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perfectly still。 HILLCRIST； too； is motionless。＇
＇The AUCTIONEER； has paused； and is talking to the SOLICITOR；
who has returned to his seat。＇
MRS。 H。 Oh！ Jack。
JILL。 Stick it； Dodo； stick it！
AUCTIONEER。 Now； gen'lemen； I have a bid of seven thousand one
hundred for the Centry。 And I'm instructed to sell if I can't get
more。 It's a fair price； but not a big price。 ＇To his friend MR。
SPICER＇ A thumpin' price？ ＇With his smile＇ Well； you're a judge
of thumpin'； I admit。 Now； who'll give me seven thousand two
hundred？ What； no one？ Well； I can't make you； gen'lemen。 For
seven thousand one hundred。 Once＇Taps＇ Twice＇Taps＇。
＇JILL utters a little groan。＇
HILLCRIST。 ＇Suddenly； in a queer voice） Two。
AUCTIONEER。 ＇Turning with surprise and looking up to receive
HILLCRIST'S nod＇ Thank you； sir。 And two。 Seven thousand two
hundred。 ＇He screws himself round so as to command both HILLCRIST
and HORNBLOWER＇ May I have yours； sir？ ＇HORNBLOWER＇ And three。
＇HILLCRIST＇ And four。 Seven thousand four hundred。 For seven
thousand four hundred。 ＇HORNBLOWER＇ Five。 ＇HILLCRIST＇ Six。 For
seven thousand six hundred。 ＇A pause＇ Well； gen'lemen； this is。
better； but a record property shid fetch a record price。 The
possibilities are enormous。 ＇HORNBLOWER＇ Eight thousand did you
say； sir？ Eight thousand。 Going for eight thousand pounds。
＇HILLCRIST＇ And one。 ＇HORNBLOWER＇ And two。 ＇HILLCRIST＇ And
three。 ＇HORNBLOWER＇ And four。 ＇HILLCRIST＇ And five。 For eight
thousand five hundred。 A wonderful property for eight thousand five
hundred。
＇He wipes his brow。＇
JILL。 ＇Whispering） Oh； Dodo！
MRS。 H。 That's enough； Jack； we must stop some time。
AUCTIONEER。 For eight thousand five hundred。 Once＇Taps＇twice
＇Taps＇ ＇HORNBLOWER＇ Six hundred。 ＇HILLCRIST＇ Seven。 May I have
yours； sir？ ＇HORNBLOWER＇ Eight。
HILLCRIST。 Nine thousand。
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST looks at him； biting her lips； but he is quite
absorbed。＇
AUCTIONEER。 Nine thousand for this astounding property。 Why； the
Duke would pay that if he realised he'd be overlooked。 Now； Sir？
＇To HORNBLOWER。 No response＇。 Just a little raise on that。 ＇No
response。＇ For nine thousand。 The Centry； Deepwater； for nine
thousand。 Once＇Taps＇ Twice＇Taps＇。
JILL。 ＇Under her breath＇ Ours！
A VOICE。 ＇From far back in the centre＇ And five hundred。
AUCTIONEER。 ＇Surprised and throwing out his arms towards the voice＇
And five hundred。 For nine thousand five hundred。 May I have
yours； sir？ ＇He looks at HORNBLOWER。 No response。＇
＇The SOLICITOR speaks to him。 MRS。 H。 ＇Whispering＇ It must
be the Duke again。＇
HILLCRIST。 ＇Passing his hand over his brow＇ That's stopped him；
anyway。
AUCTIONEER。 ＇Looking at HILLCRIST＇ For nine thousand five hundred？
＇HILLCRIST shakes his head。＇ Once more。 The Centry； Deepwater； for
nine thousand five hundred。 Once＇Taps＇ Twice＇Taps＇ ＇He pauses
and looks again at HORNBLOWER and HILLCRIST＇ For the last timeat
nine thousand five hundred。 ＇Taps＇ ＇With a look towards the
bidder＇ Mr。 Smalley。 Well！ ＇With great satisfaction＇ That's
that！ No more to…day； gen'lemen。
＇The AUCTIONEER and SOLICITOR busy themselves。 The room begins
to empty。＇
MRS。 H。 Smalley？ Smalley？ Is that the Duke's agent？ Jack！
HILLCRIST。 ＇Coming out of a sort of coma； after the excitement he
has been going through＇ What！ What！
JILL。 Oh； Dodo！ How splendidly you stuck it！
HILLCRIST。 Phew！ What a squeak！ I was clean out of my depth。 A
mercy the Duke chipped in again。
