Carve.  I can place eighty pounds per annum at your absolute disposal. 
That alone will pay for over a thousand best cuts.

Janet.  Yes, and what about your clothes and my clothes, and the rates and taxes, and bus-fares, and holidays, and your cigarettes, and doctor, and errand boys’ Christmas-boxes, and gas, and coal, and repairs?  Repairs!  A hundred and eighty is more like what we want.

Carve.  And yet you have several times taken your Bible oath that my half-share of it all came to less than forty pounds.

Janet.  Well—­er—­I was thinking of food. (She begins to collect the breakfast things.)

Carve.  Jane, you have been a deceitful thing.  But never mind.  I will draw a veil over this sinful past.  Let us assume that beer goes all to pieces, and that you never get another cent out of Cohoon’s.  Well, as you need a hundred and eighty a year, I will give you a hundred and eighty a year.

Janet.  And where shall you get the extra hundred?

Carve.  I shall earn it.

Janet.  No, you don’t.  I won’t have you taking any more situations.

Carve.  I shall earn it here.

Janet.  How?

Carve.  Painting!

Janet. (Stopping her work and coming towards him, half-caressing and half-chiding.) I don’t mind this painting business.  Don’t think I object to it in the least.  There’s a strong smell with it now and then, but it does keep you quiet in the attic while I’m cleaning the house, and that’s something.  And then going out making sketches you get exercise and fresh air.  Being with Ilam Carve so long, I expect you picked up the habit as it were, and I’m sure I don’t want you to drop it.  I love to see you enjoying yourself.  But you don’t suppose people’ll buy these things (pointing vaguely to picture on chair), do you?  No; there’s far too many amateur artists about for that!

Carve.  If I wanted, I could take a cab and sell that in Bond Street inside sixty minutes at my own price.  Only I don’t want.

Janet.  Now, just listen to me.  You remember that picture you did of Putney Bridge with the saloon entrance of the Reindeer Public House showing in the corner?  It was one of the first you did here.

Carve.  Yes, I was looking for it the other day, and I couldn’t find it.

Janet.  I’m not surprised.  Because it’s sold.

Carve.  Sold? (Excited.) What in the name of——­

Janet. (Soothing him.) Now—­now!  Do you remember you said Ilam Carve would have got L1000 for a thing just like that?

Carve.  So he would.  It was absolutely characteristic.