The ghost of a smile appeared on Soames' face. They had better hurry up

with their questions! He well knew his uncle's method (the ideal one)

of at once saying: "I propose, then, that the report and accounts be

adopted!" Never let them get their wind--shareholders were notoriously

wasteful of time!

A tall, white-bearded man, with a gaunt, dissatisfied face, arose:

"I believe I am in order, Mr. Chairman, in raising a question on this

figure of L5000 in the accounts. 'To the widow and family"' (he looked

sourly round), "'of our late superintendent,' who so--er--ill-advisedly

(I say--ill-advisedly) committed suicide, at a time when his services

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were of the utmost value to this Company. You have stated that the

agreement which he has so unfortunately cut short with his own hand was

for a period of five years, of which one only had expired--I--"

Old Jolyon made a gesture of impatience.

"I believe I am in order, Mr. Chairman--I ask whether this amount

paid, or proposed to be paid, by the Board to the er--deceased--is

for services which might have been rendered to the Company--had he not

committed suicide?"

"It is in recognition of past services, which we all know--you as well

as any of us--to have been of vital value."

"Then, sir, all I have to say is that the services being past, the

amount is too much."

The shareholder sat down.

Old Jolyon waited a second and said: "I now propose that the report

and--"

The shareholder rose again: "May I ask if the Board realizes that it

is not their money which--I don't hesitate to say that if it were their

money...."

A second shareholder, with a round, dogged face, whom Soames recognised

as the late superintendent's brother-in-law, got up and said warmly: "In

my opinion, sir, the sum is not enough!"

The Rev. Mr. Boms now rose to his feet. "If I may venture to express

myself," he said, "I should say that the fact of the--er--deceased

having committed suicide should weigh very heavily--very heavily with

our worthy chairman. I have no doubt it has weighed with him, for--I say

this for myself and I think for everyone present (hear, hear)--he enjoys

our confidence in a high degree. We all desire, I should hope, to

be charitable. But I feel sure" (he-looked severely at the late

superintendent's brother-in-law) "that he will in some way, by some

written expression, or better perhaps by reducing the amount, record our

grave disapproval that so promising and valuable a life should have

been thus impiously removed from a sphere where both its own interests

and--if I may say so--our interests so imperatively demanded its

continuance. We should not--nay, we may not--countenance so grave a

dereliction of all duty, both human and divine."




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