CRAWSHAW. Antony Clifton.
MARGARET. Yes, he's left you fifty thousand pounds, together with the
name of Wurzley-Fothergill--
CRAWSHAW. Wurzel--oh, well, never mind.
MARGARET. Yes, well, you tell the solicitor that you will take the fifty
thousand pounds, but you don't want the name. It's too absurd, when
everybody knows of Robert Crawshaw, M.P., to expect you to call yourself
Wurzley-Fothergill.
CRAWSHAW (impatiently). Yes, yes. The point is that this Mr. Clifton has
left me the money on _condition_ that I change my name. If I don't take
the name, I don't take the money.
MARGARET. But is that legal?
CRAWSHAW. Perfectly. It is often done. People change their names on
succeeding to some property.
MARGARET. I thought it was only when your name was Moses and you changed
it to Talbot.
CRAWSHAW (to himself). Wurzel-Flummery!
MARGARET. I wonder why he left you the money at all. Of course it was
very nice of him, but if you didn't know him--Why do you think he did,
dear?
CRAWSHAW. I know no more than this letter. I suppose he
had--ah--followed my career, and was--ah--interested in it, and being a
man with no relations, felt that he could--ah--safely leave this money
to me. No doubt Wurzel-Flummery was his mother's maiden name, or
the name of some other friend even dearer to him; he wished the
name--ah--perpetuated, perhaps even recorded not unworthily in the
history of our country, and--ah--made this will accordingly. In a way it
is a kind of--ah--sacred trust.
MARGARET. Then, of course, you'll accept it, dear?
CRAWSHAW. It requires some consideration. I have my career to think
about, my duty to my country.
MARGARET. Of course, dear. Money is a great help in politics, isn't it?
CRAWSHAW. Money wisely spent is a help in any profession. The view of
riches which socialists and suchlike people profess to take is entirely
ill-considered. A rich man, who spends his money thoughtfully, is
serving his country as nobly as anybody.
MARGARET. Yes, dear. Then you think we _could_ have that second car and
the house in Curzon Street?
CRAWSHAW. We must not be led away. Fifty thousand pounds, properly
invested, is only two thousand a year. When you have deducted the
income-tax--and the tax on unearned income is extremely high just now--
MARGARET. Oh, but surely if we have to call ourselves Wurzel-Flummery it
would count as _earned_ income.
CRAWSHAW. I fear not. Strictly speaking, all money is earned. Even if it
is left to you by another, it is presumably left to you in recognition
of certain outstanding qualities which you possess. But Parliament takes
a different view. I do not for a moment say that fifty thousand pounds
would not be welcome. Fifty pounds is certainly not to be sneezed at--
MARGARET. I should think not, indeed!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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