Show him up . The parlormaid goes out and returns with the visitor . Well , well , Octavius , it 's the common lot . We must all face it someday . Sit down . Octavius takes the visitor 's chair . Ramsden replaces himself in his own . He had no son of his own , you see . How do we know that , Octavius ? He may know it : we cannot tell . Come ! Do n't grieve .That 's right . Now let me tell you something to console you . The last time I saw him — it was in this very room — he said to me : “ Tavy is a generous lad and the soul of honor ; and when I see how little consideration other men get from their sons , I realize how much better than a son he 's been to me . ” There ! Does n't that do you good ? Oh , that was his partiality : we were very old friends , you know . But there was something else he used to say about you . I wonder whether I ought to tell you or not ! It was something about his daughter . Well , he said he was glad , after all , you were not his son , because he thought that someday Annie and you —Well , perhaps I should n't have told you . But he was in earnest . Nonsense , my boy , nonsense ! You 're too modest . What does she know about the real value of men at her age ?Besides , she 's a wonderfully dutiful girl . Her father 's wish would be sacred to her . Do you know that since she grew up to years of discretion , I do n't believe she has ever once given her own wish as a reason for doing anything or not doing it . It 's always “ Father wishes me to , ” or “ Mother would n't like it . ” It 's really almost a fault in her . I have often told her she must learn to think for herself . Well , perhaps not . No : of course not . I see that . No : you certainly could n't . But when you win her on your own merits , it will be a great happiness to her to fulfil her father 's desire as well as her own . Eh ? Come ! you 'll ask her , wo n't you ? Oh , you sha n't need to . She 'll accept you , my boy — althoughyou have one great drawback . I 'll tell you , Octavius .I have in my hand a copy of the most infamous , the most scandalous , the most mischievous , the most blackguardly book that ever escaped burning at the hands of the common hangman . I have not read it : I would not soil my mind with such filth ; but I have read what the papers say of it . The title is quite enough for me .The Revolutionist 's Handbook and Pocket Companion by John Tanner , M. I. R. C ., Member of the Idle Rich Class . For goodness ’ sake , do n't call him Jack under my roofNow , Octavius , I know that my dead friend was right when he said you were a generous lad . I know that this man was your schoolfellow , and that you feel bound to stand by him because there was a boyish friendship between you . But I ask you to consider the altered circumstances . You were treated as a son in my friend 's house . You lived there ; and your friends could not be turned from the door . This Tanner was in and out there on your account almost from his childhood . He addresses Annie by her Christian name as freely as you do . Well , while her father was alive , that was her father 's business , not mine . This man Tanner was only a boy to him : his opinions were something to be laughed at , like a man 's hat on a child 's head . But now Tanner is a grown man and Annie a grown woman . And her father is gone . We do n't as yet know the exact terms of his will ; but he often talked it over with me ; and I have no more doubt than I have that you 're sitting there that the will appoints me Annie 's trustee and guardian .Now I tell you , once for all , I can n't and I wo n't have Annie placed in such a position that she must , out of regard for you , suffer the intimacy of this fellow Tanner . It 's not fair : it 's not right : it 's not kind . What are you going to do about it ? That girl 's mad about her duty to her parents .Excuse me , Octavius ; but there are limits to social toleration . You know that I am not a bigoted or prejudiced man . You know that I am plain Roebuck Ramsden when other men who have done less have got handles to their names , because I have stood for equality and liberty of conscience while they were truckling to the Church and to the aristocracy . Whitefield and I lost chance after chance through our advanced opinions . But I draw the line at Anarchism and Free Love and that sort of thing . If I am to be Annie 's guardian , she will have to learn that she has a duty to me . I wo n't have it : I will not have it . She must forbid John Tanner the house ; and so must you . The parlormaid returns . Ssh ! Well ? Mr Tanner ! How dare Mr Tanner call on me ! Say I cannot see him . Go upstairs and ask Mr Tanner to be good enough to step down here .I must say that of all the confounded pieces of impertinence — well , if these are Anarchist manners I hope you like them . And Annie with him ! Annie ! A — No , Sir . When you say Ann , you mean , I presume , Miss Whitefield . I believe I am . You ! Impossible . Let me see that will , sir .I cannot believe that my old friend Whitefield would have shown such a want of confidence in me as to associate me with — My ideas obsolete !!!! ! I shall refuse to act . You can refuse to accept the guardianship . I shall certainly refuse to hold it jointly with you . Ah ! why indeed ? I do not believe that Whitefield was in his right senses when he made that will . You have admitted that he made it under your influence . Ha ! I see . You have got me in a cleft stick . I admit that . Stuff , sir . Talk sense ; or else go and waste someone else 's time : I have something better to do than listen to your fooleries I am proud of your contempt for my character and opinions , sir . Your own are set forth in that book , I believe . Do you suppose I would read such a book , sir ? I did not buy it , sir . It has been sent me by some foolish lady who seems to admire your views . I was about to dispose of it when Octavius interrupted me . I shall do so now , with your permission . Certainly , Octavius . I quite intend that Annie 's wishes shall be consulted in every reasonable way . But she is only a woman , and a young and inexperienced woman at that . I do n't want to know how you feel towards me , Mr Tanner . I am glad you think so well of yourself . I deny that . I will not allow you or any man to treat me as if I were a mere member of the British public . I detest its prejudices ; I scorn its narrowness ; I demand the right to think for myself . You pose as an advanced man . Let me tell you that I was an advanced man before you were born . I am as advanced as ever I was . I defy you to prove that I have ever hauled down the flag . I am more advanced than ever I was . I grow more advanced every day . Polonius ! So you are Hamlet , I