the Outskirts_ (_eagerly to Friend_). What happened? What is it? I couldn't make it out over all the people's shoulders.
_His Friend_. Dying child--not half bad either. You go and put in a penny, and you'll see it well enough.
_The P. on the O._ (_indignantly_). What, put in a penny for such rubbish? Not me!
[_He hangs about till someone else provides the necessary coin._
_A Softhearted Female_. No, I couldn't stand there and look on. I never _can_ bear them pathetic subjects. I felt just the same with that picture of the Sick Child at the Academy, you know. (_Meditatively._) And you don't have to put a penny in for _that_, either.
BEFORE ANOTHER BEDROOM SCENE REPRESENTING "THE DRUNKARD'S DELIRIUM."
_First Woman_. That's 'im in bed, with the bottle in his 'and. He likes to take his liquor comfortable, _he_ do.