edward. Anything between two and three hundred thousand pounds.
booth. [very impressed and not unfavourably.] Dear me . . this is a big affair!
hugh. [following his own line of thought.] Quite apart from the rights and wrongs of this, only a very able man could have kept a straight face to the world all these years, as the Pater did.
booth. I suppose he sometimes made money by these speculations.
edward. Very often. His own expenditure was heavy, as you know.
booth. [with gratitude for favours received.] He was a very generous man.
hugh. Did nobody ever suspect him?
edward. You see, Hugh, when there was any danger . . when a trust had to be wound up . . he'd make a great effort and put the accounts straight.
booth. Then he did put some accounts straight?