house?”
“That’s right.”
The surgeon laid the cheque upon his desk. “This is exceptionally generous, Mr. Warren. Thank you.”
The banker shook his head. “That isn’t generosity,” he said. “It’s business—I’ve only paid you what I should expect to pay for a successful operation.”
He paused. “I have been very kindly treated here,” he said. “I should like to do something for the hospital, apart from paying for my operation, if you would allow me.”
“Our hospital is in need of money,” said the surgeon. “All hospitals are—but this one more than most.”
“I know. Are you in trouble with the current running expenses?”
“Not at the moment. Lady Swarland gives us a cheque each year, even in these difficult times.”
Warren nodded. “From my own experience,” he said,“I would have said that the installation of wireless to the beds was one of your great needs—for psychological reasons. But I know nothing of your technical requirements. Is there anything in the way of equipment that you need more than that?”
The surgeon thought for a long time. At last he said, “I think you’re right. Morbidity is our great trouble here—depression. The men get listless, and let go. We need the wireless very badly, certainly. As much as anything.”
“I took the liberty of looking through your files,” said Warren, “while I was working with the Secretary.” He took the pen, and wrote another cheque. “You got your last quotation two years ago. I think that ought to cover it.”
He passed the slip of paper to the surgeon. “I don’t want you to make any parade of this,” he said. “I should prefer this gift to remain anonymous—for a number of reasons. That’s why I took the liberty of calling upon you. Do you think that can be arranged?”
The surgeon nodded. “I can arrange that, if you would prefer it. In that case, I can only thank you myself for your very generous gift. But even if you remain anonymous, I hope you will come down and stay a night with me, to see the installation when it is complete.”
Warren smiled. “I shall look forward to that.”
They talked about the hospital for a few minutes. Then the surgeon said:
“I understand, Mr. Warren, that you are the head of a banking house. What exactly does that mean? Are you concerned with industry?”
Warren nodded. “My family started the business in about 1750. We ran as a private bank in Exeter till 1873. Then we moved the headquarters of the business to London, and finally the Exeter business was absorbed by one of the joint stock banks. We do very little business now with private accounts. We mostly handle loans for the various Corporations and the smaller Governments, placing them on the London market. We do a lot of Continental business.”
“Do you touch shipping?”
“Not directly. Are you thinking of shipbuilding, and of your Yard here?”
The surgeon nodded. “I was wondering if you had seen any sign yet of the revival in shipbuilding industry.”
Warren shook his head. “I’m not a shipping man,” he said. “But I know of nothing that would benefit you here.”
There was a pause.
“I was afraid that would be the answer.”
“It’s better to be frank about these things,” said Warren. “I’ve been in this town now for a month, and walking about it for ten days. I’ve seen your shipyard, your plate mills, and your mine. And I’ve been in most of the smaller workshops, too—or heard about them. I’ve done my level best to think of work that could be profitably carried on here.
“I can think of nothing,” he said. “Nothing that would make any difference to the town.”
“You mean we’ve got to wait for a general revival of prosperity in the country?”
Warren was silent.
The surgeon turned and faced him. “Or do you mean that we shall never work again?”
Warren met his eyes. “That’s what I mean,” he said gently. “I think you know it yourself, and anyway,
“That’s right.”
The surgeon laid the cheque upon his desk. “This is exceptionally generous, Mr. Warren. Thank you.”
The banker shook his head. “That isn’t generosity,” he said. “It’s business—I’ve only paid you what I should expect to pay for a successful operation.”
He paused. “I have been very kindly treated here,” he said. “I should like to do something for the hospital, apart from paying for my operation, if you would allow me.”
“Our hospital is in need of money,” said the surgeon. “All hospitals are—but this one more than most.”
“I know. Are you in trouble with the current running expenses?”
“Not at the moment. Lady Swarland gives us a cheque each year, even in these difficult times.”
Warren nodded. “From my own experience,” he said,“I would have said that the installation of wireless to the beds was one of your great needs—for psychological reasons. But I know nothing of your technical requirements. Is there anything in the way of equipment that you need more than that?”
The surgeon thought for a long time. At last he said, “I think you’re right. Morbidity is our great trouble here—depression. The men get listless, and let go. We need the wireless very badly, certainly. As much as anything.”
“I took the liberty of looking through your files,” said Warren, “while I was working with the Secretary.” He took the pen, and wrote another cheque. “You got your last quotation two years ago. I think that ought to cover it.”
He passed the slip of paper to the surgeon. “I don’t want you to make any parade of this,” he said. “I should prefer this gift to remain anonymous—for a number of reasons. That’s why I took the liberty of calling upon you. Do you think that can be arranged?”
The surgeon nodded. “I can arrange that, if you would prefer it. In that case, I can only thank you myself for your very generous gift. But even if you remain anonymous, I hope you will come down and stay a night with me, to see the installation when it is complete.”
Warren smiled. “I shall look forward to that.”
They talked about the hospital for a few minutes. Then the surgeon said:
“I understand, Mr. Warren, that you are the head of a banking house. What exactly does that mean? Are you concerned with industry?”
Warren nodded. “My family started the business in about 1750. We ran as a private bank in Exeter till 1873. Then we moved the headquarters of the business to London, and finally the Exeter business was absorbed by one of the joint stock banks. We do very little business now with private accounts. We mostly handle loans for the various Corporations and the smaller Governments, placing them on the London market. We do a lot of Continental business.”
“Do you touch shipping?”
“Not directly. Are you thinking of shipbuilding, and of your Yard here?”
The surgeon nodded. “I was wondering if you had seen any sign yet of the revival in shipbuilding industry.”
Warren shook his head. “I’m not a shipping man,” he said. “But I know of nothing that would benefit you here.”
There was a pause.
“I was afraid that would be the answer.”
“It’s better to be frank about these things,” said Warren. “I’ve been in this town now for a month, and walking about it for ten days. I’ve seen your shipyard, your plate mills, and your mine. And I’ve been in most of the smaller workshops, too—or heard about them. I’ve done my level best to think of work that could be profitably carried on here.
“I can think of nothing,” he said. “Nothing that would make any difference to the town.”
“You mean we’ve got to wait for a general revival of prosperity in the country?”
Warren was silent.
The surgeon turned and faced him. “Or do you mean that we shall never work again?”
Warren met his eyes. “That’s what I mean,” he said gently. “I think you know it yourself, and anyway,
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