Enter Servant.

Servant. Mr. Belvil. [Exit.

Enter BELVIL.

Mr. H. Monomotopa (musing.)

Belvil. Heyday, Jack! what means this mortified face? nothing has happened, I hope, between this lady and you?  I beg pardon, Madam, but understanding my friend was with you, I took the liberty of seeking him here.  Some little difference possibly which a third person can adjust—­not a word.  Will you, Madam, as this gentleman’s friend, suffer me to be the arbitrator—­strange—­hark’ee, Jack, nothing has come out, has there? you understand me.  Oh, I guess how it is—­somebody has got at your secret; you haven’t blabbed it yourself, have you? ha! ha! ha!  I could find in my heart—­Jack, what would you give me if I should relieve you?

Mr. H. No power of man can relieve me (sighs); but it must lie at the root, gnawing at the root—­here it will lie.

Belvil. No power of man? not a common man, I grant you:  for instance, a subject—­it’s out of the power of any subject.

Mr. H. Gnawing at the root—­there it will lie.

Belvil. Such a thing has been known as a name to be changed; but not by a subject—­(shows a Gazette).

Mr. H. Gnawing at the root—­(suddenly snatches the paper out of BELVIL’S hand)—­ha! pish! nonsense! give it me—­what! (reads) promotions, bankrupts—­a great many bankrupts this week—­there it will lie. (Lays it down, takes it up again, and reads.) “The King has been graciously pleased”—­gnawing at the root—­“graciously pleased to grant unto John Hogsflesh,”—­the devil—­“Hogsflesh, Esq., of Sty Hall, in the county of Hants, his royal license and authority”—­O Lord!  O Lord!—­“that he and his issue”—­me and my issue—­“may take and use the surname and arms of Bacon”—­Bacon, the surname and arms of Bacon—­“in pursuance of an injunction contained in the last will and testament of Nicholas Bacon, Esq., his late uncle, as well as out of grateful respect to his memory:”—­grateful respect! poor old soul-----here’s more--“and that such arms may be first duly exemplified “—­they shall, I will take care of that—­“according to the laws of arms, and recorded in the Herald’s Office.”

Belvil. Come, Madam, give me leave to put my own interpretation upon your silence, and to plead for my friend, that now that only obstacle which seemed to stand in the way of your union is removed, you will suffer me to complete the happiness which my news seems to have brought him, by introducing him with a new claim to your favor, by the name of Mr. Bacon. (Takes their hands and joins them, which MELESINDA seems to give consent to with a smile.)

Mr. H. Generous Melesinda! my dear friend—­“he and his issue,” me and my issue!—­O Lord!—­

Belvil. I wish you joy, Jack, with all my heart.