PASCOE. (Rising.) It occurs to me, my friend, that I'm listening to too much. But you're so persuasive.
CARVE. It's such a pleasure to talk freely--for once in a way.
PASCOE. (In a peculiar tone.) It's quite possible!
HORNING. (To Carve.) I say, it's just occurred to me, Mr. Carve hasn't been digging or gardening or anything, I suppose, and then taken cold after?
CARVE. Digging? Oh no. He must have got a bad chill on the steamer. Why?
HORNING. Nothing. Only his hands and finger-nails are so rough.
CARVE. (After thinking.) Oh, I see! All artists are like that. Messing about with paints and acids and things. Look at my hands.
CARVE. (Recovering himself, calmly.) No, no.
HORNING. (Shrugs his shoulders.) I'm sure the base of both lungs is practically solid.
PASCOE. Well, we can't do more than we have done, my boy.
PASCOE. (Calmly.) I should certainly be surprised if he did.
CARVE. You don't mean to say--Why, he's a strong healthy man!
PASCOE. Precisely. Not very unusual for your strong healthy man to die of pneumonia in twenty-four hours. You ought to know, at your age, that it's a highly dangerous thing to be strong and healthy. (Turning away.) I'll have another look at him before I go.
CARVE. (Extremely perturbed.) But this is ridiculous. I simply don't know what I shall do without that man.
The stage is darkened for a few moments to indicate passage of time.
TIME.--The next morning but one. Slightly less disorder in the room.
CARVE and PASCOE are together, the latter ready to leave.
CARVE. It's some relief to know that. I couldn't have faced a coroner.
PASCOE. (Staring at him.) Perfectly ordinary case.
CARVE. That's what you call perfectly ordinary, is it? A man is quite well on Tuesday afternoon, and dead at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning. (Looking at his watch.) My watch has stopped.
PASCOE. (With fierce sarcasm.) One of those cheap German watches, I suppose, that stop when you don't wind them up! It's a singular thing that when people stay up all night they take it for granted their watches are just as excited as they are. Look here, you'll be collapsing soon. When did you have anything to eat last?
CARVE. Almost half an hour ago. Two sausages that were sent in yesterday for the nurse.