suppose . I have no — I am sorry , Annie , to force business on you at a sad time like the present . But your poor dear father 's will has raised a very serious question . You have read it , I believe ?I must say I am surprised to find Mr Tanner named as joint guardian and trustee with myself of you and Rhoda .I do n't know that I can consent to act under such conditions . Mr Tanner has , I understand , some objection also ; but I do not profess to understand its nature : he will no doubt speak for himself . But we are agreed that we can decide nothing until we know your views . I am afraid I shall have to ask you to choose between my sole guardianship and that of Mr Tanner ; for I fear it is impossible for us to undertake a joint arrangement . I hope you are satisfied , Mr Tanner . Go on , Annie : I quite agree with you . You approve of your father 's choice , then ? Of course I understand your feeling , Annie . It is what I should have expected of you ; and it does you credit . But it does not settle the question so completely as you think . Let me put a case to you . Suppose you were to discover that I had been guilty of some disgraceful action — that I was not the man your poor dear father took me for . Would you still consider it right that I should be Rhoda 's guardian ? No sir . You are both so full of natural and affectionate feeling in these family matters that it is very hard to put the situation fairly before you . Put it yourself , then . If I am to be your guardian , I positively forbid you to read that book , Annie . Yes , yes , Annie : this is all very well , and , as I said , quite natural and becoming . But you must make a choice one way or the other . We are as much in a dilemma as you . I am sorry you take it that way . No : I never said that . I greatly object to act with Mr Tanner : that 's all . They are not . I deny it . My dear Annie , nonsense . I insist on Granny . I wo n't answer to any other name than Annie 's Granny . Don Juan ! Stuff , Sir . I hardly expected to find you still here , Mr Tanner . Octavius : I have a very serious piece of news for you . It is of the most private and delicate nature — of the most painful nature too , I am sorry to say . Do you wish Mr Tanner to be present whilst I explain ? Before you decide that finally , let me say that the news concerns your sister , and that it is terrible news . I am not sure that it is not even worse than that . No : nothing of that sort . Yes .I am afraid there is no doubt that Violet did not really go to Eastbourne three weeks ago when we thought she was with the Parry Whitefields . And she called on a strange doctor yesterday with a wedding ring on her finger . Mrs. Parry Whitefield met her there by chance ; and so the whole thing came out . I will not have these abominations uttered in my house But I am only too anxious to help her .How dare you , sir , impute such monstrous intentions to me ? I protest against it . I am ready to put down my last penny to save her from being driven to run to you for protection . He shall , Octavius . There you speak like a man . A damned scoundrel . I beg your pardon , Annie ; but I can say no less . Stuff ! lunacy ! There is a rascal in our midst , a libertine , a villain worse than a murderer ; and we are not to learn who he is ! In our ignorance we are to shake him by the hand ; to introduce him into our homes ; to trust our daughters with him ; to — to — Hmph ! I 'm not so sure of that . If any man has paid Violet any special attention , we can easily find that out . If there is any man of notoriously loose principles among us — Yes sir , I repeat , if there is any man of notoriously loose principles among us — Do you dare to suggest that I am capable of such an act ? I — I — I — I am glad you admit that , sir . I admit , myself , that there is an element of truth in what you say , grossly as you may distort it to gratify your malicious humor . I hope , Octavius , no suspicion of me is possible in your mind . You are at present a guest beneath the roof of one of the old cats , sir . My sister is the mistress of this house . Life is not all plays and poems , Octavius . Come ! face it like a man . No , sir — And Morality , sir ? What is to become of that ? I thought so , sir . Morality sent to the devil to please our libertines , male and female . That is to be the future of England , is it ? Not in your spirit sir . Not for your reasons . I hardly like to leave you alone with this gentleman . Will you not come with me ? You are right : I should have thought of that . You are a good girl , Annie . He pats her on the shoulder . She looks up at him with beaming eyes and he goes out , much moved . Having disposed of him , she looks at Tanner . His back being turned to her , she gives a moment 's attention to her personal appearance , then softly goes to him and speaks almost into his ear . No no — Violet is certainly very obstinate . She wo n't leave London . I do n't understand her . I do n't like her going away in this fashion , Susan . We had better not do anything harsh . There , Susan ! You hear ! and there 's some truth in it . I wish you could reconcile it with your principles to be a little patient with this poor girl . She 's very young ; and there 's a time for everything . All I can say is that we are extremely sorry , Violet . I am shocked to think of how we have treated you . But I assure you I never — at least it is a monstrous perversion of something I said that — I do n't think she is quite fair to us . I should think it very likely indeed . Her marriage has not yet been made known : she desires that it shall not be mentioned for the present . The young lady was married secretly ; and her husband has forbidden her , it seems , to declare his name . It is only right to tell you , since you are interested in Miss — er — in Violet . It is some young fool who has not enough experience to know what mystifications of this kind lead to . Say no more . Come Tanner , Come , Tavy .Violet comes down the avenue to Hector . I seem to remember the face of your friend here . Well , what is that to you , pray ? That will do , my friend . You do not expect these ladies to treat you as an acquaintance , I suppose , because you have waited on them at table . Really , Tanner , this tone — Is it wise for you to be out in the sunshine with such a headache , Violet ? Are you in your senses ? Tut tut , sir ! Monstrous ! You have deliberately humbugged us , sir ! The sooner the better for you . It 's an unexpected pleasure to find you in this corner of the world , Mr Malone . Have you come to buy up the Alhambra ? Thank you . Mr Tanner is also one of our circle . What does this mean ? You are a happy man , Jack Tanner . I envy you .