junior clerk's room. The third door is that leading to the partners' room. The managing clerk, COKESON, is sitting at his table adding up figures in a pass-book, and murmuring their numbers to himself. He is a man of sixty, wearing spectacles; rather short, with a bald head, and an honest, pugdog face. He is dressed in a well-worn black frock-coat and pepper-and-salt trousers.       

       COKESON. And five's twelve, and three—fifteen, nineteen, twenty-three, thirty-two, forty-one-and carry four. [He ticks the page, and goes on murmuring] Five, seven, twelve, seventeen, twenty-four and       nine, thirty-three, thirteen and carry one.     

CONTENTS

         He again makes a tick. The outer office door is opened, and SWEEDLE, the office-boy, appears, closing the door behind him. He is a pale youth of sixteen, with spiky hair.       

       COKESON. [With grumpy expectation] And carry one.     

       SWEEDLE. There's a party wants to see Falder, Mr. Cokeson.     

       COKESON. Five, nine, sixteen, twenty-one, twenty-nine—and carry two. Send him to Morris's. What name?     

       SWEEDLE. Honeywill.     

       COKESON. What's his business?     

       SWEEDLE. It's a woman.     

       COKESON. A lady?     

       SWEEDLE. No, a person.     

       COKESON. Ask her in. Take this pass-book to Mr. James. [He closes the pass-book.]     

       SWEEDLE. [Reopening the door] Will you come in, please?     

CONTENTS

         RUTH HONEYWILL comes in. She is a tall woman, twenty-six years old, unpretentiously dressed, with black hair and eyes, and an ivory-white, clear-cut face. She stands very still, having a natural dignity of pose and gesture. SWEEDLE goes out into the partners' 

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