MRS。 H。 ＇Looking at ROLF and CHLOE； who are standing up as if about
to go＇ Take care； they can hear you。 Find DAWKER； Jack。
＇Below； the AUCTIONEER and SOLICITOR take up their papers； and
move out Left。＇
＇HILLCRIST stretches himself； standing up； as if to throw off
the strain。 The door behind is opened； and HORNBLOWER
appears。＇
HORNBLOWER。 Ye ran me up a pretty price。 Ye bid very pluckily；
Hillcrist。 But ye didn't quite get my measure。
HILLCRIST。 Oh！ It was my nine thousand the Duke capped。 Thank
God； the Centry's gone to a gentleman！
HORNBLOWER。 The Duke？ ＇He laughs＇ No； the Gentry's not gone to a
gentleman； nor to a fool。 It's gone to me。
HILLCRIST。 What！
HOUNBLOWER。 I'm sorry for ye； ye're not fit to manage these things。
Well； it's a monstrous price； and I've had to pay it because of your
obstinacy。 I shan't forget that when I come to build。
HILLCRIST。 D'you mean to say that bid was for you？
HORNBLOWER。 Of course I do。 I told ye I was a bad man to be up
against。 Perhaps ye'll believe me now。
HILLCRIST。 A dastardly trick！
HORNBLOWER。 ＇With venom＇ What did ye call ita skin game？
Remember we're playin' a skin game； Hillcrist。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Clenching his fists＇ If we were younger men
HORNBLOWER。 Ay！ 'Twouldn't Look pretty for us to be at fisticuffs。
We'll leave the fightin' to the young ones。 ＇He glances at ROLF and
JILL； suddenly throwing out his finger at ROLF＇ No makin' up to
that young woman！ I've watched ye。 And as for you； missy； you
leave my boy alone。
JILL。 ＇With suppressed passion＇ Dodo； may I spit in his eye or
something？
HILLCRIST。 Sit down。
＇JILL sits down。 He stands between her and HORNBLOWER。＇
＇Yu've won this round； sir； by a foul blow。 We shall see
whether you can take any advantage of it。 I believe the law
can stop you ruining my property。＇
HORNBLOWER。 Make your mind easy； it can't。 I've got ye in a noose；
and I'm goin' to hang ye。
MRS。 H。 ＇Suddenly＇ Mr。 Hornblower； as you fight foulso shall we。
HILLCRIST。 Amy！
MRS。 H。 ＇Paying no attention＇ And it will not be foul play towards
you and yours。 You are outside the pale。
HORNBLOWER。 That's just where I am； outside your pale all round ye。
Ye're not long for Deepwater； ma'am。 Make your dispositions to go；
ye'll be out in six months； I prophesy。 And good riddance to the
neighbourhood。 ＇They are all down on the level now。＇
CHLOE。 ＇Suddenly coming closer to MRS。 HILLCRIST＇ Here are your
salts； thank you。 Father； can't you？
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Surprised＇ Can't I what？
CHLOE。 Can't you come to an arrangement？
MRS。 H。 Just so； Mr。 Hornblower。 Can't you？
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Looking from one to the other＇ As we're speakin' out；
ma'am； it's your behaviour to my daughter…in…lawwho's as good as
youand better； to my thinkingthat's more than half the reason
why I've bought this property。 Ye've fair got my dander up。 Now
it's no use to bandy words。 It's very forgivin' of ye； Chloe； but
come along！
MRS。 H。 Quite seriously； Mr。 Hornblower； you had better come to an
arrangement。
HORNBLOWER。 Mrs。 Hillcrist； ladies should keep to their own
business。
MRS。 H。 I will。
HILLCRIST。 Amy； do leave it to us men。 You young man ＇He speaks to
ROLF＇ do you support your father's trick this afternoon？
＇JILL looks round at ROLF； who tries to speak； when HORNBLOWER
breaks in。＇
HORNBLOWER。 My trick？ And what dye call it； to try and put me own
son against me？
JILL。 ＇To ROLF＇ Well？
RO