Volume Ii Part 32 (1/2)

WALTER. 'City of Rangoon'.

JAMES. We ought to wire and have him arrested at Naples; he can't be there yet.

c.o.kESON. His poor young wife. I liked the young man. Dear, oh dear! In this office!

WALTER. Shall I go to the bank and ask the cas.h.i.+er?

JAMES. [Grimly] Bring him round here. And ring up Scotland Yard.

WALTER. Really?

He goes out through the outer office. JAMES paces the room. He stops and looks at c.o.kESON, who is disconsolately rubbing the knees of his trousers.

JAMES. Well, c.o.keson! There's something in character, isn't there?

c.o.kESON. [Looking at him over his spectacles] I don't quite take you, sir.

JAMES. Your story, would sound d----d thin to any one who didn't know you.

c.o.kESON. Ye-es! [He laughs. Then with a sudden gravity] I'm sorry for that young man. I feel it as if it was my own son, Mr. James.

JAMES. A nasty business!

c.o.kESON. It unsettles you. All goes on regular, and then a thing like this happens. Shan't relish my lunch to-day.

JAMES. As bad as that, c.o.keson?

c.o.kESON. It makes you think. [Confidentially] He must have had temptation.

JAMES. Not so fast. We haven't convicted him yet.

c.o.kESON. I'd sooner have lost a month's salary than had this happen.

[He broods.]

JAMES. I hope that fellow will hurry up.

c.o.kESON. [Keeping things pleasant for the cas.h.i.+er] It isn't fifty yards, Mr. James. He won't be a minute.

JAMES. The idea of dishonesty about this office it hits me hard, c.o.keson.

He goes towards the door of the partners' room.

SWEEDLE. [Entering quietly, to c.o.kESON in a low voice] She's popped up again, sir-something she forgot to say to Falder.

c.o.kESON. [Roused from his abstraction] Eh? Impossible. Send her away!

JAMES. What's that?

c.o.kESON. Nothing, Mr. James. A private matter. Here, I'll come myself. [He goes into the outer office as JAMES pa.s.ses into the partners' room] Now, you really mustn't--we can't have anybody just now.

RUTH. Not for a minute, sir?