Honeywood Settlement

by Creswell, H. B.

  Appearances are that Spinlove is not anxious for Brash to see Pricehard’s report. This is not surprising.

  SPINLOVE TO GRIGBLAY

  15.11.26.

  Dear Sir,

  I write to confirm telephone message: Mr. Grigblay to postpone visit Honeywood till further communication from Mr. Spinlove.

  Yours faithfully,

  R. S. PINTLE.

  Pintle is Spinlove’s assistant and is presumably acting on instructions Spinlove gave before he went away on this “important business” of his. Brash’s threat to have Grigblay “thrown out into the road” if he came again to the house would seem to make this intervention by Spinlove no more than merciful. What, however, must quite properly have weighed with Spinlove is that Brash has still to unburden himself of some deep grievance against Grigblay and, that being the case, Spinlove cannot make himself a party to an act by Grigblay which Brash for any reason has said he will not tolerate. In human affairs things are not unimportant because they are childish and silly: in fact, the chief burden of life is the importance of trivialities.

  GLAUBER AND WALSH TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Sir, 18.11.26.

  We are instructed by Mr. John Grigblay to call your attention to the fact that the final balance under our client’s contract with Sir Leslie Brash fell due on the 10th of this month and to request that you will at once issue the necessary certificate for the amount of £1,242 11s. 9d., as shown in the Statement of Account agreed by you on behalf of Sir Leslie Brash.

  Yours faithfully,

  As Grigblay has been called upon by Spinlove to make good the defect to which the escaping fumes are due, he is not yet entitled to this final balance which only becomes due after he has completed his covenant to make good defects; and as Grigblay has agreed to make good the defect it must be assumed that his solicitors wrote this letter on instructions Grigblay gave them before the defect was established. Grigblay no doubt so instructed Glauber and Walsh at the time he employed them to answer Russ’s threatening letter, in view of the fact that the withholding of the certificate by Spinlove, or the refusal by Brash to honour it, would bring the Riddoppo conflict to a head by compelling Spinlove either to range himself in opposition to Brash or to join issues against Grigblay.

  SPINLOVE TO GLAUBER AND WALSH

  Dear Sirs, 21.11.26.

  I am unable to draw certificate for final balance under Mr. Grigblay’s Honeywood contract as there are still outstanding defects which he has been called upon to make good.

  Yours faithfully,

  This letter is either clever to the point of being cunning, or it is merely the result of shortsightedness, and from what we have seen of Spinlove the latter explanation seems the more likely. If Spinlove perceived that Glauber and Walsh wrote in ignorance of the fumes defect and for the purpose of bringing the Riddoppo dispute to a head, his reply is a most adroit evasion; for had he stated plainly that the defect which prevented his issuing the certificate was that of the fumes, he would have implied that the Riddoppo defect was not an obstacle to the issue. He has answered Glauber and Walsh and yet still retains his firm position on the fence.

  MISS PHYLLIS BRASH TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Jazz, 20.11.26.

  Well really, thingys are getting a bit too rather, don’t you think? Why not jump in and do something! Poor Dad exploded when he got your letter the morning he went away, and knocked over his coffee. You should not do that. What did you say to upset him so? He told me the smells were fumes from the beating furnace; and since he went it has been like living in a refuse destructor here, and I had to tell the servants to let the fire out or I should not have been able to keep any of them in the house, Mum is pining in exile and I dare not go to her for fear of finding the house empty when I get back; Dad is thoroughly displeased with you, and I do not know what he think if he comes back and still finds nothing done. It is just as if you did not care a blow. You really ought to get a move on.

  PUD.

  As there is no reply to this letter in the folder, we must suppose Spinlove answered it privately. In point of fact the delay is due rather to circumstances than to any neglect on his part.

  SPINLOVE TO GRIGBLAY

  Dear Sir, 21.11.26.

