Christopher There was a misunderstanding that has now been –

Richard This bully has threatened us.

Christopher Has now been sorted out. Everything’s in hand.

Margaret Christopher, for God’s sake –

Richard I have never witnessed a more disgraceful situation: an entire household being intimidated by two peasant cut-throats.

Christopher Please – please – please. Language like that is no help at all. Everything’s in hand.

Richard Everything’s out of hand, for Christ’s sake!

Margaret He’s right, Chris. Stand up to him. This is your home.

Christopher Pay attention to me – Richard – Margaret – everybody. Thank you. One minute, please. Thank you. This discussion has –

Richard Discussion?

Christopher This discussion will now end. I have listened with attention to both sides and I have now decided that what is going to happen – in the best interests of all of us – what must happen is this. Cousin Richard and his assistant will leave immediately. Their work here is complete. If they make reasonable progress they will be well on their way to Galway before dark. This is best for all. Their work here is finished.

Richard Are you betraying me, Christopher?

Con Mr Gore is being sensible.

Margaret Christopher, you’re not going to –

Christopher (angrily) Keep out of this! Nothing at all to do with you, Margaret!

Margaret You coward.

Christopher My decision only. There’s nothing more to say. Everything’s in hand.

Margaret David, can you not –?

Christopher Bring their bags out here, Sally.

David Why are you doing this, Father?

Richard You are a traitor, Christopher.

Con (to David) Your guests aren’t welcome around here and your father has decided that they should leave now.

David Is that true, Father?

Con And he has made the right decision. Oh, yes, he has. (to Christopher) You know you’ve made the right decision, Mr Gore, don’t you?

Light change.

A couple of hours have passed. The lawn is furnished as before. Christopher is sitting outside, his face raised, his eyes resolutely closed, his body rigid. Margaret comes into the breakfast room with a handful of bills and receipts. She goes to the escritoire and busies herself comparing these papers with the receipts in the desk.

Margaret This man is becoming more and more brazen every week. You must do something about him, Christopher. He pays no attention to me.

Christopher (not listening) Must I?

Margaret Sugar is now threepence a pound. Last week it was tuppence. This week tea is three shillings. Last week two-and-six.

She comes out to the lawn with the bills in her hand.

Margaret And look at this. Paraffin oil and candles: one pound fourteen. That would light the whole place for three months. This is the only house he’s fleecing and he mustn’t get away with it. A real swindler is O’Farrell.

Christopher ‘A real swindler is O’Farrell.’ Don’t you people say, ‘O’Farrell is a real swindler’?

Brief pause.

Margaret Bacon – seven-and-six. He’s a robber! You could buy a whole side of bacon for that. And his father was a decent man. I remember him well. He used to come round selling herring from his hand-cart; and he’d park just across the street from the school; and he’d chant, ‘Herring! Fresh herring! Fresh herring make you strong.’ And if he had any fish left at the end of the day, he’d just give them away. And we scrambled and fought among ourselves to get one. The great trophy – a stiff and stinking herring – we were thrilled! (Laughs.) He was known locally as Fish O’Farrell.