could get
backwards and forwards to America and send me large cheques and things?

JOYCE. He wins a little from time to time by horse-racing.

MRS. DERMOTT. Rubbish. No one can ever win at horse-racing. I never did.
The bookies and jockeys and people don't let you.

EVANGELINE. Mother dear, how _can_ you be so obstinate. I tell you he
told us all about it in here yesterday afternoon--gave us his solemn
word----

MRS. DERMOTT. But only in fun, darling, only in fun--he's obviously a
very rich man.

OLIVER. Hah!

MRS. DERMOTT. By the by, I wish one of you would just go into the garden
and find him. The mushrooms will be ruined.

SYLVIA. He isn't in the garden at all, mother, he's gone to the _Green
Hart_.

(_All look surprised._)

MRS. DERMOTT. What do you mean, Sylvia? Why has he gone to the _Green
Hart_?

SYLVIA. Because every one here had been so beastly to him.

(_They all continue breakfast hurriedly._)

MRS. DERMOTT. You mean that he----! Oh, Sylvia! (_She bursts into
tears._)

SYLVIA. Mother darling, don't cry.... (_Rises and kisses her._)

MRS. DERMOTT (_weeping bitterly_). Darling Danny. My only brother. And
you've driven him away--after all his kindness and everything. Oh, how
could you? How could you? He must be sent for at once. (_She rises and
rings the bell, dropping bits of newspaper en route._) You're wicked,
wicked children, and you don't deserve any one to be kind to you ever
again.

(_Enter_ GRIGGS, R.)

Oh, Griggs, send the car down to the _Green Hart_ at once to fetch Mr.
Davis.

GRIGGS. Yes, madam.

(_Exit_ GRIGGS, R.)

MRS. DERMOTT (C.). How dare you behave like you have done. I shall
never, never forgive you--you're cruel and horrid and----

OLIVER. It's all very fine, mother, but he made fools of us.

MRS. DERMOTT. He didn't do anything of the sort--he only meant it
kindly--going to all that trouble, too (_she weeps again_), with one
foot in the grave.

BOBBIE. And the other in the _Green Hart_.

JOYCE. He's not going to die. He said he meant to live to eighty-two.

MRS. DERMOTT. Eighty-three, I think, was the age, dear, but that's just
another instance of his dear unselfishness--so that you wouldn't worry
over him. I know! I'm going up to my room--you've upset me for the rest
of the day. Call me the very moment he comes. Oh, how could you? How
could you be so unkind? Oh, just look at my nose, it's all red and
shiny.

(_Exit upstairs._ SYLVIA _follows, standing