  I write to confirm telephone message asking that you will at first opportunity go to Honeywood with the plans, as you proposed, and find out where this defect in the furnace flue is. Something really must be done without delay as the inconvenience is increasing and great dissatisfaction is expressed.

  Will you telephone which day Mr. Grigblay will go; and let me know result of the investigation by wire or telephone?

  Yours faithfully,

  BLOGGS LENDS A HAND

  (TELEGRAM) SPINLOVE TO BLOGGS

  21.11.26.

  Reply paid. Can you say where defect furnace flue likely to be.—Spinlove.

  SPINLOVE TO BLOGGS

  Dear Mr. Bloggs, 21.11.26.

  I wired to you to-day and enclose confirmation. I have seen your report on the run of the furnace flue, but what is wanted is information of the cause of the escape of fumes into the hollow wall, and of the position of the defect. Can you recall any circumstances which will throw light on the subject?

  Yours truly,

  It is irregular for an architect to write personally to any servant of a builder, but as Grigblay failed to tap the appropriate vat of Bloggs’ garnered memories, Spinlove, in his ambition to “get a move on,” is impelled to make the attempt.

  (TELEGRAM) BLOGGS TO SPINLOVE

  21.11.26.

  Sir try Williams sweep Thadford may likely know.—Fred.

  If Spinlove had no other feeling than surprise on reading that last word I do not envy him. Bloggs is known to everyone about buildings as “Fred”; he regards himself merely as “Fred,” and his modesty holds him from the assertiveness of using his patronymic.

  GRIGBLAY TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Sir, 21.11.26.

  Mr. Grigblay will arrange to go to Honeywood Friday. Please note delay is no fault of ours as Mr. Grigblay proposed to go over list week, but we had message from you we were to wait your further instructions.

  We should like to explain that Messrs. Glauber and Walsh’s of 18th November was under a misapprehension.

  Yours faithfully,

  Glauber and Walsh no doubt wrote to Grigblay reporting Spinlove’s refusal to issue the certificate, and asking further instructions.

  The following letter has been written under the conditions of extreme torment imposed by the absorbent back of an old blue print—by the hobnails of someone who once stood on it—and a pen of unimaginable antecedents. Bloggs has evidently made haste to reply by return.

  BLOGGS TO SPINLOVE

  22.11.26.

  Sir,

  Now I come to think there wehre a lanky chap Williams by name come hanging about to get the job to sweep the chimblys, I sent off but two or three days after there he was come back and says her Lady ship add give him the order, well I give you the order not to touch no fleues I says but I’ll give you a nice job I says and that thire is the quick job of clearing off wehre you have no call to be I says and wehre your not wanted I says. He sauce me and says I dursent let him has the half could never be rodded, but I dident think no more till one Tuesday dinner after the day the riging come and took the gate post, and there was the little hand cart he had standing—this here I ask some of them—Oh thats the chap too sweep the fleues they says and theire I found him right up the furnice acause she told him to, and grined dirty at me acause he could not pass is rods with a grate big coreing iron he had haeving and pokeing and never thinking thire wehre a soot door. It made me fare mad with half a bussel of parge and mortar he had raked down and I prety near had to frog marsh before he would take himself off. Well thire it was been and done and had to be left you cant get inside a fleue to parge but never thought no harm would come.

  Yours respectfully,

  “The Honeywood File” recounts how, during Brash’s abs
ence on holiday, Lady Brash became the dupe of a touting chimneysweep, and it now appears that the defect which has been the cause of her continued complaints, and the source of so much trouble to so many persons and for so long a time, is due to no remissness on the part of either architect or builder or of anyone else, but to the lady herself, who ignored the assurances of Spinlove and allowed the vigilance of Bloggs to be eluded. It is only fair, however, to regard the catastrophe as the lady’s misfortune rather than her fault.

  SPINLOVE TO WILLIAMS,

  CHIMNEY SWEEP, THADFORD

  Dear Sir, 23.11.26.

