The Drone Part 11

MACKENZIE. Now, what is a fan bellows yourself, Mr. Murray?

DANIEL (_hopelessly_). A fan bellows? Ah. Why now is it called a fan bellows?

MACKENZIE (_roughly_). Don't be asking me my own questions.

DANIEL (_with a despairing effort_). Well, now we will take it for granted it is because there must be something of the nature of a fan about a fan bellows. It is because there are fans inside the casing.

And the handle being turned causes these--eh--fans to turn round too.

And then the air comes out with a rush.

JOHN. Aye. It must be the fans that pushes it out.

DANIEL. Exactly. Well, now, the difficulty we find here is--(_he pauses_).

ANDY. Aye.

JOHN. Go on, Daniel.

DANIEL. You want a constant draught blowing. That's number one.

Then--well--the other. You see, if we took some of these fans.

MACKENZIE. Yes.

DANIEL (_in a floundering way_). And put them in a tight-fitting case, and put more of them inside, and understood exactly what their size was, we could arrange for the way that--

JOHN (_in a puzzled way to_ SARAH). I can only follow Daniel a short way too. (_Repeating slowly._) Put them in a tight-fitting case--

BROWN (_appearing at yard door with a telegram in his hand, and speaking with suppressed excitement_). A telegram for Mr. Daniel.

DANIEL (_with a gasp of relief_). Ah! (_He tears it open and proudly reads it out aloud._) "Come to London at once to explain patent. Want to purchase. Gregg."

(BROWN _goes out again._)

MACKENZIE. Who? Gregg?

DANIEL. I suppose I better go, John?

JOHN. Let's see the telegram. (_He goes over to_ DANIEL, _who hands it to him._)

MACKENZIE. If you go to London, it'll take you to explain yourself a bit better, Mr. Murray.

JOHN (_who has resumed his place at the fire, and is looking carefully at the telegram_). That will mean how many pounds, Daniel, did you say?

DANIEL (_promptly_). Fifteen, John. (MARY _goes out by door to rooms._)

MACKENZIE. Who is Gregg?

DANIEL. Gregg? Ah. He's a man lives in London. Engineer.

JOHN (_dubiously_). Well, I suppose you--(_he pauses, then hands the telegram to_ SARAH, _who stretches out her hand for it._)

MARY (_at door_). Tea's ready. (_She stands aside to let the company past._)

SARAH. We didn't hear all about the bellows.

ANDY (_contemptuously_). No, nor you never will. (_He rises and goes through the door._)

MACKENZIE (_rising and stretching himself wearily_). Any more, Mr.

Murray?

DANIEL. I refuse to discuss the matter any further in public. (_He goes off across to tea._)

MACKENZIE (_going over to John and looking at him knowingly_). Do you know what it is, Mr. Murray? Your brother's nothing short of an impostor.

JOHN (_much offended_). Don't dare to say that of a Murray.

MACKENZIE (_shrugging his shoulders_). Well, I'm going for some tea.

(_Exit._)

SARAH. John, I've something to say to you again about Daniel, but the company's waiting. (_She goes out to the tea room._)

JOHN (_sitting down moodily_). Aye.

MARY. Are you not coming, father?

JOHN. Aye.

MARY. Father! Surely you aren't going to marry that woman?

JOHN. Don't talk of Sarah that ways. I am!

MARY. Well, if you are, I'm going to say yes to Alick McCready. I don't want to yet awhile, but I'm not going to stay on here if that nasty woman comes. (_She kneels close beside her father and puts her arms round his neck._) Oh, father, if you only give me another chance, I could show you I could keep house every bit as well as that woman.

(DANIEL _appears at the door. He slips across to the workshop un.o.bserved._) Give me another chance, father. Don't marry her at all.

Let me stay with you--won't you?

JOHN. You're too late. She's trothed to me now.

MARY. Pooh. I'd think nothing of that. (DANIEL _comes out of the workshop with a bag._) Uncle Dan! What's the matter?

DANIEL. Mary, I can't eat and sit beside that Scotchman. (_He notices_ JOHN _is absorbed in deep thought, and motions_ MARY _to slip out. She does so, and he looks observingly at_ JOHN, _and then goes to the table, and makes a noise with the bag on the table._ JOHN _watches him a moment or two in amazed silence._)

JOHN. What are you doing, Daniel?

DANIEL. Just making a few preparations.

JOHN. Ah, but look here. I haven't settled about London yet, Daniel.

DANIEL. Oh, London, John. (_Deprecatingly._) Let that pa.s.s. I won't worry you about that. (_Broken heartedly._) I'm leaving your house, John.