WORTHNOUGHT. Come, let's have no palitics, for gad's sake;--rat the canstitution:--I wou'dn't give _une Fille de joye_, for all the musty canstitutions in christendom. TRUEMAN. By the dignity of my profession, you never read Publius then; or you would have liked _one_ constitution. WORTHNOUGHT. Publius! ha, ha, ha.--I read Publius! Not I, sir, I assure you:--an _outré_ fellow,--a dull, mysterious, mechanical writer, as ever I refused to read, split me. LOVEYET. So he is, so he is, sir: by my body, I am glad to find _somebody_ of my mind. [_TRUEMAN and LOVEYET retire to the back of the stage._ _Enter FRANKTON and HUMPHRY._ FRANKTON. You saw him go into Miss Airy's house, this morning, you say. HUMPHRY. Yes. [_Walks thoughtlessly about the stage._ FRANKTON. I think, this is a tolerable confirmation of the matter. [_Aside._ WORTHNOUGHT. Hah,--Frankton;--'foregad, I am yours, superlatively. FRANKTON. Are you, positively? Hah,--she is here. [_Enter MARIA, on the opposite side._] Your humble servant, Miss Airy. MARIA. [_Pretends to take no notice of FRANKTON._] Mr. Trueman, I hope I have the pleasure to see you well. TRUEMAN. I thank you, madam. [_Resumes his discourse with LOVEYET, who does not yet observe MARIA._] MARIA. I hoped to have found Miss Harriet here, sir. TRUEMAN. Madam?-- [_Turns to LOVEYET again._ LOVEYET. Therefore, sir, as I was telling you, I am determined to have her. [_To TRUEMAN._ TRUEMAN. [_Leaving LOVEYET._] How is this, madam?--Mr. Loveyet tells me, he is determined to have you. FRANKTON. Who! How!--Have who, sir? [_Loud and earnestly._ LOVEYET. [_Seeing MARIA._] By my body, there she is herself.--Have who, sir?--Why, have this lady, sir; who do you think?--My sweet Miss Airy, I have the transcendent pleasure to kiss your hand, ugh, ugh. MARIA. Oh, fie, Mr. Loveyet.--I will have the pleasure to tease Frankton, now. [_Retires with OLD LOVEYET, whispering, and looking tenderly at him._] FRANKTON. Amazement!--The _old_ fellow! [_Aside._ WORTHNOUGHT. This is all very astanishing, 'foregad:--demme, but she deserves to die an old maid, if she has _him_. [_Aside._ MARIA. [_Pretends to observe FRANKTON, for the first time._]--Mr. Frankton!--I did not observe you before: I give you joy of your friend's arrival, sir;--I suppose you have seen him;--he is very agreeable. FRANKTON. Then I need not ask you, if you have seen him, madam. MARIA. He was at my house not two hours ago. FRANKTON. Did not you see him before that, madam? MARIA. I did not, sir. FRANKTON. Detested falsehood! [_Aside._ MARIA. The old gentleman acquainted me of his arrival, only a few minutes before.