  I understand you were employed by Lady Brash to sweep chimneys at the new house at Honeywood and were stopped after you had begun on the furnace flue, and that you found an obstruction you could not clear.

  I should be glad if you could tell me where the obstruction was. Yours faithfully,

  No purpose is served by Spinlove asking this question, for now it is known that the defect is probably due to violent attempts to clear the flue of an imagined obstruction, the damage is to be looked for at the place where a set-off, or bend in the flue, prevented the rods from passing. This place will probably be above the soot door spoken of—the purpose of the door being to give access when bends in a flue prevent its being wholly swept from the fireplace opening.

  SPINLOVE TO GRIGBLAY

  Dear Sir, 23.11.26.

  I enclose copy of letter received from Bloggs, contents of which I communicated by telephone to-day.

  I have written to the chimney-sweep, but perhaps Mr. Grigblay will be able to get in touch with him before going to Honeywood to-morrow.

  Yours faithfully,

  “MR. WILLIAMS, PRACTICAL CHIMNEY-SWEEP (CHIMNEYS SWEPT)” TO SPINLOVE

  25.11.26.

  Sir, Replying re your favour, we operated on Her Ladyship’s furnace as per instructions. On endeavouring to pass 18 in. brush, obstruction was encountered after six canes. Following our usual practice with refractories from fair to medium, we then made attempt with No. I iron, but received instructions to desist from contractor’s representative before desired results obtained.

  Said flue belongs class I unsweepables, in our opinion, being carried over too sharp at six-and-a-quarter canes.

  Yours respectfully,

  MR. WILLIAMS (Chimneys Swept).

  GRIGBLAY TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Sir, 25.11.26.

  We beg to report we had furnace flue opened up yesterday and found defect due to damage by sweep employed by Sir Leslie Brash. We have left the flue opened up for your inspection and instructions.

  Yours faithfully,

  SPINLOVE TO GRIGBLAY

  Dear Sirs, 26.11.26.

  Please make all necessary repairs to flue at once, so that heating furnace may be brought into use. To be charged extra.

  Yours faithfully,

  GRIGBLAY TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Sir27.11.26.

  We must decline to restore damage to flue until we have received your acceptance on behalf of Sir Leslie Brash that we are in no way responsible for same.

  Yours faithfully,

  This sort of thing is the natural consequence of bringing solicitors upon the scenes: without good faith and mutual confidence in a common purpose it would scarcely be possible ever to get any building contract carried out at all. Brash, by his conduct of the Riddoppo dispute, has made it no less than necessary for Grigblay to protect himself as he does.

  (HOLOGRAPH) GRIGBLAY TO SPINLOVE

  Sir, 27.11.26.

  I saw your letter at office to-day, and you will have received my reply, but I will just take leave to send you private word and ask you to have a look at that flue, for where shall I be if I build up and all evidence destroyed and only my word that the damage is no business of mine but the work of the sweep acting on your client’s orders? It would be a good thing if the old gentleman had a look as well, for he has been over ready to lay trouble that is nobody’s fault but his own to other people’s doors, and seeing is believing, and believing may save a few solicitors’ letters of which there have been more than enough wasted already. Sir Leslie is expected back in a few days they tell me, so no harm to wait a bit.

  From what Bloggs wrote you I broke into the flue about five feet up in the corner of the scullery, and there it was plain enough, the handy work of “Mr. Williams”—as he calls himself-who carefully raked away about two feet of the new parging, clawed the mortar out of the joints and punched a bit of a closer, that happened to come nice and handy, clean through into the hollow wall so as to leave a proper hole you can put your hand through comfortably without rubbing any skin off your knuckles. I never saw the like of it in all my experience: he would have ended by raking the house down if Bloggs had not stopped him. It is lucky it is an easy matter to put right, though it will mean a bit of pulling down before we can get at the job.

  You will pardon me writing, but thought you ought to know how things are.

