Burgess. Good morning.

BURGESS (patronizingly). Oh, good morning to you. (Morell returns
as Lexy is making for the door.)

MORELL (to Lexy). Off to work?

LEXY. Yes, sir.

MORELL (patting him affectionately on the shoulder). Take my silk
handkerchief and wrap your throat up. There's a cold wind. Away
with you.

(Lexy brightens up, and goes out.)

BURGESS. Spoilin' your curates, as usu'l, James. Good mornin'.
When I pay a man, an' 'is livin' depen's on me, I keep him in his
place.

MORELL (rather shortly). I always keep my curates in their places
as my helpers and comrades. If you get as much work out of your
clerks and warehousemen as I do out of my curates, you must be
getting rich pretty fast. Will you take your old chair?

(He points with curt authority to the arm chair beside the
fireplace; then takes the spare chair from the table and sits
down in front of Burgess.)

BURGESS (without moving). Just the same as hever, James!