The Drone Part 16

BROWN. You didn't see them, but I noticed Andy and Sarah coming out to the gate when you had pa.s.sed them and looking after you a long time.

DANIEL. Is that so?

BROWN. Aye. A long time, sir. I suppose, like myself, they smelled the cigar. (DANIEL _at once throws down the cigar in disgust._) Mr. Andy, they say, is guy fond of a good cigar, and I understand that he'll be for getting a few boxes of them soon, for the sister, they say, is coming into a lot of money.

KATE. Ach, you and your cigars! Will you get out of this and quit tormenting people? Go on. Out you go.

BROWN (_as if out of curiosity, picks up the cigar and goes out slowly_).

DANIEL. He's a very impertinent man that. Very worrisome.

KATE. Ach, never heed him, Mr. Dan! sure no one in this house does.

You'll be tired after travelling, sir. Will I make you a drop of tea?

DANIEL. It's hard to eat anything, Kate, when I'm worried.

(_Despairingly._) I don't think there's another man living that has the same worries as I have. Something awful! Where's the pen and ink, I wonder?

KATE. There's some here on the dresser, Miss Mary was using it to-day. (_She takes it over from the dresser to the table._ DANIEL _rises and goes over and sits down and begins slowly to write._) Cheer up, Mr. Daniel. Sure you sold the plans of the bellows anyway. Didn't you, sir? They had word up at the McAleenans the other night that you got two thousand for it.

DANIEL (_astonished_). Eh? They said that.

KATE. Aye. To be sure. McAndless told McArdle, and he told Smith the postman, and the postman told the McAleenans, and said he had seen letters about it. And McAleenan was up in McMinns the other night and told them, and I believe you never saw such an astonished crowd of people in all their lives.

DANIEL. He told the McMinns that?

KATE. Aye, last night I think it was.

DANIEL. Last night? (_He looks at the letter._) Yesterday was the 14th, wasn't it? Aye. It was. I wonder did they believe McAleenan?

KATE. I don't think they know right what to make of it. And yon Scotchman was there at the time, and mind you, Mr. Dan, they say he looked quite serious when he heard it, and said such things as that happened many's a time.

DANIEL (_incredulously_). Mackenzie said that?

KATE. Aye. You know, I think it's maybe because he has a wee notion of Miss Mary, sir.

DANIEL. It's quite possible. Quite possible. A nice wee girl is Mary.

Fact, too good for the half of the clodhoppers about these parts. (_He takes up the parcel, pen, and ink, and paper, and goes across into the workshop._)

KATE (_looking after him_). Poor creature. I'm feared he's for the road again if he doesn't worry out some way for himself. And G.o.d knows he's the one best fitted for it. (MARY _enters._) Well, did you see him off comfortably?

MARY. Who?

KATE. Alick McCready.

MARY. Kate. I with you'd mind your own business.

KATE. It's a sore time I have in this house minding my own and every other bodies' business.

MARY. Kate. He said I couldn't bake a cake to save my life. I'll just show him that I can, and you're not to help me, mind you. I'm going to do it all myself.

MARY. Where's the flour?

KATE. There's none in the house, Miss Mary.

MARY. What?

KATE. You mind it was all used up this morning on account of them cakes that nearly killed your poor ould da.

MARY. Go down to McArdles, Kate, and get a quarter stone on account.

KATE. Your da told me this morning, Miss Mary, that I wasn't to get any more from McArdles or any other place unless he gives me an order for it. Do you not mind?

MARY (_dejectedly_). So he did. I had forgotten.

KATE. Aye. Quite so, Miss. (_She sits down contentedly._)

MARY. I wonder is Uncle Dan about?

KATE. Aye. He's in his workshop, Miss.

MARY (going over and knocking at door of workshop). Uncle Dan!

DANIEL (_appearing at door_). Well, Mary?

MARY. Uncle Dan, could you give me sixpence?

DANIEL (_jumbling in his pockets_). Sixpence? Sixpence, Mary? Bless your wee heart. Here. Here's a two shilling bit. But Mary, mum's the word. Don't tell John I gave it to you.

MARY. No. Thank you, uncle. (DANIEL _goes in again._) There, Kate, quick as you can and don't stop to talk to anybody. Sure you won't?

(_She hands_ KATE _the money and takes up the recipe book._)

KATE. I'm not dirty looking--am I, Miss Mary?

MARY (_absorbed in the book_). No. You'll do grand. Flour, currants.

KATE. Ach! You and your currants. Could you not tell a body was her face clean?

MARY. It's lovely. Hurry, Kate. (KATE _shrugs her shoulders disgustedly, and goes out by yard door._) Flour, currants----(_She goes over to the workshop door and listens_)--raisins--(_A sound as of a blast blowing can be heard._ MARY _becomes intensely interested, and, throwing aside the book, kneels down and puts her head to the keyhole._) He's actually got something to work. (_She peeps in._) He has, indeed. (_She laughs, knocks loudly at the door, and then runs to the other side of the kitchen._ DANIEL _opens the door and cautiously peeps out._) Uncle Danny! Ha! Ha! Uncle Danny! (_Dancing up and down in front of the fireplace._) Uncle Dan's a wonderful man! Uncle Dan's a wonderful man!

DANIEL (_amazed_). What's all this?

MARY. I'm a cleverer girl than you think, Uncle Dan! I know your great surprise. I've found it out. And you've actually got it to work!

That's splendid, uncle, isn't it? Father will be awful proud when he hears about it. And you did it all yourself, uncle?

DANIEL. Well, I took those plans, Mary, to a handy chap, an acquaintance of mine, and he made it out according to my design. I'm not sure--I think it works all right.

MARY. And did you get it sold, uncle?

DANIEL. No, Mary, but I have hopes--great hopes. (_He wanders up to the window apparently searching for the screw driver._)