FEN. The chief sent for me. CHARLEY. Wasn't a rise, I suppose? FEN. Do I look like it? It's the other thing. CHARLEY. Docking? FEN. [_nodding first and then speaking slowly._] He said he'd sent for me as senior of my department. The company has had a bad year and they can't give the usual rises. CHARLEY. None? FEN. None. Haven't you had a letter? CHARLEY. No. I say, have I got the sack? FEN. No, you haven't. But they're offering you the same alternative they offered me--stay on at less--or go. CHARLEY. [_walking up and down._] What are you going to do? FEN. What can I do? Stay, of course--what else is there? CHARLEY. Sit down under it? FEN. What else? _Postman's knock._ CHARLEY. There's the postman. Wait a bit. _He goes out R. and the voices in the other room can be distinctly heard laughing, while someone is playing a waltz tune very brilliantly._ _CHARLEY comes back with a letter in his hand, closes door and music dies down._ CHARLEY. Here it is. [_He opens and reads it, then throws it on the table._] FENWICK. A bit of a blow, isn't it? CHARLEY. I didn't expect it. Did you? FENWICK. Not until last week when Morgan started making enquiries as to salaries, et cetera. Then I guessed. CHARLEY. We can't do anything. FENWICK. Of course not. CHARLEY. But I say, you know, it's all rot about a bad year. Don't expect we've been exactly piling it up, but it's nothing to grumble about. FENWICK. That doesn't affect us, anyway. We've got to do as we're told. I fancy old Morgan is hit, too. He was sugary, but of course he had to obey the instructions of the directors and so on. CHARLEY. It's no good swearing at him. FENWICK. It's no good swearing at anybody. What's a Board? Where is it? _The curtains part and LILY appears in the opening._ LILY. Charley--are you there? Are you never coming back? Oh, Mr. Fenwick! _FENWICK rises; shake hands._ FENWICK. Good evening. I'm afraid I'm an awful nuisance, but I just called to see your husband about a little business. LILY. You'll stay to supper, won't you? You and Charley can sit and talk business the whole time. I'm afraid Charley doesn't like music very much--do you, dear? CHARLEY. Oh, sometimes. LILY. [_big laugh from behind curtains._] You should hear Mr. Leslie. He's so funny, he's been giving Mr. Tennant advice what to do when he's a lonely bachelor in Australia. He made us _roar_ with laughter. _Goes back laughing._ CHARLEY. Silly ass! FENWICK. [_startled._] What? CHARLEY. That chap Leslie! It'd do him good to go to Australia for a bit. He'd stick to his berth if they docked his screw to ten bob. He's got no pride in him. FENWICK. Well, we--at least, I--can't say much--I'm going to stay on. You, too, I suppose.