_Charles._ Villain, destroyer of my peace, vile caitiff, thou must die! I will have thy heart’s blood. (_Makes another dash at Wiggins, who escapes to R._)
_Wiggins._ Here’s another wants blood, blood, blood!
_Charles._ Silence, demon! Where’s my wife?
_Dennis._ That’s three wives. That fellar’s a Mormon.
_Charles_ (_seizing Wiggins and dragging him to centre_). Now, demon, I have thee in my grasp, and if ever you escape, it shall be with the everlasting curses of Black Ralph.
_Wiggins_ (_on his knees_). Murder! He will strangle me.
_Charles._ Villain, confess your sins at once.
_Wiggins._ Please, Mr. Black Ralph, I haven’t got any.
_Charles._ ’Tis false! Confess yourself a vile impostor.
_Wiggins._ A humbug. (_Enter Greenbax and Aspen, L._)
_Charles._ Repeat it before these gentlemen.
_Wiggins._ I am a humbug. My Elixir is a humbug, and everything is a humbug. Now let me go (_rises_).
_Aspen._ Have I been deceived? Oh, you villain!
_Dennis._ His nerves are a little shaken.
_Greenbax._ No, no! I don’t want to be shaken.
_Major._ Wont “Vene” make me pay for this?
_Charles._ Now, Mr. Doctor, you can go (_removing wreath_). You see I have recovered my senses. I have exposed your quackery. I’ll give you three hours to leave town; if you are not gone then, I’ll hand you over to the police.
_Wiggins_ (_aside_). What a fool I’ve been! (_Enter Harry and Herbert, L._) There are the ruffians. Seize them! I charge those two individuals with a conspiracy to murder me at the dread hour of midnight. Blood! blood! blood!
_Harry._ Why, Charley, what does this mean?
_Charles._ That I have exposed a quack, and saved my Aunt Hopkins from making a fool of herself.
_Wiggins._ But I charge these villains with an attempt to murder me. Did you not a short time since, in this very room, concoct a vile plot to murder me at the dread hour of midnight?
_Herbert._ Ha, ha, ha! Harry, your new play has evidently made an impression on the doctor.
_Harry._ Yes, play. Waiting for you, I entertained my friend, here, with an extract from my new play. Would you like to hear it again?
_Wiggins._ No, I thank you. Fooled again. Here’s a pretty kettle of fish. The Great Elixir exploded and its great inventor obliged to leave town by rail or on a rail. What shall I do? Mr. Greenbax,--you like my Elixir; don’t you?