mr. george booth. No, I consider the treachery to have been blacker in some cases than in others.
edward. [his face brightening a little.] Are you going to help me in this work of mine?
mr. george booth. Surely by consenting not to prosecute I am doing so.
edward. Will you do no more?
mr. george booth. Well, as far as my own money is concerned, this is my proposal. [he coughs and proceeds very formally.] Considering how absolutely I trusted your father and believed in him, I think you should at once return me the balance of my capital that there is left.
edward. [cold again.] That is being done.
mr. george booth. Good. That you should continue to pay me a fair interest upon the rest of that capital, which ought to exist and does not. And that you should, year by year, pay me back by degrees out of the earnings of the firm as much of that capital as you can afford. We will agree upon the sum . . say a thousand a year. I doubt if you can ever restore me all that I have lost, but do your best and I shan't complain. There . . I think that is fair dealing!
edward does not take his eyes off mr. booth until the whole meaning of this proposition has settled in his brain. Then, without warning, he goes off into peals of laughter, much to the alarm of mr. booth, who has never thought him over-sane.
edward. How funny! How very funny!
mr. george booth. Edward, don't laugh.