“Oh, that would knock me sky-high,” Thorpe admitted.
“Approximately, how much may one take 'sky-high' to mean?”
Thorpe appeared to calculate. “Almost anything up to a quarter of a million,” he answered.
“Hah!” said Lord Plowden again. “Well—I understand—I'm given to understand—that very likely that is what the Committee will decide.”
“Does it say that in the papers?” asked Thorpe. He essayed an effect of concern. “Where did you see that?”
“I didn't see it,” the other explained. “It—it came to me.”
“God!” said Thorpe. “That'll be awful! But are you really in earnest? Is that what you hear? And does it come at all straight?”
Lord Plowden nodded portentously. “Absolutely straight,” he said, with gravity.
Thorpe, after a momentary stare of what looked like bewilderment, was seen to clutch at a straw. “But what was it you were saying?” he demanded, with eagerness. “You talked about help—a minute ago. Did you mean it? Have you got a plan? Is there something that you can do?”
Plowden weighed his words. “It would be necessary to have a very complete understanding,” he remarked.