MAGGIE [again]. What is it, John? JOHN. What if it was you that put those queer ideas into my head! MAGGIE. Me? JOHN. Without your knowing it, I mean. MAGGIE. But how? JOHN. We used to talk bits over; and it may be that you dropped the seed, so to speak. MAGGIE. John, could it be this, that I sometimes had the idea in a rough womanish sort of way and then you polished it up till it came out a Shandism? JOHN [slowly slapping his knee]. I believe you’ve hit it, Maggie: to think that you may have been helping me all the time--and neither of us knew it! [He has so nearly reached a smile that no one can say what might have happened within the next moment if the COMTESSE had not reappeared.] COMTESSE. Mr. Venables wishes to see you, Mr. Shand. JOHN [lost, stolen, or strayed a smile in the making]. Hum! COMTESSE. He is coming now. JOHN [grumpy]. Indeed! COMTESSE [sweetly]. It is about your speech. JOHN. He has said all he need say on that subject, and more. COMTESSE [quaking a little]. I think it is about the second speech. JOHN. What second speech? [MAGGIE runs to her bag and opens it.] MAGGIE [horrified]. Comtesse, you have given it to him! COMTESSE [impudently]. Wasn’t I meant to? JOHN. What is it? What second speech? MAGGIE. Cruel, cruel. [Willing to go on her knees] You had left the first draft of your speech at home, John, and I brought it here with--with a few little things I’ve added myself. JOHN [a seven-footer]. What’s that? MAGGIE [four foot ten at most]. Just trifles--things I was to suggest to you--while I was knitting--and then, if you liked any of them you could have polished them--and turned them into something good. John, John--and now she has shown it to Mr. Venables. JOHN [thundering]. As my work, Comtesse? [But the COMTESSE is not of the women who are afraid of thunder.] MAGGIE. It is your work--nine-tenths of it. JOHN [in the black cap]. You presumed, Maggie Shand! Very well, then, here he comes, and now we’ll see to what extent you’ve helped me. VENABLES. My dear fellow. My dear Shand, I congratulate you. Give me your hand. JOHN. The speech? VENABLES. You have improved it out of knowledge. It is the same speech, but those new touches make all the difference. [JOHN sits down heavily.] Mrs. Shand, be proud of him. MAGGIE. I am. I am, John. COMTESSE. You always said that his second thoughts were best, Charles. VENABLES [pleased to be reminded of it]. Didn’t I, didn’t I? Those delicious little touches! How good that is, Shand, about the flowing tide. COMTESSE. The flowing tide? VENABLES. In the first speech it was something like this--‘Gentlemen, the Opposition are calling to you to vote for them and the flowing tide, but I solemnly warn you to beware lest the flowing tide does not engulf you.’ The second way is much better. COMTESSE. What is the second way, Mr. Shand? [JOHN does not tell her.]