character called Dylan.”
Jonas stared at him.
“Now don’t jump the gun,” said Thomas. “We’re not going to ask you to give away any professional secrets. Right, Syd?”
“That’s right, Ben.”
“What we came along to say was this. We know all about Will Dylan. He’s quite a character. Wouldn’t you say so, Syd?”
“I’d say he was quite a character.”
“If what we heard is true – and I only say if, because you can never really tell – and you’ve got something you’re trying to pin on him, then it occurred to Syd and me that you might need some help.”
“By help,” said Marvin, “we don’t only mean money. We mean help in getting hold of documents, getting evidence, that sort of thing.”
“We’re friendly characters,” said Thomas. “People talk to us, you’d be surprised.”
Jonas, who had made a number of attempts to break into this extraordinary crosstalk act, managed it at last. He said, “Would you mind explaining a couple of things. First of all, who are you? Secondly, how did you get this information about my private business?”
“First question first, Ben?”
“Right, Syd.”
Marvin extracted a card from his wallet and laid it on the desk.
Jonas picked it up and read it. He said, “The Workers’ League for Peace. I’m afraid I’ve never heard of it.”
“We blush unseen,” said Marvin. “Down in Clerkenwell. Right, Ben?”
“Like roses on a manure heap,” agreed Thomas.
“Or pike in a fish pond,” suggested Marvin. As he said this he smiled for the first time, and exposed, as he did so, a set of sharp and blackened teeth.
“Could we stop talking in riddles,” said Jonas. “I repeat I’ve never heard of this organization of which you, Mr Marvin,” he peered down at the card, “are secretary, and you Mr Thomas?”
“Assistant secretary.”
“So it really takes us no further, does it?”
“Not a lot,” said Thomas. He did not seem upset about it.
“Now perhaps you’ll answer my second question. How do you know that I am – am contemplating – a certain line of action – against Dylan. And in any case, what has it got to do with you?”
“If what we heard’s right,” said Marvin, “and he’s been up to some sort of fiddle with Union funds, that’s something we’re naturally concerned about.”
“Interests of the workers,” said Thomas. “You must see that.”
“I see nothing of the sort,” said Jonas, rising to his feet. “I see only that someone has been making totally unauthorized statements about something which is entirely my own business. And now, if you don’t mind, I’m extremely busy this morning.”
“Sure you can handle it yourself?” said Marvin.
“Quite sure, thank you.”
“Keep the card. You never know, you might need help. We’ve got a lot of friends. Midlands, up North, all over the place.”
Jonas stared at him for a moment, and then said, rather stiffly, “I should, I suppose, thank you for coming.”
“No need to thank us,” said Thomas. “It’s our job. Interests of the working classes. Right, Syd?”
“That’s right, Ben. We must let the gentleman get on with his work now.”
After they had gone, Jonas went back to his chair and sat down. The papers he had been working on were spread all over the desk. It occurred to him that the stouter of his two visitors, who had sat alongside the desk, must have been able to read them. Probably it didn’t matter. They seemed to know a lot about it already. Odd couple. Like an old-fashioned comedy duo. Not entirely funny, though.
Edward Lambard knocked half an inch of grey ash off his cigar into the butt end of a 25-pounder cartridge case which served as an ashtray on Tom Buller’s desk, and said, “Extraordinary story. I don’t know that I’m entirely surprised, though. Killey is an unusual man.”
“He used to work for you, didn’t he?”
“He was with us for four years. He was very nearly a very good solicitor
Jonas stared at him.
“Now don’t jump the gun,” said Thomas. “We’re not going to ask you to give away any professional secrets. Right, Syd?”
“That’s right, Ben.”
“What we came along to say was this. We know all about Will Dylan. He’s quite a character. Wouldn’t you say so, Syd?”
“I’d say he was quite a character.”
“If what we heard is true – and I only say if, because you can never really tell – and you’ve got something you’re trying to pin on him, then it occurred to Syd and me that you might need some help.”
“By help,” said Marvin, “we don’t only mean money. We mean help in getting hold of documents, getting evidence, that sort of thing.”
“We’re friendly characters,” said Thomas. “People talk to us, you’d be surprised.”
Jonas, who had made a number of attempts to break into this extraordinary crosstalk act, managed it at last. He said, “Would you mind explaining a couple of things. First of all, who are you? Secondly, how did you get this information about my private business?”
“First question first, Ben?”
“Right, Syd.”
Marvin extracted a card from his wallet and laid it on the desk.
Jonas picked it up and read it. He said, “The Workers’ League for Peace. I’m afraid I’ve never heard of it.”
“We blush unseen,” said Marvin. “Down in Clerkenwell. Right, Ben?”
“Like roses on a manure heap,” agreed Thomas.
“Or pike in a fish pond,” suggested Marvin. As he said this he smiled for the first time, and exposed, as he did so, a set of sharp and blackened teeth.
“Could we stop talking in riddles,” said Jonas. “I repeat I’ve never heard of this organization of which you, Mr Marvin,” he peered down at the card, “are secretary, and you Mr Thomas?”
“Assistant secretary.”
“So it really takes us no further, does it?”
“Not a lot,” said Thomas. He did not seem upset about it.
“Now perhaps you’ll answer my second question. How do you know that I am – am contemplating – a certain line of action – against Dylan. And in any case, what has it got to do with you?”
“If what we heard’s right,” said Marvin, “and he’s been up to some sort of fiddle with Union funds, that’s something we’re naturally concerned about.”
“Interests of the workers,” said Thomas. “You must see that.”
“I see nothing of the sort,” said Jonas, rising to his feet. “I see only that someone has been making totally unauthorized statements about something which is entirely my own business. And now, if you don’t mind, I’m extremely busy this morning.”
“Sure you can handle it yourself?” said Marvin.
“Quite sure, thank you.”
“Keep the card. You never know, you might need help. We’ve got a lot of friends. Midlands, up North, all over the place.”
Jonas stared at him for a moment, and then said, rather stiffly, “I should, I suppose, thank you for coming.”
“No need to thank us,” said Thomas. “It’s our job. Interests of the working classes. Right, Syd?”
“That’s right, Ben. We must let the gentleman get on with his work now.”
After they had gone, Jonas went back to his chair and sat down. The papers he had been working on were spread all over the desk. It occurred to him that the stouter of his two visitors, who had sat alongside the desk, must have been able to read them. Probably it didn’t matter. They seemed to know a lot about it already. Odd couple. Like an old-fashioned comedy duo. Not entirely funny, though.
Edward Lambard knocked half an inch of grey ash off his cigar into the butt end of a 25-pounder cartridge case which served as an ashtray on Tom Buller’s desk, and said, “Extraordinary story. I don’t know that I’m entirely surprised, though. Killey is an unusual man.”
“He used to work for you, didn’t he?”
“He was with us for four years. He was very nearly a very good solicitor
Similar Books
