Harley Granville-Barker

“ I'm fond of you all . . and I want you to be proud of me . . and I mean that the name of Voysey shall be carried high in the world by my children and grandchildren. Don't you be afraid, Edward. Ah, you lack experience, my boy . . you're not full grown yet . . your impulses are a bit chaotic. You emotionalise over your work, and you reason about your emotions. You must sort yourself. You must realise that money making is one thing, and religion another, and family-life a third . ”

“ Blackborough . . it would immortalize you. I'll stand up in my place in the House of Commons and tell everything that has befallen soberly and seriously. Why should I flinch?
farrant. My dear Trebell, if your name comes out at the inquest—
trebell. If it does! . . whose has been the real offence against Society . . hers or mine? It's I who am most offended . . if I choose to think so.
blackborough. You seem to forget the adultery.
trebell. Isn't Death divorce enough for her? And . . oh, wasn't I right? . . What do you start thinking of once the shock's over? ”

“ Peacey knows.
edward. Peacey!
mr. voysey. His father found out.
edward. Oh. Does he draw hush money?
mr. voysey. [curling a little at the word.] It is my custom to make a little present every Christmas. Not a cheque . . notes in an envelope. [He becomes benevolent.] I don't grudge the money . . Peacey's a devoted fellow.
edward. Naturally this would be a heavily taxed industry. [then he smiles at his vision of the mild old clerk.] Peacey! There's another thing I want to ask, sir. Have you ever under stress of circumstances done worse than just make use of a client's capital? ”

“ Facing you at her piano by the window, from which she is protected by a little screen, sits mrs. farrant; a woman of the interesting age, clear-eyed and all her face serene, except for a little pucker of the brows which shows a puzzled mind upon some important matters. To become almost an ideal hostess has been her achievement; and in her own home, as now, this grace is written upon every movement. Her eyes pass over the head of a girl, sitting in a low chair by a little table, with the shaded lamplight falling on her face. This is lucy davenport ”

“ They are interrupted by the sudden appearance of mrs. hugh voysey, a brisk, bright little woman, in an evening gown, which she has bullied a cheap dressmaker into making look exceedingly smart. beatrice is as hard as nails and as clever as paint. But if she keeps her feelings buried pretty deep it is because they are precious to her; and if she is impatient with fools it is because her own brains have had to win her everything in the world, so perhaps she does overvalue them a little. She speaks always with great decision and little effort. ”

“ With his back to them, on a sofa with its back to them, is george farrant, planted with his knees apart, his hands clasped, his head bent; very glum. And sometimes horsham glances at the door, as if waiting for it to open. Then his gaze will travel back, up the long shiny black piano, with a volume of the Well Tempered Clavichord open on its desk, to where cantelupe is perched uncomfortably on the bench; paler than ever; more self-contained than ever, looking, to one who knows him as well as horsham does, a [Pg 280] little dangerous. ”

“ But she knows her own damn business . . or so she says, if you try to teach it her. And why should I trouble to fit myself for better work than she has given me to do . . nursing fools' money?
hugh. [responding at once to this vein.] Edward, we must turn this world upside down. It's her stupidity that drives me mad. We all want a lesson in values. We're never taught what is worth having and what isn't. Why should your real happiness be sacrificed to the sham happiness which people have invested in the firm?
edward. I suppose their money means such happiness to them as they understand. ”

“ It is possibly some German philosopher, whom she reads with a critical appreciation of his shortcomings. On the sofa near her lounges mrs. o'connell; a charming woman, if by charming you understand a woman who converts every quality she possesses into a means of attraction, and has no use for any others. On the sofa opposite sits miss trebell. In a few years, when her hair is quite grey, she will assume as by right the dignity of an old maid. Between these two in a low armchair is lady davenport. She has attained to many dignities. ”

“ Have you thought of the physical improvement which conscription would bring about in the manhood of the country? What England wants is Chest! [he generously inflates his own.] Chest and Discipline. I don't care how it's obtained. Why, we suffer from a lack of it in our homes—
mr. voysey. [with the crack of a nut.] Your godson talks a deal, don't he? You know, when Booth gets into a club, he gets on the committee . . gets on any committee to enquire into anything . . and then goes on at 'em just like this. Don't you, Booth?
booth knuckles under easily enough to his father's sarcasm. ”

