ROYCE. Ten years ago. Surely—— ISOBEL. Is there a special manner of a man whose wife died ten years ago which I ought to have recognised? ROYCE (_laughing_). Well, no. But one always feels that a fact with which one has lived for years must have impressed itself somehow on others. ISOBEL. I didn’t know.... ROYCE (_suddenly_). I wish I could persuade you that you were quite wrong not to take any of this money. ISOBEL. Am I “quite wrong”? ROYCE (_shaking his head_). No. That’s why it’s so hopeless my trying to persuade you.... What are you going to do? ISOBEL (_rather sadly_). Aren’t I a “born nurse”? ROYCE. You tied my hand up once. ISOBEL (_smiling_). Well, there you are.... Oh, I daresay it’s just pride, but somehow I can’t take the money. The others can; you were right about that—I was wrong; but they have not been so near to him as I have.... I thought the whole world was at an end at first. But now—— ROYCE. But now you don’t. ISOBEL. No. I don’t know why. How hopeful we are. How—unbreakable. If I were God, I should be very proud of Man. ROYCE. Let Him go on being proud of you. ISOBEL. Oh, I’m tough. You can’t be a nurse without being tough. I shan’t break. ROYCE. And just a smile occasionally? ISOBEL (_smiling_). And even perhaps just a smile occasionally? ROYCE. Thank you. (_WILLIAM comes in fussily. But there is a suppressed air of excitement about him. He has OLIVER’S letter in his hand._) WILLIAM. Isobel, there are two pass-books missing—two of the early ones. I thought you had found them all. You haven’t seen them, Mr. Royce? ROYCE. No, I’ve had nothing to do with them. WILLIAM. You found most of the early ones in the bottom drawer of his desk, you told me. ISOBEL (_getting up_). I may have overlooked one; I’ll go and see. There was a great deal of rubbish there. ROYCE. Can’t I? ISOBEL. Would you? You know where. Thank you so much. ROYCE (_going_). Right. WILLIAM. Thank you very much, Mr. Royce, I’m sorry to trouble you. (_There is a little silence after ROYCE is gone. ISOBEL is thinking her own thoughts, not quite such unhappy ones now; WILLIAM is nervous and excited. After much polishing of his glasses he begins._) WILLIAM. Isobel, I have been thinking very deeply of late about this terrible business. ISOBEL. Yes? WILLIAM (_going to the desk_). Is this the statement? ISOBEL. Is it? WILLIAM (_glancing over it_). Yes ... yes. I’ve been wondering if we’ve been going too far. ISOBEL. About the money? WILLIAM. No, no. No, no, I wasn’t thinking about the money. ISOBEL. What, then? WILLIAM. Well.... Well.... I’m wondering.... Can we feel quite certain that if we make this announcement—can we feel quite certain that we are not—well—going too far? ISOBEL. You mean about the money? WILLIAM. No, no, no, no. ISOBEL. Then what else? I don’t understand.