Daniel. That's simply splendid. You've bucked me up tremendously. I shan't mind the Green Hart nearly so much now. (Rising.)
Sylvia (putting him back on seat). Uncle, you're not to go to the Green Hart at all, I won't have it.
Daniel. I must. When they all sit round looking reproachfully at me, it makes me feel as if I could sink under the table.
Sylvia (patting him and kneeling by him). But they won't—they'll have got over it.
Daniel. They're all much too young to get over being made fools of as quickly as that.
Sylvia. But, uncle——
Daniel. It's no use—I'm firm. I won't come back until they want me. As a matter of fact I realise I've been very foolish. I shouldn't have let things go so far. Naturally they were terribly disappointed at my wanting to live till eighty-two or eighty-three, and not having any money to leave them.
Sylvia. They're not really disappointed so much as outraged. They feel you've been laughing up your sleeve at them, as of course you have.
Daniel. No, I haven't—you're wrong there—I haven't. I couldn't help you financially. I'd borrowed the money to come over and the cheque I'd sent before. I'd just won, so I thought that the only way to assist at all was to use mental persuasion on all of you. There's always something fascinating in the idea of having money left one. It seems such an easy way of getting it. Of course it answered better than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams.
Sylvia. It was a little unnecessary to take each of us aside like you did and stuff us up with hope.