human
Ah, Mrs. Lonsdale; this is Mr. Burke speaking, Mr. Franklin Burke, of the Cosmos Club. I am making an effort to get into touch with friends of Mr. Richard Ayling, and I am told by a man named Chedsey, who I believe was at one time in your employ, that Mr. Ayling is an old friend of your family.
gpt
Yes, she said,
human
You knew, then, I presume, that Mr. Ayling had gone away--to the country some days ago.
gpt
Yes, she said, again,
human
I knew that he had not been well and that he had gone out of town for a week.... Is there--anything?
gpt
I dislike to be the bearer of bad news, Mrs. Lonsdale, but I must tell you that we have received a telephone message here at the club that--I hope it will not shock you too much--that Mr. Ayling died sometime to-day, at an inn where he was staying, at Homebury St. Mary, I believe.
human
I'm sorry--very sorry, to tell you in this way--
gpt
Naturally, I--it's something of a shock....
human
Indeed I understand.
gpt
I suppose it was his heart.
human
He was known to have a bad heart?
gpt
Yes; it has been weak for years.
human
I wonder, Mrs. Lonsdale, if I may ask a favor of you. You know, of course, that Mr. Ayling had very few close friends in London; you are, in fact, the only one we have been able, on this short notice, to find. For that reason I am going to ask that you let me come to see you this afternoon; you will understand that there are certain formalities, facts which it will be necessary for us to have, which only an old friend of Mr. Ayling could give--that we could get in no other way....
gpt
I understand, perfectly.
human
Then I may come?
gpt
Certainly.
human
It's always so hard, I think, to lose one's really _old_ friends.