SEPTIMA. Jenkins.
WILLIAM. Yes, even if he wrote all the books—always excepting the 1863 volume—even so, it was Oliver Blayds who arranged for their publication. He could fairly claim, therefore, an agent’s commission on all moneys received. Ten per cent.
ISOBEL (scornfully). Oliver Blayds, the well-known commission agent!
WILLIAM. Ten per cent of all moneys, therefore, is, in any case, rightfully ours.
MARION. Only ten per cent, dear. That seems very little.
WILLIAM. I am working on a minimum basis. Isobel says, “Throw all the money into the sea; it doesn’t belong to us.” I say no, that is going too far. We have one volume which is certainly ours. We have the ten per cent commission which is certainly ours. There may be other sums due to us, such as the profits of certain of the investments. We can look into the [237]matter carefully at our leisure. The great point, I take it, is that we want to be fair to the relatives of this man Jenkins, but also fair to the relatives of Oliver Blayds, who, as Septima points out, have at least done something to earn any money that comes to them.
MARION (to ISOBEL). We want to be fair to everybody, dear.
SEPTIMA. Well, I think you are going to give the Jenkinses much too much. What right have the Jenkinses got to any of the money which Grandfather made by investing?
OLIVER. Well, it was Jenkins’ money which was invested.
MARION. We shouldn’t like to think of them starving because we weren’t quite fair.