Clement Sir.

Christopher You know very well you are welcome in this house day or night.

Clement I thank you for that.

Christopher Now. You’ve never met my cousin, Richard, have you? Clement O’Donnell – Doctor Gore.

Clement Honoured, Sir.

Christopher Richard’s from the home place in Kent. And his assistant, Perkins.

Clement Mr Perkins. Delighted.

Perkins Delighted.

David How are you, Clement?

Clement Ah – Master David!

David Very good to see you, Clement.

Clement Good to see you, too, David.

Christopher (to Richard) O’Donnell is the dominie in our local school and valued for a range of talents, but most especially for his remarkable choir, his renowned choir.

Clement Sir, I merely –

Christopher No, no; it is the envy of every school in the kingdom.

Clement The very reason for my trespass now, Mr

Christopher – my choir.

Christopher Let me get you a drink.

Clement I’m already well fortified and –

Christopher Not a bit of it.

David What will it be?

Margaret Nothing! Nothing at all! Can’t you see the man’s drunk already?

Clement (to Richard) I am Margaret’s father, Sir.

Margaret You’ll get no drink in this house. Off you go now!

Clement But without my daughter’s circumspection.

David A cup of tea, Clement! The very thing!

Margaret departs into the house.

Clement And if she hadn’t cut herself off from her home and her people she might recall a man of some faded nicety. And even at his present disadvantage he is alert to the nuances of a situation like this.

Christopher (silencing hand) O’Donnell!

Clement Sir.

David What were you going to tell us about your choir?

Clement I came up to enquire did you hear us? We performed our new piece for you.

Christopher Today?

Clement A short time ago.

Christopher Missed that, O’Donnell, I’m afraid. We were away all morning at the Lifford memorial.

Clement Ah yes. Bad, bad, business.

David Did you have the children out in the school yard?

Clement In splendid voice, too.

Christopher (to Richard) You missed a treat. They really are superb.

Clement The music liberates them briefly from their poverty, Mr Richard. A fleet and thrilling mayfly – if you’re an angling man. When they sing they fashion their own ethereal opulence and become a little heavenly themselves. You’ll pardon me: alcohol tends to mollify the mind.

David What’s the new piece, Clement?

Clement Yet another Tom Moore, I’m afraid.

David Unison or harmony?

Clement Three-part harmony. (to Richard) I have a modest talent for harmonic arranging.

Richard I do believe I did hear you.

Clement You never did, Sir?!

Richard We did, Perkins, didn’t we?

Perkins Overheard, Sir, indeed.

Clement I’m so pleased.

Richard Far off in the distance. Yes. Very … very fetching.

Clement The piece you heard was ‘Oft in the Stilly Night’ – (Laughs.) – that’s the title. Are you familiar with Mr Moore?

Richard With –?

Clement Thomas Moore, close friend of your Lord Byron.

Richard Not acquainted, I’m afraid.