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Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honour
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Год написания книги
2017
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Dick
[When Boulger is gone.] At least, he will the moment he sees you.
Mrs. Crowley
What do you mean by that?
Dick
Merely that I wanted to talk to you. And Robert Boulger, being a youth of somewhat limited intelligence, seemed in the way.
Mrs. Crowley
Why did you leave the Old Bailey?
Dick
My dear lady, I couldn't stand it. You don't know what it is to sit there and watch a man tortured, a man you've known all your life, whom you've dined with times out of number, in whose house you've stayed. He had just the look of a hunted beast, and his face was grey with terror.
Mrs. Crowley
How was the case going?
Dick
I couldn't judge. I could only see those haggard, despairing eyes.
Mrs. Crowley
But you're a barrister. You must have heard his answers. What did he reply to all the questions?
Dick
He seemed quite dazed. I don't think he took in the gist of his cross-examination.
Mrs. Crowley
But the man's innocent.
Dick
Yes, we all hope that.
Mrs. Crowley
What d'you mean? There can be no doubt about that. When he was arrested Lucy went to him and begged him to tell her the exact truth. He swore that he wasn't guilty.
Dick
Poor Lucy! She's borne up wonderfully. She'll stick to her father through thick and thin.
Mrs. Crowley
[Abruptly.] Mr. Lomas, you're trying to put me off. It's not fair to let Lucy buoy herself up with false hopes. She's absolutely convinced that her father will be acquitted.
Dick
Well, in another half-hour we shall all know. When I left, the judge was just going to sum up.
Mrs. Crowley
Mr. Lomas, what is your opinion?
[He looks at her steadily for a moment.
Dick
Were you very much surprised when you heard Fred Allerton was arrested?
Mrs. Crowley
Good heavens, I was overwhelmed!
Dick
[Dryly.] Ah!
Mrs. Crowley
If you aggravate me I shall box your ears.
Dick
When first I knew Fred he was a very rich man. You know that the Allertons are one of the oldest families in Cheshire?
Mrs. Crowley
Yes. I think Lucy's only failing is an inordinate pride in her family. She thinks it very snobbish to have any particular respect for a peer of the realm, but only natural to look up to persons of good family.
Dick
Ah, you see, you and I who have a quite indecent lack of ancestors, can't realise what the cult of family may be. There are families in the remote parts of England – not very rich, not very clever, and not very good-looking – who would look askance at a belted earl who came to demand their daughter's hand in marriage. They have a natural conviction that they're the salt of the earth, and in their particular corner they rule more absolutely than half the monarchs in Europe. The Allertons were like that. But Fred somehow seemed to belong to a different stock. The first thing he did was to play ducks and drakes with his fortune.
Mrs. Crowley
But men ought to be extravagant. That's what they're there for.
Dick
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Последний отзыв
Книга дельная. Без воды, приводятся реальные кейсы и способы их разрешения. Много практичных полезных советов и методик. Кое-что уже испробовала в дел...
Далее