MR. VOYSEY. He stands to lose nothing if I'm spared for a little, and you will only bring a little common sense to bear and try to understand the difficulties of my position. EDWARD. Father, I'm not thinking ill of you . . that is, I'm trying not to. But won't you explain how you're justified--? MR. VOYSEY. In putting our affairs in order. EDWARD. Are you doing that? MR. VOYSEY. What else? EDWARD. [_starting patiently to examine the matter._] How bad were things when you first came to control them? MR. VOYSEY. Oh, I forget. EDWARD. You can't forget. MR. VOYSEY. Well . . pretty bad. EDWARD. Do you know how it was my grandfather began to-- MR. VOYSEY. Muddlement, muddlement! Then the money went and what was he to do. He'd no capital, no credit, and was in terror of his life. My dear Edward, if I hadn't found it out, he'd have confessed to the first man who came and asked for a balance sheet. EDWARD. Well, what exact sum was he to the bad then? MR. VOYSEY. I forget. Several thousands. EDWARD. But surely it has not taken all these years to pay off-- MR. VOYSEY. Oh, hasn't it! EDWARD. [_making his point._] But how does it happen, sir, that such a comparatively recent trust as young Hatherley's had been broken into? MR. VOYSEY. Well, what could be safer than to use that money? There's a Consol investment and not a sight wanted of either capital or interest for five years. EDWARD. [_utterly beaten._] Father, are you mad? MR. VOYSEY. Certainly not. My practice is to reinvest my clients' money when it is entirely under my control. The difference between the income this money has to bring to them and the income it is actually bringing to me I utilise in my endeavour to fill up the deficit in the firm's accounts . . in fact to try and put things straight. Doesn't it follow that the more low interest bearing capital I can use the better . . the less risky things I have to put it into. Most of young Hatherley's Consol capital is out on mortgage at four and a half and five . . safe as safe can be. EDWARD. But he should have the benefit. MR. VOYSEY. He has the amount of his consol interest. EDWARD. Are the mortgages in his name? MR. VOYSEY. Some of them . . some of them. That's a technical matter. With regard to Mrs. Murberry . . those Fretworthy Bonds at my bank . . I've raised five thousand on them. I can release her Bonds to-morrow if she wants them. EDWARD. Where's the five thousand? MR. VOYSEY. I don't know . . it was paid into my private account. Yes, I do remember. Some of it went to complete a purchase . . that and two thousand more out of the Skipworth fund. EDWARD. But, my dear father-- MR. VOYSEY. Well? EDWARD. [_summing it all up very simply._] It's not right. MR. VOYSEY _considers his son for a moment with a pitying shake of the head_.