what on earth have
Messrs. Hopwood----?

SIR RANDLE.

Yes, what have Messrs. Hopwood----?

BERTRAM.

[_Over his shoulder._] Ho! What have Messrs. Hopwood----!

ROOPE.

[_To_ BERTRAM, _pointing to_ DUNNING.] I am addressing _this_
gentleman, dear excellent friend----

DUNNING.

[_To_ ROOPE.] I'll tell you, sir. [_Incisively._] It's to the bogus
firm of Hopwood & Co. that the bulk of the volumes of Mr. Mackworth's
new book have been consigned.

BERTRAM.

[_Getting off the table, eagerly._] Dunning has seen them, I mean
t'say----

SIR RANDLE.

[_To_ BERTRAM, _startled._] Be silent, Bertie!

LADY FILSON.

[_To_ BERTRAM, _holding her breath._] Do be quiet!

ROOPE.

[_Blankly._] The--the bulk of the volumes----?

PHILIP.

[_Staring at_ DUNNING.] The--the bulk of the----?

DUNNING.

[_To_ SIR RANDLE _and_ ROOPE.] Yes, gentlemen, the books are in a
mouldy cellar, also rented by Messrs. Hopwood, at 6, Carmichael Lane.
There's thousands of them there, in cases--some of the cases with
shipping marks on them, some marked for inland delivery. I've inspected
them this afternoon--overhauled them. Mr. Sweasy had gone over to the
Borough to see his married niece, and I managed to get the right side
of _Mrs._ S.

SIR RANDLE.

[_Softly, looking from one to the other._] Curious! Curious!

LADY FILSON.

[_Forcing a smile._] How--how strange!

ROOPE.

[_To_ LADY FILSON, _a little disturbed._] Why strange, dear Lady
Filson? Shipping and other marks on the cases! These people are
forwarding agents----

DUNNING.

[_Showing his teeth._] Nobody makes the least effort to _despatch_ the
cases, though. That's singular, isn't it?

ROOPE.

But----!

DUNNING.

[_To_ ROOPE.] My good sir, in the whole of our experience--mine and Mr.
Sillitoe's--we've never come across a neater bit of hankey-pankey--[_to_
PHILIP] no offence--and if Merrifield hadn't smelt a rat----

ROOPE.

But--but--but--the cost of it all,