Breffitt's just coming, sir.--Good night, sir.--Good
night, sir. (Another bicycle passes.)
ANABEL. The bicycles don't see us.--Isn't it rather hateful to be a
master? The attitude of them all is so ugly. I can quite see that
it makes you rather a bully.
GERALD. I suppose it does. (Figure of a large man approaches.)
BREFFITT. Oh--ah--it's Mr. Gerald!--I couldn't make out who it was.--
Were you coming up to the office, sir? Do you want me to go back
with you?
GERALD. No, thank you--I just wanted a word with you about this
agitation. It'll do just as well here. It's a pity it started--
that the office should have set it going, Breffitt.
BREFFITT. It's none of the office's doing, I think you'll find, Mr.
Gerald. The office men did nothing but ask for a just advance--at
any rate, time and prices being what they are, I consider it a fair
advance. If the men took it up, it's because they've got a set of
loud-mouthed blatherers and agitators among them like Job Arthur
Freer, who deserve to be hung--and hanging they'd get, if I could
have the judging of them.
GERALD. Well--it's very unfortunate--because we can't give the clerks
their increase now, you know.
BREFFITT. Can't you?--can't you? I can't see that it would be
anything out of the way, if I say what I think.
GERALD. No. They won't get any increase now. It shouldn't have been
allowed to become a public cry with the colliers.
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