Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Young clerk. [With a smile] My trouble was to stick that, sir.

Dancy.  But you get no excitement from year’s end to year’s end.  It’d drive me mad.

Young clerk. [Shyly] A case like this is pretty exciting.  I’d give a lot to see us win it.

Dancy. [Staring at him] Why?  What is it to you?

Young clerk.  I don’t know, sir.  It’s—­it’s like football—­you want your side to win. [He opens the waiting-room door.  Expanding] You see some rum starts, too, in a lawyer’s office in a quiet way.

     Dancy enters the waiting-room, and the young clerk, shutting the
     door, meets Twisden as he comes in, Left Forward, and takes from him
     overcoat, top hat, and a small bag.

Young clerk.  Captain Dancy’s waiting, sir. [He indicates the waiting-room].

Twisden. [Narrowing his lips] Very well.  Mr Graviter gone to the Courts?

Young clerk.  Yes, sir.

Twisden.  Did he leave anything for me?

Young clerk.  On the table, sir.

Twisden. [Taking up an envelope] Thank you.

     The clerk goes.

Twisden. [Opening the envelope and reading] “All corroborates.”  H’m! [He puts it in his pocket and takes out of an envelope the two notes, lays them on the table, and covers them with a sheet of blotting-paper; stands a moment preparing himself, then goes to the door of the waiting-room, opens it, and says:] Now, Captain Dancy.  Sorry to have kept you waiting.

Dancy. [Entering] Winsor came to me yesterday about General Canynge’s evidence.  Is that what you wanted to speak to me about?

Twisden.  No.  It isn’t that.

Dancy. [Looking at his wrist watch] By me it’s just on the half-hour, sir.

Twisden.  Yes.  I don’t want you to go to the Court.

Dancy.  Not?

Twisden.  I have very serious news for you.

Dancy. [Wincing and collecting himself] Oh!

Twisden.  These two notes. [He uncovers the notes] After the Court rose yesterday we had a man called Ricardos here. [A pause] Is there any need for me to say more?

Dancy. [Unflinching] No.  What now?

Twisden.  Our duty was plain; we could not go on with the case.  I have consulted Sir Frederic.  He felt—­he felt that he must throw up his brief, and he will do that the moment the Court sits.  Now I want to talk to you about what you’re going to do.

Dancy.  That’s very good of you, considering.

Twisden.  I don’t pretend to understand, but I imagine you may have done this in a moment of reckless bravado, feeling, perhaps, that as you gave the mare to De Levis, the money was by rights as much yours as his.

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Complete Plays of John Galsworthy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.