Mr. Venables won't let you speak at Leeds, I fear,
if you leave me.
JOHN. What a chance it would have been. But let it go.
MAGGIE. The meeting is in less than a month. Could you not make it
such a speech that they would be very loth to lose you?
JOHN [swelling]. That's what was in my mind.
SYBIL [with noble confidence]. And he could have done it.
MAGGIE. Then we've come to something practical.
JOHN [exercising his imagination with powerful effect]. No, it
wouldn't be fair to you if I was to stay on now.
MAGGIE. Do you think I'll let myself be considered when your career
is at stake. A month will soon pass for me; I'll have a lot of
packing to do.
JOHN. It's noble of you, but I don't deserve it, and I can't take it
from you.
MAGGIE. Now's the time, Lady Sybil, for you to have one of your
inspiring ideas.
SYBIL [ever ready]. Yes, yes--but what?
[It is odd that they should both turn to MAGGIE at this moment.]
MAGGIE [who has already been saying it to herself]. What do you think
of this: I can stay on here with my father and brothers; and you,
John, can go away somewhere and devote yourself to your speech?
SYBIL. Yes.
JOHN. That might be. [Considerately] Away from both of you. Where
could I go?
SYBIL [ever ready]. Where?
MAGGIE. I know.
[She has called up a number on the telephone before they have time to
check her.
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