(MAXWELL _goes into the dining room and brings out a humidor. He places it by the lamp on the table and opens it. Both men take cigars and light them._) MAXWELL Ryan, what I want to talk to you about is the way in which you--it’s about what I hear about the way you--Sit down, sit down! (_He sits on the chaise-longue and_ RYAN, _looking somewhat puzzled, sits on a chair on the other side of the table_.) RYAN What was it you want to see me about, Mr. Johnson? Any complaint? MAXWELL Oh, no, not at all! Or, rather, yes, I have a complaint. It’s rather a hard thing. I must say I’m surprised to hear about the way you treat your wife. RYAN (_rising from his chair_) What are you trying to give me? You mind-- MAXWELL Now, that’s all right, Ryan; I’m not trying to start anything. I’ve lived in this apartment for five years and you know me. But they’ve been telling me that you don’t treat your wife right, and I thought I’d tell you about it. RYAN Anybody that told you that, Mr. Johnson, is a liar, I don’t care if it’s man, woman or child. MAXWELL Now, Ryan, will you just listen to me for a minute? This thing was sort of put up to me, and I’ve got to do it. Probably these people are all wrong. Just sit down and talk to me a minute. Have a drink? RYAN (_sulkily, sitting down again_) Yes, thanks. (MAXWELL _brings in from the dining room a bottle, a siphon and two glasses_.) Ain’t you got any ice? MAXWELL Oh, yes, that’s right. (_He goes into the dining room again and comes back with a plate of cracked ice. Meanwhile_ RYAN _pockets several cigars and pours a generous portion of whiskey into the glasses_. MAXWELL _sits down again, and as the men talk they drink, refilling their glasses from time to time_.) RYAN Now just what did these fresh guys say about me, Mr. Johnson? You know there’s such a thing as a libel law in these here United States. MAXWELL Well, I’ll tell you, Ryan. I don’t know whether there’s anything in it or not, and these people may have it all wrong, but they said that you were treating Mrs. Ryan very badly. RYAN I beat her up, I suppose? MAXWELL No, they didn’t say anything like that. It’s this way, Ryan: These people are making a sort of special study of people that work hard for a living, and they say--I don’t know whether they’re right or not--that you’re not treating Mrs. Ryan right to make her work so hard and have so many children and all that sort of thing. RYAN