“ You've used your clients' capital to produce your own income . . to bring us up and endow us with. Booth's ten thousand pounds; what you are giving Ethel on her marriage . . It's odd it never struck me yesterday that my own pocket money as a boy was probably withdrawn from some client's account. You've been very generous to us all, Father. I suppose about half the sum you've spent on us would have put things right.
mr. voysey. No, it would not.
edward. [appealing for the truth.] Oh . . at some time or other!
mr. voysey. Well, if there have been good times there have been bad times. ”

“ The self-respect of trenchard's appearance is immense, and he cultivates that air of concentration upon any trivial matter, or even upon nothing at all, which will some day make him an impressive figure upon the Bench. hugh is always vague, searching Heaven or the corners of the room for inspiration, and even on this occasion his tie is abominably crooked. ”

“ Our thoughts are children . . and marry and intermarry. And we're peopling the world . . not badly.
trebell. Well . . either life is too little a thing to matter or it's so big that such specks of it as we may be are of no account. These are two points of view. And then one has to consider if death can't be sometimes the last use made of life.
There is a tone of menace in this which recalls wedgecroft to the present trouble.
wedgecroft. I doubt the virtue of sacrifice . . or the use of it.
[Pg 322]
trebell. How else could I tell Horsham that my work matters? Does he think so now? . . not he. ”

“ I have come immediately to tell you of my decision . . perhaps this trouble will then be a little more off my mind.
edward. What is it?
mr. george booth. I couldn't think the matter out alone. I went this afternoon to talk it all over with my old friend Colpus. [at this news edward's eyebrows contract and then rise.] What a terrible shock to him!
edward. Oh, nearly three of his four thousand pounds are quite safe.
mr. george booth. That you and your father . . you, whom he baptised . . should have robbed him! I never saw a man so utterly prostrate with grief. ”

“ The confidence of my clients. What has earned that confidence? A decent life, my integrity, my brains? No, my reputation for wealth . . that, and nothing else. Business now-a-days is run on the lines of the confidence trick. What makes old George Booth so glad to trust me with every penny he possesses? Not affection . . he's never cared for anything in his life but his collection of prints. No; he imagines that I have as big a stake in the country, as he calls it, as he has and he's perfectly happy.
[Pg 128]
edward. [stupefied, helpless.] So he's involved!
mr. voysey. ”

“ One's private life is, I think, one's own affair . . I should allow no one to pry into that. But as to worldly things . . well, I have come into several sums of money and my capital is still intact . . ask your father. [mr. voysey nods gravely.] I've never robbed any man. I've never lied over anything that mattered. As a citizen I pay my taxes without grumbling very much. Yes, and I sent conscience money too upon one occasion. I consider that any man who takes the trouble can live the life of a gentleman. [and he finds that his cigar is out.]
major booth voysey. ”

“ The arrogance of the artist!
hugh. We have a right to be arrogant.
beatrice. Good workmen are humble.
hugh. And look to their wages.
beatrice. Well, I'm only a workman.
With that she breaks the contact of this quiet deadly hopeless little quarrel by turning her head away. The Major, who has given it most friendly attention, comments . .
booth. Of course! Quite so! I'm sure all that is a very interesting difference of opinion.
mrs. voysey leaves her armchair for her favourite station at the dining table.
mrs. voysey. Booth is the only one of you that I can hear at all distinctly. ”

“ What do you mean to do?
trebell. There's to be no public scandal.
frances. Why has Lord Horsham thrown you over then . . or hasn't that anything to do with it?
trebell. It has to do with it.
frances. [Lifting her voice; some tone returning to it.] Unconsciously . . I've known for years that this sort of thing might happen to you.
trebell. Why?
frances. Power over men and women and contempt for them! Do you think they don't take their revenge sooner or later?
trebell. Much good may it do them!
frances. Human nature turns against you . . by instinct . . in self-defence.
trebell. ”

“ What made you take up with me at all?
farrant. Your brains, Trebell.
trebell. He should have enquired into my character first, shouldn't he, Cantelupe?
cantelupe. [With crushing sincerity.] Yes.
trebell. Oh, the old unnecessary choice . . Wisdom or Virtue. We all think we must make it . . and we all discover we can't. But if you've to choose between Cantelupe and me, Horsham, I quite see you've no choice.
horsham now takes the field, using his own weapons.
horsham. Charles, it seems to me that we are somewhat in the position of men who have overheard a private conversation. ”