  Yours faithfully,

  Although a building owner has no right to expect, as some, that an architect shall give up the better part of a day to viewing one or two insignificant defects in a completed house, it is clearly Spinlove’s duty, under the special circumstances, to inspect this flue so that he may satisfy himself that the damage is as Grigblay reports and, if it is, that there has been no contributory negligence in the building of the flue. Grigblay’s reference to a “closer”—which is a small piece of brick built in for the purpose of overtaking the break of the joints and making the end brick of the course finish to a fair face—indicates that the bricklayers may have been at fault, for a closer would scarcely be rightly used in the position indicated. The defect may be the occasion, as Grigblay foresees, of adding fuel to Brash’s grievances; and it is incumbent on Spinlove thoroughly to master the facts so that his apportionment of responsibility may be authoritative. Strictly speaking, he had no business to decide that the sweep was. To blame—he did when he authorized the repairs as an extra—without satisfying himself of the fact by an inspection of the work. It would serve no purpose for Brash to view the damage, for he could not use his eyes unless someone were at hand to direct him in the evidence of them, and it is only Spinlove who could well give him that direction.

  BRASH EXCEEDS

  BRASH TO SPINLOVE

  Dear Mr. Spinlove, 2.12.26.

  Your communication of the 14th reached me on the day of my departure and I now, on my return, sit down to indite my reply in the hope that you are by this time so far relieved from the pressure of your extreme preoccupation with various other interests as not to be entirely prevented from perusing it with the attention which, as your employer, I apprehend I am entitled to expect.

  My unavoidably protracted delay in replying will, I conceive, be no disadvantage to the matter I have to expound, as the extreme insouciance of your last communication—if I may diverge into a foreign tongue to express my sense of the inappropriateness of the epistolatory style you think fit to adopt—might have precipitated a more forcible rejoinder.

  The explanations I must request you to furnish, as I have already intimated, anent your attitude to the Riddoppo dispute, and anent your approval of extortionate “profits” and “fees” added in the builder’s Statement of Account, and anent also your own astonishing claim for fees—I desire to postpone to the occasion of a personal interview to be conveniently arranged at Mr. Russ’s office. I now address myself to you exclusively on the subject of the noxious emanations which have continuously tormented us ever since we first took up residence at Honeywood Grange. After ten months of elusive evasion and dilatory procrastination you now inform me the house has been so built that coke fumes from the heating furnace are dispersed to all parts of it, and that we are being slowly poisoned; and you intimate with a bland assurance which—you must permit me to remark—causes me most amazed astonishment, that the whole matter is now satisfactorily disposed of because Mr. Grigblay has signified his willingness to carry out the necessary prev
entative measures “without charge.” You must permit me to asseverate that I cannot subscribe to any such fantastically preposterous view of the matter. As a consequence of Grigblay’s contemptibly shoddy building and—you must allow me to point out—the negligent supervision of my architect, and his dilatory indifference to the appalling discomfort attendant on the disgusting effluviums of which we are the victims, Lady Brash has suffered in health, the domestic staff has been on the verge of revolt, and I have been involved in heavy disbursements on account of fees incurred by the necessity of recourse to the advice of medical practitioners and to the employment of sanitary consultants.

  During these months you have had numerous intimations of the repulsive odoriferous conditions, and have repeatedly reiterated assurances that no unsavoury emanations could possibly eventuate in so carefully built a house as Honeywood, and have excused yourself from the trouble of ascertaining the cause of complaint by sending Grigblay to persuade us nothing was wrong so that he might save himself the trouble of having to pin anything right. Our complaints have been met by nothing but evasive procrastinations; and when, eventually, on my urgent insistence, you condescended to investigate and were compelled to admit the presence of olfactory effluviums, what ad did you do? You did nothing! After weeks of delay I return I expecting the necessary ameliorations to have been effected in the interim of my absence, and find only that under your directions men have knocked a hole in the scullery so that the furnace cannot be used, pushed some dirty sacks into it and vacated the work.