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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.