“ You get to attach importance to these shades of emotion. A slight physical shock would settle them all. That's why I asked you to kiss me just now.
amy o'connell. You haven't very nice ideas, have you?
trebell. There are three facts in life that call up emotion . . Birth, Death, and the Desire for Children. The niceties are shams.
amy o'connell. Then why do you want to kiss me?
trebell. I don't . . seriously. But I shall in a minute just to finish the argument. Too much diplomacy always ends in a fight.
amy o'connell. And if I don't fight . . it'd be no fun for you, I suppose? ”

“ Shelton's translation of Don Quixote I hope . . the modern ones have no flavour. And you took all the adventures as seriously as the Don did?
trebell. [Not expecting this.] I forget.
cantelupe. It's the finer attitude . . the child's attitude. And it would enable you immediately to comprehend mine towards an education consisting merely of practical knowledge. The life of Faith is still the happy one. What is more crushingly finite than knowledge? Moral discipline is a nation's only safety. How much of your science tends in support of the great spiritual doctrine of sacrifice! ”

“ You should have brought one of the others into the firm . . Trenchard or Booth.
mr. voysey. [hardening.] Trenchard! [he dismisses that.] Well, you're a better man than Booth. Edward, you mustn't imagine that the whole world is standing on its head merely because you've had an unpleasant piece of news. You come down to Chislehurst to-night . . well, say to-morrow night. It'll be good for you . . stop your brooding . . that's your worst vice, Edward. You'll find the household as if nothing had happened. ”

“ But how long do you think the spirit stays near the body . . how long? When people die gently of age or weakness . . . But when the [Pg 339] spirit and body are so strong and knit together and all alive as his . . .
wedgecroft. [His hand on hers.] Hush . . hush.
frances. His face is very eager . . as if it still could speak. I know that.
mrs. farrant comes through the open doorway. frances hears her steps and turning falls into her outstretched arms to cry there.
frances. Oh, Julia!
mrs. farrant. Oh my dear Fanny! I came with Cyril Horsham . . I don't think Simpson even saw me. ”

“ You're very dull, Gilbert.
wedgecroft. I'm not duller than the people who will have to understand your scheme.
trebell. They won't understand it. I shan't explain to them that education is religion, and that those who deal in it are priests without any laying on of hands.
wedgecroft. No matter what they teach?
trebell. No . . the matter is how they teach it. I see schools in the future, Gilbert, not built next to the church, but on the site of the church.
wedgecroft. Do you think the world is grown up enough to do without dogma? ”

“ My friend, you shouldn't neglect your happiness any more than you neglect to wash your face. Here has the squalour of your work been making you poor. Because it was liable to be stopped at any moment uncompleted . . why should that let your life be incomplete? Edward, for the last eighteen months you've been more like a moral portent than a man. You've not had a smile to throw to a friend . ”

“ Look here, sir, I'm dismissing from my mind all prejudice about speaking the truth . . acting upon one's instructions, behaving as any honest firm of solicitors must behave . .
mr. voysey. You need not, I tell no unnecessary lies. If a man of any business ability gives me definite instructions about his property, I follow them.
edward. Father, no unnecessary lies!
mr. voysey. Well, my friend, go and tell Mrs. Murberry that four hundred and twenty pounds of her income hasn't for the last eight years come from the place she thinks it's come from and see how happy you'll make her. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Further . . as I see this matter, Edward . . when as a young man he was told this terrible secret and entrusted with such a frightful task . . did he turn his back on it like a coward? No. He went through it heroically to the end of his life. And as he died I imagine there was no more torturing thought than that he had left his work unfinished. [he is very satisfied with this peroration.] And now if all these clients can be kept receiving their natural income and if Father's plan could be carried out of gradually replacing the capital—
edward at this raises his head and stares with horror. ”

“ My maid sees I'm ill and worried and makes remarks . . only to me so far. Don't I look a wreck? I nearly ran away when I saw Dr. Wedgecroft . . some of these men are so clever.
trebell. [Calculating.] Someone will have to be trusted.
amy. [Burrowing into her little tortured self again.] And I ought to feel as if I had done Justin a great wrong . . but I don't. I hate you now; now and then. I was being myself. You've brought me down. I feel worthless.
The last word strikes him. He stares at her.
trebell. Do you?
amy. [Pleadingly.] There's only one thing I'd like you to tell me, Henry . . ”