sir, that the law
is on my side! the law, sir--the law, sir!

KNICKERBOCKER.

Oh, yes! And, no doubt, every quibble that it offers will be twisted to
the best purpose for your interest. You're a dabster at chicane, or
you're preciously belied.

HERMAN.

You will not, I presume, dispute the signature of the individual who
formed the contract?

KNICKERBOCKER.

Oh, no! not dispute Rip's signature, but his error in judgement. I
happened to be a cabinet councillor at the very moment my deceased
relative, who was _non compos mentis_, at the time, clapped his pen to a
writing, artfully extracted from him by your defunct father, whose
memory is better forgotten than remembered.

HERMAN.

Sir, I came here, not to meet insult; I came hither, persuaded you would
acknowledge my right, and to prevent a publicity that may be painful to
both parties. You are inclined to dispute them; before a tribunal shall
they be arbitrated; and, knowing my claims, Mr. Knickerbocker, know well
that Lorrenna or her fortune must be mine. [_Exit._

KNICKERBOCKER.

You go to Davy Jones, as the seamen have it. Lorrenna shall never be
yours, and if ever she wants a cent whilst I have one, my name isn't
Knickerbocker;--damme, as the dandies have it.

LORRENNA _enters, with_ ALICE.

LORRENNA.

My dear guardian, you have got rid of Herman, I perceive.

KNICKERBOCKER.

I wish I had, with all my soul; but he sticks to his rascally
undertaking like a crab to its shell; egad, there will be no dislodging
him unless he's clapped into a cauldron of boiling water, as fishmongers
have it.

ALICE.

And boiled to rags. But, husband! husband, I say!

KNICKERBOCKER.

Mr. Knickerbocker, my dear, if you please.

ALICE.

Well, then, Mr. Knickerbocker, my dear, if you please, we have been
looking out at the window to ascertain who came and went, and have
discovered a fine, handsome fellow galloping towards the town, and I
shouldn't at all wonder if it wasn't--

GUSTAFFE _rushes in._

LORRENNA.

[_Hurries to him._] My dear, dear Gustaffe!

GUSTAFFE.

[_Embracing her._] My tender, charming Lorrenna!

KNICKERBOCKER.

Why, Gustaffe! Bless us! why, how the spark has grown.

ALICE.

Not quite so corpulent as you, spouse.

KNICKERBOCKER.

Spouse! Mr. Knickerbocker, if you please. Truly, wife, we have both
increased somewhat in corporal, as well