Alick.  I never can make up my mind, David, whether her curls make her look younger or older.

David [determinedly].  Younger.  Whist!  I hear her winding the clock.  Mind, not a word about the minister to her, James.  Don’t even mention religion this day.

James.  Would it be like me to do such a thing?

David.  It would be very like you.  And there’s that other matter:  say not a syllable about our having a reason for sitting up late to-night.  When she says it’s bed-time, just all pretend we’re not sleepy.

Alick.  Exactly, and when—­

[Here Maggie enters, and all three are suddenly engrossed in the dambrod.  We could describe Maggie at great length.  But what is the use?  What you really want to know is whether she was good-looking.  No, she was not.  Enter Maggie, who is not good-looking.  When this is said, all is said.  Enter Maggie, as it were, with her throat cut from ear to ear.  She has a soft Scotch voice and a more resolute manner than is perhaps fitting to her plainness; and she stops short at sight of James sprawling unconsciously in the company chair.]

Maggie.  James, I wouldn’t sit on the fine chair.

James.  I forgot again.

[But he wishes she had spoken more sharply.  Even profanation of the fine chair has not roused her.  She takes up her knitting, and they all suspect that she knows what they have been talking about.]

Maggie.  You’re late, David, it’s nearly bed-time.

David [finding the subject a safe one].  I was kept late at the public meeting.

Alick [glad to get so far away from Galashiels].  Was it a good meeting?

David.  Fairish. [with some heat] That young John Shand would make a speech.

Maggie.  John Shand?  Is that the student Shand?

David.  The same.  It’s true he’s a student at Glasgow University in the winter months, but in summer he’s just the railway porter here; and I think it’s very presumptuous of a young lad like that to make a speech when he hasn’t a penny to bless himself with.

Alick.  The Shands were always an impudent family, and jealous.  I suppose that’s the reason they haven’t been on speaking terms with us this six years.  Was it a good speech?

David [illustrating the family’s generosity].  It was very fine; but he needn’t have made fun of me.

Maggie [losing a stitch].  He dared?

David [depressed].  You see I can not get started on a speech without saying things like ‘In rising for to make a few remarks.’

James.  What’s wrong with it?

David.  He mimicked me, and said, ’Will our worthy chairman come for to go for to answer my questions?’ and so on; and they roared.

James [slapping his money pocket].  The sacket.