I don’t mind telling you now that he’d pretty well come to the end of his tether. Your money was all right because he’d have paid everything up, but he wouldn’t have had much left. MR. WRIGHT. Of course he doesn’t know anything about this yet? RIXON. Not a word. For all he knows, he’s a ruined man, and here am I trying to get him on the telephone to tell him he’s come into a peerage and a very handsome income. [CHARLES _enters with the telephone book_. CHARLES. 7869 Gerrard, sir. RIXON. Thanks. [_He rings up and asks for the number._ RIXON. 7869 Gerrard, please, Miss.... What? Confound it, the line’s engaged.... I must go round to his club in a cab. I suppose you don’t want to wait here now, Wright? MR. WRIGHT. No, sir. I’ll get back to the shop. CHARLES. I ’ope you’ll suit your own convenience, sir. [CHARLES _shows them out and comes back_.] I don’t know what these tradespeople are coming to when they expect gentlemen to pay their bills. [_He seats himself in the most comfortable chair in the room and puts his feet on the table. His back is to the door. The newspaper is lying by his side. He shuts his eyes and dozes._ [GERALD _enters silently, followed immediately by_ BLENKINSOP _and_ FREDDIE PERKINS. [GERALD _is a handsome man of seven or eight and twenty, simple in his manners, carefully dressed but without exaggeration_. FREDDIE _is a vivacious boy of two and twenty_, BLENKINSOP _is an old bachelor of five and forty; he is well-preserved and takes a good deal of care of his appearance. He is dressed in the height of fashion._ [_For a moment they look silently at_ CHARLES, _who wakes with a start and jumps up in confusion_. CHARLES. I beg your pardon, sir; I didn’t hear you come in. GERALD. [_With an ironical politeness which he preserves during all his remarks to_ CHARLES.] Pray don’t let us disturb you. I shall never forgive myself if I think I’ve interrupted your nap. CHARLES. Shall I take your hat, sir? GERALD. It’s very kind of you. I shouldn’t like you to put yourself out. FREDDIE. [_Sitting down._] By Jove, what a ripping chair! No wonder that Charles went to sleep. CHARLES. Mr. Rixon has just been, sir. He’s gone on to the club. GERALD. [_With a laugh._] I’m not sorry to miss him. One’s solicitor seldom has any good news to bring one. CHARLES. Will you have the whiskey and soda, sir? GERALD. If it wouldn’t give you too much trouble. [CHARLES _goes out, and_ GERALD _hands the cigarette box to_ BLENKINSOP _and_ FREDDIE. GERALD. Sit down and make yourself comfortable, James. BLENKINSOP. To do that is one of the few principles I’ve adhered to in the course of an easy and unadventurous life. [CHARLES _enters with a tray on which are glasses, whiskey and sodas_. CHARLES. Is there anything else you want, sir? GERALD.