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 treated—­get rid of it.  You can’t play fast and loose with morality and hope to go scot-free.  If Society didn’t take care of itself, nobody would—­the sooner you realise that the better.

Falder.  Yes, sir; but—­may I say something?

James.  Well?

Falder.  I had a lot of time to think it over in prison. [He stops]

Cokeson. [Encouraging him] I’m sure you did.

Falder.  There were all sorts there.  And what I mean, sir, is, that if we’d been treated differently the first time, and put under somebody that could look after us a bit, and not put in prison, not a quarter of us would ever have got there.

James. [Shaking his head] I’m afraid I’ve very grave doubts of that,
Falder.

Falder. [With a gleam of malice] Yes, sir, so I found.

James.  My good fellow, don’t forget that you began it.

Falder.  I never wanted to do wrong.

James.  Perhaps not.  But you did.

Falder. [With all the bitterness of his past suffering] It’s knocked me out of time. [Pulling himself up] That is, I mean, I’m not what I was.

James.  This isn’t encouraging for us, Falder.

Cokeson.  He’s putting it awkwardly, Mr. James.

Falder. [Throwing over his caution from the intensity of his feeling] I mean it, Mr. Cokeson.

James.  Now, lay aside all those thoughts, Falder, and look to the future.

Falder. [Almost eagerly] Yes, sir, but you don’t understand what prison is.  It’s here it gets you.

     He grips his chest.

Cokeson. [In a whisper to James] I told you he wanted nourishment.

Walter.  Yes, but, my dear fellow, that’ll pass away.  Time’s merciful.

Falder. [With his face twitching] I hope so, sir.