Graviter. By George! I feel bad about
this.
Twisden. Yes. But professional honour
comes first. What time is that train? [He bends
over the ABC].
Curtain.
The same room on the following
morning at ten-twenty-five, by the
Grandfather clock.
The young Clerk is ushering
in Dancy, whose face is perceptibly
harder than it was three months ago, like that
of a man who has
lived under great restraint.
Dancy. He wanted to see me before the Court
sat.
Young Clerk. Yes, sir. Mr Twisden
will see you in one minute. He had to go out
of town last night. [He prepares to open the waiting-room
door].
Dancy. Were you in the war?
Young Clerk. Yes.
Dancy. How can you stick this?
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.
