RICHARD. Then I refuse it. I'll have nothing to do with it. I won't even
argue about it. (Tearing the letter into bits) That's what I think of
your money. [He stalks indignantly from the room.]
VIOLA. Dick! Oh, but, mother, he mustn't. Oh, I must tell him--[She
hurries after him.]
MARGARET (with dignity). Really, Mr. Clifton, I'm surprised at you. [She
goes out too.]
CLIFTON (looking round the room). And now, Mr. Crawshaw, we are alone.
CRAWSHAW. Yes. Well, I think, Mr. Clifton, you have a good deal to
explain--
CLIFTON. My dear sir, I'm longing to begin. I have been looking forward
to this day for weeks. I spent over an hour this morning dressing for
it. (He takes papers from his hat and moves to the sofa.) Perhaps I had
better begin from the beginning.
CRAWSHAW (interested, indicating the papers). The documents in the case?
CLIFTON. Oh dear, no just something to carry in the hand. It makes
one look more like a solicitor. (Reading the title) "Watherston v.
Towser--in re Great Missenden Canal Company." My clerk invents the
titles; it keeps him busy. He is very fond of Towser; Towser is always
coming in. (Frankly) You see, Mr. Crawshaw, this is my first real case,
and I only got it because Antony Clifton is my uncle. My efforts to
introduce a little picturesqueness into the dull formalities of the law
do not meet with that response that one would have expected.
CRAWSHAW (looking at his watch). Yes. Well, I'm a busy man, and if you
could tell me as shortly as possible why your uncle left this money
to me, and apparently to Mr. Meriton too, under these extraordinary
conditions, I shall be obliged to you.
CLIFTON. Say no more, Mr. Crawshaw; I look forward to being entirely
frank with you. It will be a pleasure.
CRAWSHAW. You understand, of course, my position. I think I may say that
I am not without reputation in the country; and proud as I am to accept
this sacred trust, this money which the late Mr. Antony Clifton has seen
fit--(modestly) one cannot say why--to bequeath to me, yet the use of
the name Wurzel-Flummery would be excessively awkward.
CLIFTON (cheerfully). Excessively.
CRAWSHAW. My object in seeing you was to inquire if it was absolutely
essential that the name should go with the money.
CLIFTON. Well (thoughtfully), you may have the name _without_ the money
if you like. But you must have the name.
CRAWSHAW (disappointed). Ah! (Bravely) Of course, I have nothing against
the name, a good old Hampshire name--
CLIFTON (shocked). My dear Mr. Crawshaw, you didn't think--you didn't
really think that anybody had been called Wurzel-Flummery before? Oh no,
no. You and Mr. Meriton were to be the first, the founders of the clan,
the designers of the Wurzel-Flummery sporran--
CRAWSHAW. What do you mean, sir? Are you telling me that it is not a
real name at all?
CLIFTON. Oh, it's a name all right. I know it is because--er--_I_ made
it up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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