Oh , let the solid ground Not fail beneath my feet , Before my life has found What some have found so sweet .ALICKWhat 's that you 're saying , David ? DAVIDThe thing I 'm speaking about is Love . JAMESDo you stand there and say you 're in love , David Wylie ? Me ; what would I do with the thing ? JAMESI see no necessity for calling it a thing .DAVIDOho , has she got you , James ? JAMESNobody has got me . They 'll catch you yet , lad . That 's so . JAMESAnd fear of that wink is what has kept the two of us single men . And yet what 's the glory of being single ? There 's no particular glory in it , but it 's safe . JAMESYes , it 's lonely , but it 's safe . But who did you mean the poetry for , then ? For Maggie , of course . Love . There 's no doubt as that 's what Maggie has set her heart on . And not merely love , but one of those grand noble loves ; for though Maggie is undersized she has a passion for romance . JAMESIt 's terrible not to be able to give Maggie what her heart is set on .ALICKThose idiots of men . Father , did you tell her who had got the minister of Galashiels ? ALICKI had to tell her . And then I — I — bought her a sealskin muff , and I just slipped it into her hands and came away . JAMESOf course , to be fair to the man , he never pretended he wanted her . None of them wants her ; that 's what depresses her . I was thinking , father , I would buy her that gold watch and chain in Snibby 's window . She hankers after it . JAMESYou 're too late , David ; I 've got them for her . It 's ill done of the minister . Many a pound of steak has that man had in this house . 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 . Fairish .That young John Shand WOULD make a speech . 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 has n't a penny to bless himself with . He mimicked me , and said , ‘ Will our worthy chairman come for to go for to answer my questions ? ’ and so on ; and they roared . JAMESThe sacket . I did feel bitterly , father , the want of education .MAGGIEDavid . Havering idiot . Maggie , would you like a silk ? You stupid whelp . We had n't meant for to tell you till we nabbed them ; but they 've been in this room twice of late . We sat up last night waiting for them , and we 're to sit up again to-night . It 's all safe as yet . That makes us think that they were either frightened away these other times , or that they are coming back for to make a clean sweep . It was on Tuesday that the polissman called at the quarry with a very queer story . He had seen a man climbing out at this window at ten past two . It was so dark he lost sight of him at once . We 've found out that the catch of the window has been pushed back by slipping the blade of a knife between the woodwork . No , no . We were thinking that very likely he has bunches of keys in the bag . As for that , we have some pretty stout weapons ourselves in the umbrella stand . So , if you 'll go to your bed , Maggie — And they say she has no charm ! That 's him . We have him . Out with the light . You can n't think of anything clever for to go for to say now , John . Explain away , my billie . It 's siller , then ? JOHNMy first year at college I lived on a barrel of potatoes , and we had just a sofa-bed between two of us ; when the one lay down the other had to get up . Do you think it was hardship ? It was sublime . But this year I can n't afford it . I 'll have to stay on here , collecting the tickets of the illiterate , such as you , when I might be with Romulus and Remus among the stars . JAMESHavers . DAVIDWhist , James . I must say , young lad , I like your spirit . Now tell me , what 's your professors ’ opinion of your future . You have a name here for high moral character . Are you serious-minded ? Who do you sit under in Glasgow ? Are you a Sabbath-school teacher ? One more question . Are you promised ? Yes . So .JAMESDo you want me too ? So are we . How do you take it ? Is there any hot water , Maggie ? You 'll take it hot , James ? JAMES No , I — DAVID I think you 'll take it hot , James . JAMES I 'll take it hot . The kettle , Maggie . Mr. Shand , we have an offer to make you . JOHNNo patronage . Leave it to me , father . It 's this —Maggie , do n't you see that you 're not wanted ? MAGGIEI do , David . I have a proposition to put before Mr. Shand , and women are out of place in business transactions .ALICKWe 'll have to let her bide , David . DAVIDWoman .Very well then , sit there , but do n't interfere , mind . Mr. Shand , we 're willing , the three of us , to lay out L300 on your education if — That 's no reason why we should n't have his friendly opinion . Your objections , Mr. Shand ? The position is that without the three hundred you