DAVID. Should we do that, or should we just trust to one another"s honour?
ALICK [gallantly]. Let Maggie decide.
MAGGIE. I think we would better have a legal doc.u.ment.
DAVID. We"ll have it drawn up to-morrow. I was thinking the best way would be for to pay the money in five yearly instalments.
JOHN. I was thinking, better bank the whole sum in my name at once.
ALICK. I think David"s plan"s the best.
JOHN. I think not. Of course if it"s not convenient to you--
DAVID [touched to the quick]. It"s perfectly convenient. What do you say, Maggie?
MAGGIE. I agree with John.
DAVID [with an odd feeling that MAGGIE is now on the other side]. Very well.
JOHN. Then as that"s settled I think I"ll be stepping. [He is putting his papers back in the bag.]
ALICK [politely]. If you would like to sit on at your books--
JOHN. As I can come at any orra time now I think I"ll be stepping.
[MAGGIE helps him into his topcoat.]
MAGGIE. Have you a m.u.f.fler, John?
JOHN. I have. [He gets it from his pocket.]
MAGGIE. You had better put it twice round. [She does this for him.]
DAVID. Well, good-night to you, Mr. Shand.
ALICK. And good luck.
JOHN. Thank you. The same to you. And I"ll cry in at your office in the morning before the 6:20 is due.
DAVID. I"ll have the doc.u.ment ready for you. [There is the awkward pause that sometimes follows great events.] I think, Maggie, you might see Mr.
Shand to the door.
MAGGIE. Certainly. [JOHN is going by the window.] This way, John.
[She takes him off by the more usual exit.]
DAVID. He"s a fine frank fellow; and you saw how cleverly he got the better of me about banking the money. [As the heads of the conspirators come gleefully together] I tell you, father, he has a grand business head.
ALICK. Lads, he"s canny. He"s cannier than any of us.
JAMES. Except maybe Maggie. He has no idea what a remarkable woman Maggie is.
ALICK. Best he shouldn"t know. Men are nervous of remarkable women.
JAMES. She"s a long time in coming back.
DAVID [not quite comfortable]. It"s a good sign. H"sh. What sort of a night is it, Maggie?
MAGGIE. It"s a little blowy.
[She gets a large dustcloth which is lying folded on a shelf, and proceeds to spread it over the fine chair. The men exchange self-conscious glances.]
DAVID [stretching himself]. Yes--well, well, oh yes. It"s getting late.
What is it with you, father?
ALICK. I"m ten forty-two.
JAMES. I"m ten-forty.
DAVID. Ten forty-two.
[They wind up their watches.]
MAGGIE. It"s high time we were bedded. [She puts her hands on their shoulders lovingly, which is the very thing they have been trying to avoid.] You"re very kind to me.
DAVID. Havers.
ALICK. Havers.
JAMES [but this does not matter]. Havers.
MAGGIE [a little dolefully]. I"m a sort of sorry for the young man, David.
DAVID. Not at all. You"ll be the making of him. [She lifts the two volumes.] Are you taking the books to your bed, Maggie?
MAGGIE. Yes. I don"t want him to know things I don"t know myself.
[She departs with the books; and ALICK and DAVID, the villains, now want to get away from each other.]
ALICK. Yes--yes. Oh yes--ay, man--it is so--umpha. You"ll lift the big coals off, David.
[He wanders away to his spring mattress. DAVID removes the coals.]
JAMES [who would like to sit down and have an argy-bargy]. It"s a most romantical affair. [But he gets no answer.] I wonder how it"ll turn out?
[No answer.] She"s queer, Maggie. I wonder how some clever writers has never noticed how queer women are. It"s my belief you could write a whole book about them. [DAVID remains obdurate.] It was very n.o.ble of her to tell him she"s twenty-six. [Muttering as he too wanders away.]
But I thought she was twenty-seven.
[DAVID turns out the light.]