JABEZ. You needn't trouble. Bad news travels fast enough. Good night.
CLAV. (Shortly). Good night.
(Exit Clavering, l., followed by Butler.)
JABEZ. That young man's growing officious. A whisky, John. (Pours.) Have a cigar?
JOHN. Thanks. Yours are too good to refuse. Jabez. Where's Charlie? Isn't he with you? John. No. He's not been home to dinner. Still at the works I suppose.
JABEZ. Yes. (Pause.) I always did say a good cigar was the best part of a dinner.
JOHN. You're right there. When all's said and done, Jabez a good liver's got a lot to do with happiness. Thank goodness, mine doesn't trouble me.
JABEZ. Nor mine. I've no patience with these modern fads—mustn't eat this and that and all that kind of rubbish. If I fancied a thing I had it, and damn the expense. Look at me to-day, sir. (Smacking his chest.) Sound, sir, sound as a bell.
JOHN (Playing up to him). We've lived, Jabez, there's no doubt about it. We've gone the pace in our time.
JABEZ (Fiercely, as if contradicted). And why not? You tell me that. Give me a good time, I say. That's my motto, and by Heaven I've lived up to it.