The Alchemist Act 3, Scene 2 Summary

  • Subtle answers the door and pretends he's still outraged that the Anabaptists have refused to give him more money.
  • Wholesome convinces him that they're willing to "throw down their purse" and pay whatever it costs to get the philosopher's stone.
  • This is where Subtle goes off on a tangent about how powerful the stone is going to make the Anabaptists. They can use it to raise money for a powerful religious army, cure sick people, convert others to their religion, and so on.
  • He promises that the stone will be ready in fifteen days.
  • Ananias is still skeptical but when Subtle tells him of a way they can counterfeit money out of pewter, he gets a little excited.
  • Still, he wonders if it's legal (it's not) but Subtle convinces him that it's all on the up and up.
  • Now there's a knock on the door. Mammon's metal goods are being delivered...just in time for Subtle to sell the stuff to the Anabaptists.