DAVID. 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 hasn’t a penny to bless himself with.
ALICK. The Shands were always an impudent family, and jealous. I suppose that’s the reason they haven’t been on speaking terms with us this six years. Was it a good speech?
DAVID [illustrating the family’s generosity]. It was very fine; but he needn’t have made fun of ME.
MAGGIE [losing a stitch]. He dared?
DAVID [depressed]. You see I can not get started on a speech without saying things like ‘In rising FOR to make a few remarks.’
JAMES. What’s wrong with it?
DAVID. He mimicked me, and said, ‘Will our worthy chairman come for to go for to answer my questions?’ and so on; and they roared.
JAMES [slapping his money pocket]. The sacket.
DAVID. I did feel bitterly, father, the want of education. [Without knowing it, he has a beautiful way of pronouncing this noble word.]
MAGGIE [holding out a kind hand to him]. David.