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HILLCRIST。 ＇With decision＇ You leave it to me； Mrs。 Jackman。 Good
morning！ Morning； Jackman！ Sorry I can't move with this gout。
MRS。 J。 ＇For them both＇ I'm sure we're very sorry； sir。 Good
morning； sir。 Good morning； ma'am； and thank you kindly。 ＇They go
out。
HILLCRIST。 Turning people out that have been there thirty years。 I
won't have it。 It's a breach of faith。
MRS。 H。 Do you suppose this Hornblower will care two straws about
that Jack？
HILLCRIST。 He must； when it's put to him； if he's got any decent
feeling。
MRS。 H。 He hasn't。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Suddenly＇ The Jackmans talk of his having bought the
Centry to put up more chimneys。
MRS。 H。 Never！ ＇At the window； looking out＇ Impossible！ It would
ruin the place utterly； besides cutting us off from the Duke's。 Oh；
no！ Miss Mullins would never sell behind our backs。
HILLCRIST。 Anyway I must stop his turning these people out。
Mrs。 H。 ＇With a little smile； almost contemptuous＇ You might have
known he'd do something of the sort。 You will imagine people are
like yourself； Jack。 You always ought to make Dawker have things in
black and white。
HILLCRIST。 I said quite distinctly： 〃Of course you won't want to
disturb the tenancies； there's a great shortage of cottages。〃
Hornblower told me as distinctly that he wouldn't。 What more do you
want？
Mrs。 H。 A man like that thinks of nothing but the short cut to his
own way。 ＇Looking out of the window towards the rise＇ If he buys
the Centry and puts up chimneys； we simply couldn't stop here。
HILLCRIST。 My father would turn in his grave。
MRS。 H。 It would have been more useful if he'd not dipped the
estate； and sold the Centry。 This Hornblower hates us； he thinks we
turn up our noses at him。
HILLCRIST。 As we do； Amy。
MRS。 H。 Who wouldn't？ A man without traditions； who believes in
nothing but money and push。
HILLCRIST。 Suppose he won't budge； can we do anything for the
Jackmans？
MRS。 H。 There are the two rooms Beaver used to have； over the
stables。
FELLOWS。 Mr。 Dawker； sir。
＇DAWKERS is a short； square； rather red…faced terrier of a man；
in riding clothes and gaiters。＇
HILLCRIST。 Ah！ Dawker； I've got gout again。
DAWKER。 Very sorry； sir。 How de do； ma'am？
HILLCRIST。 Did you meet the Jackmans？
DAWKERS。 Yeh。
＇He hardly ever quite finishes a word； seeming to snap of their
tails。＇
HILLCRIST。 Then you heard？
DAWKER。 ＇Nodding＇ Smart man； Hornblower； never lets grass grow。
HILLCRIST。 Smart？
DAWKER。 ＇Grinning＇ Don't do to underrate your neighbours。
MRS。 H。 A cadI call him。
DAWKER。 That's it； ma'am…got all the advantage。
HILLCRIST。 Heard anything about the Centry； Dawker？
DAWKER。 Hornblower wants to buy。
HILLCRIST。 Miss Mullins would never sell； would she？
DAWKER。 She wants to。
HILLCRIST。 The deuce she does！
DAWKER。 He won't stick at the price either。
MRS。 H。 What's it worth； Dawker？
DAWKER。 Depends on what you want it for。
MRS。 H。 He wants it for spite； we want it for sentiment。
DAWKER。 ＇Grinning＇ Worth what you like to give； then； but he's a
rich man。
MRS。 H。 Intolerable！
DAWKER。 ＇To HILLCRIST＇ Give me your figure； sir。 I'll try the old
lady before he gets at her。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Pondering＇ I don't want to buy； unless there's nothing
else for it。 I should have to raise the money on the estate； it
won't stand much more。 I can't believe the fellow would be such a
barbarian。 Chimneys within three hundred yards； right in front of
this house！ It's a nightmare。
MRS。 H。 You'd much better let Dawker make sure； Jack。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Uncomfortable＇ Jackman says Hornblower's coming round
to see me。 I shall put it to him。
DAWKER。 Make him keener than ever。 Better get in first。
HILLCRIST。 Ape his methods！Ugh！ Confound this gout！ ＇He gets
back to his chair with difficulty＇ Look here； Dawker； I wanted to
see you about gates
FELLOWS。 ＇Entering＇ Mr。 Hornblower。
＇HORNBLOWER enters…a man of medium； height； thoroughly
broadened； blown out； as it were； by success。 He has thick；
coarse； dark hair； just grizzled； wry bushy eyebrow； a wide
mouth。 He wears quite ordinary clothes； as if that department
were in charge of someone who knew about such； things。 He has
a small rose in his buttonhole； and carries a Homburg hat；
which one suspects will look too small on his head。＇
HORNBLOWER。 Good morning！ good morning！ How are ye； Dawker？ Fine
morning！ Lovely weather！
＇His voice has a curious blend in its tone of brass and oil；
and an accent not quite Scotch nor quite North country。＇
Haven't seen ye for a long time； Hillcrist。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Who has risen＇ Not since I sold you Longmeadow and
those cottages； I believe。
HORNBLOWER。 Dear me； now！ that's what I came about。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Subsiding again into his chair＇ Forgive me！ Won't you
sit down？
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Not sitting＇ Have ye got gout？ That's unfortunate。
I never get it。 I've no disposition that way。 Had no ancestors；
you see。 Just me own drinkin' to answer for。
HILLCRIST。 You're lucky。
HORNBLOWER。 I wonder if Mrs。 Hillcrist thinks that！ Am I lucky to
have no past； ma'am？ Just the future？
MRS。 H。 You're sure you have the future； Mr。 Hornblower？
HORNBLOWER。 ＇With a laugh＇ That's your aristocratic rapier thrust。
You aristocrats are very hard people underneath your manners。 Ye
love to lay a body out。 But I've got the future all right。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Meaningly＇ I've had the Dackmans here； Mr。 Hornblower。
HORNBLOWER。 Who are theyman with the little spitfire wife？
HILLCRIST。 They're very excellent； good people； and they've been in
that cottage quietly thirty years。
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Throwing out his forefingera favourite gesture＇ Ah！
ye've wanted me to stir ye up a bit。 Deepwater needs a bit o' go
put into it。 There's generally some go where I am。 I daresay you
wish there'd been no 〃come。〃 ＇He laughs＇。
MRS。 H。 We certainly like people to keep their word； Mr。
Hornblower。
HILLCRIST。 Amy！
HORNBLOWER。 Never mind； Hillcrist； takes more than that to upset
me。
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST exchanges a look with DAWKER who slips out
unobserved。＇
HILLCRIST。 You promised me； you know； not to change the tenancies。
HORNBLOWER。 Well； I've come to tell ye that I have。 I wasn't
expecting to have the need when I bought。 Thought the Duke would
sell me a bit down there； but devil a bit he will； and now I must
have those cottages for my workmen。 I've got important works； ye
know。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Getting heated＇ The Jackmans have their importance
too； sir。 Their heart's in that cottage。
HORNBLOWER。 Have a sense of proportion； man。 My works supply
thousands of people； and my； heart's in them。 What's more； they
make my fortune。 I've got ambitionsI'm a serious man。 Suppose I
were to consider this and that； and every little potty objection
where should I get to？nowhere！
HILLCRIST。 All the same； this sort of thing isn't done； you know。
HORNBLOWER。 Not by you because ye've got no need to do it。 Here ye
are； quite con