Landed Gentry: A Comedy in Four Acts

by W. Somerset Maugham

[Archibald comes in from the hall.

Archibald.

Oh, Claude, I met the coroner’s officer on my way along here. He wants to see you.

Claude.

All right. I’ll come. Is he in the hall?

Archibald.

[With a nod.] I told him you knew nothing more than I’d said. But I’m afraid they’ll call you at the inquest.

Claude.

The only thing’s to grin and bear it.

[They go out. Grace sinks into a chair at the writing-table and buries her face in her hands. In a moment Henry Cobbett enters. She starts up when she hears his footstep on the gravel. He has his hat in his hand and his coat over his arm.