can n't soar . It 's a good arrangement for you , Mr. Shand . The chances are you 'll never have to go on with it , for in all probability she 'll marry soon . You have to risk that . You can take it or leave it . That 's how I like to hear you speak . A young Scotsman of your ability let loose upon the world with L300 , what could he not do ? It 's almost appalling to think of ; especially if he went among the English . She 's twenty-five . Well , Mr. Shand ? JOHNI 'm willing if she 's willing . Maggie ? Come , come , Mr. Shand , it 's just a form . JOHNMiss Maggie , will you ? MAGGIEIs it an offer ? JOHNYes . MAGGIEBefore I answer I want first to give you a chance of drawing back . Maggie . MAGGIEWhen they said that I have been run after they were misleading you . I 'm without charm ; nobody has ever been after me . Should we do that , or should we just trust to one another 's honour ? ALICKLet Maggie decide . We 'll have it drawn up to-morrow . I was thinking the best way would be for to pay the money in five yearly instalments . Well , good-night to you , Mr. Shand . I 'll have the document ready for you .I think , Maggie , you might see Mr. Shand to the door . He 's a fine frank fellow ; and you saw how cleverly he got the better of me about banking the money .I tell you , father , he has a grand business head . Ten forty-two . Havers . Not at all . You 'll be the making of him .Are you taking the books to your bed , Maggie ? Hold her down .JAMESJohn Shand 's the man for you . John Shand 's the man for you . John Shand 's the man for you . DAVIDHave you heard anything ? MaggieIt was mad of him to dare . Maggie , Maggie , my lamb , best be prepared for the worst . MAGGIEI am prepared . They 're terrible still ; what can make them so still ? I think he 's coming . Fling yourself at the door , father , and bar them out . Maggie , what keeps you so quiet now ? MAGGIEYou 're sure you 're in , John ? Certainly , Mr. Shand . Him that was speaking for you ? Not for to say a relation . She 's my sister . Our name is Wylie . No , just friends . COMTESSEAha ! I know you . Next , please ! Sybil , do you weigh yourself , or are you asleep ? The pin ? It was n't a pin he picked up , my lady ; it was L300 . ALICKAnd his rise was n't so rapid , just at first , David ! He had his fight . His original intention was to become a minister ; he 's university-educated , you know ; he 's not a working-man member . ALICKHe 's an M. A . But while he was a student he got a place in an iron-cementer 's business . COMTESSEIron-cementer ? They scrape boilers . No , a gift — of a sort — from some well-wishers . But they would n't hear of his paying it off , father ! But his ambition was n't satisfied . Soon he had public life in his eye . As a heckler he was something fearsome ; they had to seat him on the platform for to keep him quiet . Next they had to let him into the Chair . After that he did all the speaking ; he cleared all roads before him like a fire-engine ; and when this vacancy occurred , you could hardly say it did occur , so quickly did he step into it . My lady , there are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make . James , father , have you grip of her ? Then hoist her up . Very fine imitation . It 's a capital house , Maggie . James !You will be yet , my lady . Fine would we like to see all the house as well as the sleeping accommodation . But first — The second anniversary of your marriage . We came purposely for the day . JAMESIt 's a lace shawl , Maggie , from the three of us , a pure Tobermory ; you would never dare wear it if you knew the cost . Havers . Well said , Mr. Shand . MAGGIEAnd now , if you 'll come with me , I think John has something he wants to talk over with Lady Sybil .Or would you prefer , John , to say it before us all ? SYBILNo ! JOHNYes , I prefer to say it before you all . MAGGIEThen sit down again . She 'll leave it for us to do . No , by God !Have you nothing to say to her , man ? There 's a devil in you , John Shand . JOHNI dare say there is . But do you think he had a walk over , Mr. David ? It 's him that 's deserting you . I suppose you understand that you 'll have to resign your seat . JOHNThere are hundreds of seats , but there 's only one John Shand . MAGGIEThat 's how I like to hear him speak . DAVIDThink , man , I 'm old by you , and for long I 've had a pride in you . It will be beginning the world again with more against you than there was eight years ago . I dare say it is , but it 's something big . HER charm ! JAMESYes , HER charm . Put on your things , Maggie , and we 'll leave his house . MAGGIENot me , David . You have n't given in ! Does he deserve to be saved after the way he has treated you ?