Philip down yet?
EMILY. He's just having his breakfast.
JAMES (looking at his watch). Ten o'clock. (Snapping it shut and
putting it back) Ten o'clock. I say ten o'clock, Emily.
EMILY. Yes, dear, I heard you.
JAMES. You don't say anything?
EMILY (vaguely). I expect he's tired after that long war.
JAMES. That's no excuse for not being punctual. I suppose he learnt
punctuality in the Army?
EMILY. I expect he learnt it, James, but I understood him to say
that he'd forgotten it.
JAMES. Then the sooner he learns it again the better. I
particularly stayed away from the office to-day in order to talk
things over with him, and (looking cat his watch) here's ten
o'clock--past ten--and no sign of him. I'm practically throwing
away a day.
EMILY. What are you going to talk to him about?
JAMES. His future, naturally. I have decided that the best thing he
can do is to come into the business at once.
EMILY. Are you really going to talk it over with him, James, or are
you just going to tell him that he _must_ come?
JAMES (surprised). What do you mean? What's the difference?
Naturally we shall talk it over first, and--er--naturally he'll
fall in with my wishes.
EMILY. I suppose he can hardly help himself, poor boy.
JAMES. Not until he's twenty-five, anyhow. When he's twenty-five he
can have his own money and do what he likes with it.
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