_An Apartment in Mr. CARVER’S House. Mr. CARVER seated: a table, pens, ink, paper, and law-books. A cleric, pen in hand.--On the right-hand side of Mr. CARVER stands Mrs. CATTY ROONEY.--RANDAL ROONEY beside her, leaning against a pillar, his arms folded.--Behind Mrs. ROONEY, three men--one remarkably tall, one remarkably little.--On the left-hand of Mr. CARVER stand Old MATTHEW McBRIDE, leaning on his stick; beside him, PHILIP McBRIDE, with his silver-hilted whip in his hand.--A Constable at some distance behind Mr. CARVER’S chair.--Mr. CARVER looking over and placing his books, and seeming to speak to his clerk._ _Catty._ (_aside to her son_) See I’ll take it asy, and be very shivel and sweet wid him, till I’ll see which side he’ll lane, and how it will go with us Roonies--(_Mr. CARVER rising, leans forward with both his hands on the table, as if going to speak, looks round, and clears his throat loudly._)--Will I spake now, plase your honour? _Old McB._ Dacency, when you see his honour preparing his throat. [_Mr. CARVER clears his throat again._ _Catty._ (_curtsying between each sentence_) Then I ixpect his honour will do me justice. I got a great character of his honour. I’d sooner come before your honour than any jantleman in all Ireland. I’m sure your honour will stand my _frind_. _Clerk._ Silence! _Mr. Carv._ Misguided people of Ballynavogue and Ballynascraw-- [_At the instant Mr. CARVER pronounces the word “Ballynavogue,” CATTY curtsies, and all the ROONIES, behind her, bow, and answer--_ Here, plase your honour. [_And when Mr. CARVER says_ “Ballynascraw,” _all the McBRIDES bow, and reply--_ Here, plase your honour. _Mr. Carv._ (_speaking with pomposity, but embarrassment, and clearing his throat frequently_) When I consider and look round me, gentlemen, and when I look round me and consider, how long a period of time I have had the honour to bear his majesty’s commission of the peace for this county-- _Catty._ (_curtsying_) Your honour’s a good warrant, no doubt. _Mr. Carv._ Hem!--hem!--also being a residentiary gentleman at Bob’s Fort--hem!--hem!--hem!--(_Coughs, and blows his nose._) _Catty._ (_aside to her son_) Choking the cratur is with the words he can’t get out. (_Aloud_) Will I spake now, plase your honour? _Clerk._ Silence! silence! _Mr. Carv._ And when I consider all the ineffectual attempts I have made by eloquence and otherwise, to moralize and civilize you gentlemen, and to eradicate all your heterogeneous or rebellious passions-- _Catty._ Not a rebel, good or bad, among us, plase your honour. _Clerk._ Silence! _Mr. Carv._ I say, my good people of Ballynavogue and Ballynascraw, I stand here really in unspeakable concern and astonishment, to notice at this fair-time in my barony, these symptoms of a riot, gentlemen, and features of a tumult.