edward. [appealing to the spirits that watch over him.] Oh, listen to this! First Trenchard . . and now you! You've the poison in your blood, every one of you. Who am I to talk? I daresay so have I.
booth. [reprovingly.] I am beginning to think that you have worked yourself into rather an hysterical state over this unhappy business.
edward. [rating him.] Perhaps you'd have been glad . . glad if I'd held my tongue and gone on lying and cheating . . and married and begotten a son to go on lying and cheating after me . . and to pay you your interest . . your interest in the lie and the cheat.
booth. [with statesman-like calm.] Look here, Edward, this rhetoric is exceedingly out of place. The simple question before us is . . What is the best course to pursue?
edward. There is no question before us. There's only one course to pursue.
booth. [crushingly.] You will let me speak, please. In so far as our poor father was dishonest to his clients, I pray that he may be forgiven. In so far as he spent his life honestly endeavouring to right a wrong which he had found already committed . . I forgive him. I admire him, Edward. And I feel it my duty to—er—reprobate most strongly the—er—gusto with which you have been holding him up in memory to us . . ten minutes after we have stood round his grave . . as a monster of wickedness. I think I may say I knew him as well as you . . better. And . . thank God! . . there was not between him and me this—this unhappy business to warp my judgment of him. [he warms to his subject.] Did you ever know a more charitable man . . a larger-hearted? He was a faithful husband . . and what a father to all of us, putting us out into the world and fully intending to leave us comfortably settled there. Further . . as I see this matter, Edward . . when as a young man he was told this terrible secret and entrusted with such a frightful task . . did he turn his back on it like a coward? No. He went through it heroically to the end of his life. And as he died I imagine there was no more torturing thought than that he had left his work unfinished. [he is very satisfied with this peroration.] And now if all these clients can be kept receiving their natural income and if Father's plan could be carried out of gradually replacing the capital—
edward at this raises his head and stares with horror.
edward. You're appealing to me to carry on this . . Oh, you don't know what you're talking about!
The Major, having talked himself back to a proper eminence remains good-tempered.
booth. Well, I'm not a conceited man . . but I do think that I can understand a simple financial problem when it has been explained to me.