Three Plays by Granville-Barker. Granville-Barker Harley
mr. voysey. Yes, you'd better. There's the key. [edward reaches for the bunch, his face hidden.] Put them down. Your hand shakes . . why, you might have been drinking . . I'll put them away later. It's no use having hysterics, Edward. Look the trouble in the face.
edward's only answer is to go to the fire, as far from his father as the room allows. And there he leans on the mantelpiece, his shoulders heaving.
mr. voysey. I'm sorry, my dear boy. I wouldn't tell you if I could help it.
edward. I can't believe it. And that you should be telling it me.
mr. voysey. Let your feelings go and get that part of the business over. It isn't pleasant, I know. It isn't pleasant to inflict it on you.
edward. How I got through that outer office this morning, I don't know. I came early but some of them were here. Peacey came into my room, he must have seen there was something up.
mr. voysey. That's no matter.
edward. [able to turn to his father again; won round by the kind voice.] How long has it been going on? Why didn't you tell me before? Oh, I know you thought you'd pull through; but I'm your partner . . I'm responsible too. Oh, I don't want to shirk that . . don't think I mean to shirk that, father. Perhaps I ought to have discovered, but those affairs were always in your hands. I trusted . . I beg your pardon. Oh, it's us . . not you. Everyone has trusted us.
mr. voysey. [calmly and kindly still.] You don't seem to notice that I'm not breaking my heart like this.
edward. What's the extent of the mischief? When did it begin? Father, what made you begin it?
mr. voysey. I didn't begin it.
edward. You didn't. Who then?
mr. voysey. My father before me. [edward stares.] That calms you a little.
edward. I'm glad . . my dear father! [and he puts out his hand. Then just a doubt enters his mind.] But I . . it's amazing.
mr. voysey. [shaking his head.] My inheritance, Edward.
edward. My dear father!
mr. voysey. I had hoped it wasn't to be yours.
edward. D'you mean to tell me that this sort of thing has been going on for years? For more than thirty years!
mr. voysey. Yes.
edward. That's a little difficult to understand just at first, sir.
mr. voysey. [sententiously.] We do what we must in this world, Edward; I have done what I had to do.
edward. [his emotion well cooled by now.] Perhaps I'd better just listen quietly while you explain.
mr. voysey. [concentrating.] You know that I'm heavily into Northern Electrics.
edward. Yes.
mr. voysey. But you don't know how heavily. When I discovered the Municipalities were organising the purchase, I thought of course the stock'd be up a hundred and forty—a hundred and fifty in no time. Now Leeds won't make up her quarrel with the other place . . there'll be no bill brought in for ten years. I bought at ninety five. What are they now?
edward. Eighty eight.
mr. voysey. Eighty seven and a half. In ten years I may be . . ! That's why you've had to be told.
edward. With whose money are you so heavily into Northern Electrics?
mr. voysey. The firm's money.
edward. Clients' money?
mr. voysey. Yes.
edward. [coldly.] Well . . I'm waiting for your explanation, sir.
mr. voysey. You seem to have recovered yourself pretty much.
edward. No, sir, I'm trying to understand, that's all.
mr. voysey. [with a shrug.] Children always think the worst of their parents. I did of mine. It's a pity.
edward. Go on, sir, go on. Let me know the worst.
mr. voysey. There's no immediate danger. I should think anyone could see that from the state of these accounts. There's no actual danger at all.
edward. Is that the worst?
mr. voysey. [his anger rising.] Have you studied these two accounts or have you not?
edward. Yes, sir.
mr. voysey. Well, where's the deficiency in Mrs. Murberry's income . . has she ever gone without a shilling? What has young Hatherley lost?
edward. He stands to lose—
mr. voysey. He stands to lose nothing if I'm spared for a little, and you will only bring a little common sense to bear and try to understand the difficulties of my position.
edward. Father, I'm not thinking ill of you . . that is, I'm trying not to. But won't you explain how you're justified—?
mr. voysey. In putting our affairs in order.
edward. Are you doing that?
mr. voysey. What else?
edward. [starting patiently to examine the matter.] How bad were things when you first came to control them?
mr. voysey. Oh, I forget.
edward. You can't forget.
mr. voysey. Well . . pretty bad.
edward. Do you know how it was my grandfather began to—
mr. voysey. Muddlement, muddlement! Then the money went and what was he to do. He'd no capital, no credit, and was in terror of his life. My dear Edward, if I hadn't found it out, he'd have confessed to the first man who came and asked for a balance sheet.
edward. Well, what exact sum was he to the bad then?
mr. voysey. I forget. Several thousands.
edward. But surely it has not taken all these years to pay off—
mr. voysey. Oh, hasn't it!
edward. [making his point.] But how does it happen, sir, that such a comparatively recent trust as young Hatherley's had been broken into?
mr. voysey. Well, what could be safer than to use that money? There's a Consol investment and not a sight wanted of either capital or interest for five years.
edward. [utterly beaten.] Father, are you mad?
mr. voysey. Certainly not. My practice is to reinvest my clients' money when it is entirely under my control. The difference between the income this money has to bring to them and the income it is actually bringing to me I utilise in my endeavour to fill up the deficit in the firm's accounts . . in fact to try and put things straight. Doesn't it follow that the more low interest bearing capital I can use the better . . the less risky things I have to put it into. Most of young Hatherley's Consol capital is out on mortgage at four and a half and five . . safe as safe can be.
edward. But he should have the benefit.
mr. voysey. He has the amount of his consol interest.
edward. Are the mortgages in his name?
mr. voysey. Some of them . . some of them. That's a technical matter. With regard to Mrs. Murberry . . those Fretworthy Bonds at my bank . . I've raised five thousand on them. I can release her Bonds to-morrow if she wants them.
edward. Where's the five thousand?
mr. voysey. I don't know . . it was paid into my private account. Yes, I do remember. Some of it went to complete a purchase . . that and two thousand more out of the Skipworth fund.
edward. But, my dear father—
mr.