r. MAYOR. Private, I mean?

The moment is one of considerable tension.

GUY. [With an effort] At the moment, sir, I haven't one. I've just
left my diggings, and haven't yet got any others.

MAYOR. H'm! The Aerodrome. How did you come to be present?

GUY. I--er

BUILDER's eyes go round and rest on him for a moment.

It's in my sister's studio that Miss Athene Builder is at present
working, sir. I just happened to--to turn up.

MAYOR. Did you appear on the scene, as the constable says, during the
struggle?

GUY. Yes, sir.

MAYOR. Did he summon you to his aid?

GUY. Yes--No, sir. Miss Maud Builder did that.

MAYOR. What do you say to this blow?

GUY. [Jerking his chin up a little] Oh! I saw that clearly.

MAYOR. Well, let us hear.

GUY. The constable's arm struck the cane violently and it flew up and
landed him in the eye.

MAYOR. [With a little grunt] You are sure of that?

GUY. Quite sure, sir.

MAYOR. Did you hear any language?

GUY. Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. One or two damns and blasts.

MAYOR. You call that ordinary?

GUY. Well, he's a--magistrate, sir.

The MAYOR utters a profound grunt. CHANTREY smiles. There is a
silence. Then the MAYOR leans over to CHANTREY for a short
colloquy.

CHANTREY. Did you witness any particular violence other than a
resistance to arrest?

GUY. No, sir.

MAYOR. [With a gesture of dismissal] Very well, That seems to be the
evidence. Defendant John Builder--what do you say to all this?

BUILDER. [In a voice different from any we have heard from him] Say!
What business had he to touch me, a magistrate? I gave my daughter two
taps with a cane in a private house, for interfering with me for taking
my wife home--

MAYOR. That charge is not pressed, and we can't go into the
circumstances. What do you wish to say about your conduct towards
the constable?

BUILDER. [In his throat] Not a damned thing!

MAYOR. [Embarrassed] I--I didn't catch.

CHANTREY. Nothing--nothing, he said, Mr Mayor.

MAYOR. [Clearing his throat] I understand, then, that you do not wish to
offer any explanation?

BUILDER. I consider myself abominably treated, and I refuse to say
another word.

MAYOR. [Drily] Very good. Miss Maud Builder.

MAUD stands up.

MAYOR. When you spoke of the defendant seeing red, what exactly did you
mean?

MAUD. I mean that my father was so angry that he didn