trenchard. Nonsense, my dear Edward. The law will take anything it has a right to and all it can get; you needn't be afraid. There's no obligation, legal or moral, for us to throw our pounds into the wreck that they may become pence.
edward. I can hear him.
trenchard. But what about your own position . . can we get you clear?
edward. That doesn't matter.
booth's head has been turning incessantly from one to the other and by this he is just a bristle of alarm.
booth. But I say, you know, this is awful! Will this have to be made public?
trenchard. No help for it.
The Major's jaw drops; he is speechless. mrs. voysey's dead voice steals in.
mrs. voysey. What is all this?
trenchard. Edward wishes us to completely beggar ourselves in order to pay back to every client to whom father owed a pound perhaps ten shillings instead of seven.