This is evidently an impostor; take him into custody. GUSTAFFE. Stay! delay your judgement one moment till I bring the best of proofs—his child and sister. [_Exit._ HERMAN. If you are Rip Van Winkle, some one here would surely recognize you. RIP. To be sure dey will! every one knows me in Catskill. [_All gather round him and shake their heads._] No, no, I don’t know dese peoples—dey don’t know me neither, and yesterday dere was not a dog in the village but would have wagged his tail at me; now dey bark. Dere’s not a child but would have scrambled on my knees—now dey run from me. Are we so soon forgotten when we’re gone? Already dere is no one wot knows poor Rip Van Winkle. HERMAN. So, indeed, it seems. RIP. And have you forgot de time I saved your life? HERMAN. Why, I—I—I— RIP. In course you have! a short memory is convenient for you, Herman. HERMAN. [_Aside_] Should this indeed be he! [_Aloud._] I demand judgement. JUDGE. Stay! If you be Rip Van Winkle you should have a counterpart of this agreement. Have you such a paper? RIP. Paper! I don’t know; de burgomaster gave me a paper last night. I put it in my breast, but I must have loosed him. No, no—here he is! here is de paper! [_Gives it to_ JUDGE, _who reads it._ JUDGE. ’Tis Rip Van Winkle! [_All gather round and shake hands with him._ RIP. Oh! everybody knows me now! HERMAN. Rip Van Winkle alive! then I am dead to fortune and to fame; the fiends have marred my brightest prospects, and nought is left but poverty and despair. [_Exit._ GUSTAFFE. [_Without._] Room there! who will keep a child from a long lost father’s arms? _Enter_ GUSTAFFE, _with_ LORRENNA, ALICE _and_ KNICKERBOCKER. LORRENNA. My father! [_Embraces_ RIP. RIP. Are you mine daughter? let’s look at you. Oh, my child—but how you have grown since you was a little gal. But who is dis? ALICE. Why, brother!— RIP. Alice! give us a hug. Who is dat? ALICE. Why, my husband—Knickerbocker. RIP. Why Knick, [_Shakes hands._] Alice has grown as big round as a tub; she hasn’t been living on pumpkins. But where is young Rip, my baby? KNICKERBOCKER. Oh, he was in the court-house just now. Ah! here he comes! _Enter_ RIP VAN WINKLE, JR. RIP. Is dat my baby? come here, Rip, come here, you dog; I am your father. What an interesting brat it is. KNICKERBOCKER. But tell us, Rip, where have you hid yourself for the last twenty years? RIP. Ech woll—ech woll. I will take mine glass and tell mine strange story and drink the health of mine frients. Unt, ladies and gents, here is your goot health and your future families and may you all live long and prosper. THE END. TRANSCRIBERS’ NOTES The following substitutions were applied to the text by Project Gutenberg proofers and transcribers— On page 43, Rory speaking: