CARNABY. [_To his father._] And won't you apologise for your remarks to Mr. Crowe, sir? LADY LEETE. [_Demanding._] Snuff! CARNABY. And your box to my mother, sir. SIR GEORGE _attends to his wife_. DOLLY. [_Anxiously to_ DR. REMNANT.] Can a gentleman change his name? MR. CROWE. Parson . . once noble always noble, I take it. DR. REMNANT. Certainly . . but I hope you have money to leave them, Mr. Crowe. DOLLY. [_To_ ABUD.] John. ABUD. Dorothy. DOLLY. You've not seen my babies yet. LADY LEETE _sneezes_. SIR GEORGE LEETE. Carnaby . . d'ye intend to murder that Crowe fellow . . or must I? MR. SMALLPEICE _skips from the dining-room_. MR. SMALLPEICE. Mr. John Abud . . MR. CROWE. [_To_ DR. REMNANT _as he nods towards_ CARNABY.] Don't tell me he's got over that fever yet. MR. SMALLPEICE. . . The ladies say . . are you ready or are you not? MR. PRESTIGE. I'll get thy cloak, John. MR. PRESTIGE _goes for the cloak_. CARNABY _has taken a pistol from the mantel-piece and now points it at_ ABUD. CARNABY. He's fit for heaven! GEORGE LEETE _comes from the dining-room and noticing his father's action says sharply_ . . GEORGE. I suppose you know that pistol's loaded. _Which calls everyone's attention._ DOLLY _shrieks_. CARNABY. What if there had been an accident! _And he puts back the pistol._ ABUD _takes his cloak from_ PRESTIGE. ABUD. Thank you, uncle. MR. PRESTIGE. I'm a proud man. Mr. Crowe . . CARNABY. Pride! GEORGE. [_Has a sudden inspiration and strides up to_ ABUD.] Here ends the joke, my good fellow. Be off without your wife. ABUD _stares, as do the others. Only_ CARNABY _suddenly catches_ REMNANT'S _arm_. MR. PRESTIGE. [_Solemnly._] But it's illegal to separate them. GEORGE. [_Giving up._] Mr. Prestige . . you are the backbone of England. CARNABY. [_To_ REMNANT.] Where are your miracles? MRS. PRESTIGE _comes out. A motherly farmer's wife, a mountain of a woman._ MRS. PRESTIGE. John . . kiss your aunt. ABUD _goes to her, and she obliterates him in an embrace_. GEORGE. [_To his father._] Sense of humour . . Sense of humour! LADY LEETE. Snuff. _But no one heeds her this time._ CARNABY. It doesn't matter. GEORGE. Smile. Let's be helpless gracefully. CARNABY. There are moments when I'm not sure. GEORGE. It's her own life. TOZER _staggers from the dining-room drunker than ever. He falls against the baluster and waves his arms._ MR. TOZER. Silence there for the corpse! MR. CROWE. You beast! MR. TOZER. Respect my cloth . . Mr. Prestige. MR. CROWE. That's not my name. MR. TOZER. I'll have you to know that I'm Sir George Leete's baronet's most boon companion and her la'ship never goes nowhere without me. [_He subsides into a chair._] LADY LEETE. [_Tearfully._] Snuff. _From the dining-room comes_ ANN; _her head bent. She is crossing the hall when_ SARAH _follows, calling her_. SARAH. Ann! ANN _turns back to kiss her. The rest of the company stand gazing._ SIR GEORGE _gives snuff to_ LADY LEETE.