COKESON? I don't see it.

WALTER. "The rolling of the chariot-wheels of Justice!" I've never
got that out of my head.

JAMES. I've nothing to reproach myself with in this affair. What's
he been doing since he came out?

COKESON. He's had one or two places, but he hasn't kept them. He's
sensitive--quite natural. Seems to fancy everybody's down on him.

JAMES. Bad sign. Don't like the fellow--never did from the first.
"Weak character"'s written all over him.

WALTER. I think we owe him a leg up.

JAMES. He brought it all on himself.

WALTER. The doctrine of full responsibility doesn't quite hold in
these days.

JAMES. [Rather grimly] You'll find it safer to hold it for all
that, my boy.

WALTER. For oneself, yes--not for other people, thanks.

JAMES. Well! I don't want to be hard.

COKESON. I'm glad to hear you say that. He seems to see something
[spreading his arms] round him. 'Tisn't healthy.

JAMES. What about that woman he was mixed up with? I saw some one
uncommonly like her outside as we came in.

COKESON. That! Well, I can't keep anything from you. He has met
her.

JAMES. Is she with her husband?

COKESON. No.

JAMES. Falder living with her, I suppose?

COKESON. [Desperately trying to retain the new-found jollity] I
don't know that of my own knowledge. 'Tisn't my business.

JAMES. It's our business, if we're going to engage him, COKESON.

COKESON. [Reluctantly] I ought to tell you, perhaps. I've had the
party here this morning.

JAMES. I thought so. [To WALTER] No, my dear boy, it won't do. Too
shady altogether!

COKESON. The two things together make it very awkward for you--I see
that.

WALTER. [Tentatively] I don't quite know what we have to do with
his private life.

JAMES. No, no! He must make a clean sheet of it, or he can't come
here.

WALTER. Poor devil!

COKESON. Will you--have him in? [And as JAMES nods] I think I can
get him to see reason.

JAMES. [Grimly] You can leave that to me, COKESON.

WALTER. [To JAMES, in a low voice, while COKESON is summoning
FALDER] His whole future may depend on what we do, dad.

FALDER comes in. He has pulled himself together, and presents a
steady front.

JAMES. Now look here, Falder. My son and I want to give you another
chance; but there are two things I must say to you. In the first
place: It's no good coming here as a victim. If you've any notion
that you've been unjustly treat