DANIEL. I am! I never realised until to-day how absolutely splendid it was to be an uncle. How wonderfully proud I should be of the fact that they are related to me. I came home eighteen months ago expecting to find a family of irritating self-centred young people idling about--true they were idling, but I liked them in spite of it--I have returned this time to find them not only hard-workers, but successful hard-workers. There is not one of them who hasn't achieved something--even Joyce, the flapper, has set to and made good at school. I tell you I'm proud of them, so proud that I could shout it from the house tops, and may I say this, Mrs. Crombie, that if your daughter has succeeded in making Bobbie fall in love with her, she is a very fortunate young woman. (MRS. CROMBIE _shows boredom during speech._) MRS. CROMBIE. Oh, is she? DANIEL. Because he is a fine boy, so is Oliver, so are they all splendid--and she should be proud to know them. MRS. CROMBIE. It really is very lucky that you are so contented with your lot. Personally, I'm not so ecstatic. Admitting for a moment that your nephew has such a marvellously fine character--which I doubt--he should not have made love to my daughter without being certain of his prospects. DANIEL. I will speak to him, Mrs. Crombie. MRS. CROMBIE. I should be very grateful if you would. (_Rises and moves up to him._) And please understand that nothing--nothing is to be settled without my consent. DANIEL. I quite understand that. MRS. CROMBIE. Thank you so much--I think I'll rejoin the others in the garden now. DANIEL. I'm sure they'd be charmed. (_Exit_ MRS. CROMBIE _into garden._ DANIEL, _left alone, lights another cigarette._) DANIEL (_feelingly_). Whew! What a woman! (_Falls on Chesterfield._) (EVANGELINE _peeps downstairs._) EVANGELINE. Has she gone? DANIEL. Yes, thank Heaven. I say, Vangy, she is a very objectionable woman. EVANGELINE (_coming down_). I know--we all loathe her. Now at last I can talk to you alone. (_Sits beside him._) DANIEL. Look here, Evangeline, I know exactly what you are going to say, and I settle it all on Griggs, if you like. He'll take it, he's a Scotsman. EVANGELINE. How did you know? DANIEL. Instinct, my dear, pure instinct. EVANGELINE (_rises_). Let's talk it all over. DANIEL (_rises and goes_ L.). No, not now, I must go up to my room. EVANGELINE. Oh, just a little talk! DANIEL. I have some letters to write. Also I'm tired and I feel my illness coming on again. Also I must wash before tea. Also---- EVANGELINE (_laughing_). It's quite obvious that you don't want to, so I'll leave you alone. Cheerio for the present. DANIEL. They all say that. Cheerio! I'm sure it portends something.... (_He goes off upstairs._) (_Enter_ JOYCE _from garden dragging_ FAITH _after her._) JOYCE. Now you've just got to tell the others that. FAITH (_flustered_). But I promised Bobbie I wouldn't say a word....