DICKON As hell, your worship?

JUSTICE MERTON Is he—he there?

DICKON Bessie’s brat; yes; it didn’t die, after all, poor suckling! Dickon weaned it. Saved it for balm of Gilead. Raised it for joyful home-coming. Prodigal’s return! Twenty-first birthday! Happy son! Happy father!

JUSTICE MERTON My—son!

DICKON Felicitations!

JUSTICE MERTON I will not believe it.

DICKON Truth is hard fare.

JUSTICE MERTON [Faintly.] What—what do you want?

DICKON Only the happiness of your dear ones. [Indicating Rachel and Ravensbane.] The union of these young hearts and hands.

JUSTICE MERTON What! he will dare—an illegitimate—