Blackmail by John Galsworthy. Short summary

5 seconds

For helping a girl, Charles Grenter is blackmailed by a beggar. Charles tells his wife about it. The blackmailer comes to Greenter’s house and speaks to his wife. Charles is confused by the look on her face.

1 minute

A wealthy gentleman, Charles Grenter, is blackmailed by a penniless tramp. He asks for ten pounds or threatens to tell his wife that the man is visiting a young florist.

Grenter refuses the man, for he is absolutely faithful to his wife. He helped the florist with money, taking pity on her child.

Grenter comes home and tells his wife everything. She laughs. Offended by this reaction, the husband sees the blackmailer in the window. The gentleman invites him in and introduces him to his wife. The woman says something to the blackmailer, and fear reverberates across her face.

Grenter reprimands the man and threatens to call the police, but eventually just lets him go. He apologizes and confusedly explains that he has not seen his wife. The blackmailer leaves. Granter wonders what his wife was so frightened of when she spoke to the blackmailer. He develops certain suspicions.