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gingerbread to the schemes I've got for betterin' this
neighbourhood。
JILL。 I had been standing up for you； now I won't。
HOUNBLOWER。 Dear； dear！ What'll become of me？
JILL。 I won't say anything about the other thing because I think
it's beneath； dignity to notice it。 But to turn poor people out of
their cottages is a shame。
HORNBLOWER。 Hoity me！
ROLF。 ＇Suddenly＇ You haven't been doing that； father？
CHARLES。 Shut up； Rolf！
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Turning on ROLF＇ Ha！ Here's a league o' Youth！ My
young whipper…snapper； keep your mouth shut and leave it to your
elders to know what's right。
＇Under the weight of this rejoinder ROLF stands biting his
lips。 Then he throws his head up。＇
ROLF。 I hate it！
HORNBLOWER。 ＇With real venom＇ Oh！ Ye hate it？ Ye can get out of
my house； then。
JILL。 Free speech； Mr。 Hornblower； don't be violent。
HORNBLOWER。 Ye're right； young lady。 Ye can stay in my house；
Rolf； and learn manners。 Come； Chearlie！
JILL。 ＇Quite softly＇ Mr。 Hornblower！
HILLCRIST。 ＇From the window＇ Jill！
JILL。 ＇Impatiently＇ Well； what's the good of it？ Life's too short
for rows； and too jolly！
ROLF。 Bravo！
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Who has shown a sign of weakening＇ Now； look here！
I will not have revolt in my family。 Ye'll just have to learn that
a man who's worked as I have； who's risen as I have； and who knows
the world； is the proper judge of what's right and wrong。 I'll
answer to God for me actions； and not to you young people。
JILL。 Poor God！
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Genuinely shocked＇ Ye blasphemous young thing！ ＇To
ROLF＇ And ye're just as bad； ye young freethinker。 I won't have
it。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Who has come down； Right＇ Jill； I wish you would
kindly not talk。
JILL。 I can't help it。
CHARLES。 ＇Putting his arm through HORNBLOWER'S＇ Come along；
father！ Deeds； not words。
HORNBLOWER。 Ay！； Deeds！
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST and DAWKERS have entered by the French window。＇
MRS。 H。 Quite right！
＇They all turn and look at her。＇
HORNBLOWER。 Ah！ So ye put your dog on to it。 ＇He throws out his
finger at DAWKERS＇ Very smart； thatI give ye credit。
MRS。 H。 ＇Pointing to CHLOE； who has stood by herself； forgotten and
uncomfortable throughout the scene＇
May I ask who this lady is？
＇CHLOE turns round startled； and her vanity bag slips down her
dress to the floor。＇
HORNBLOWER。 No； ma'am； ye may not； for ye know perfectly well。
JILL。 I brought her in； mother ＇She moves to CHLOE's side。＇
MRS。 H。 Will you take her out again； then。
HILLCRIST。 Amy； have the goodness to remember
MRS。 H。 That this is my house so far as ladies are concerned。
JILL。 Mother！
＇She looks astonished at CHLOE； who； about to speak； does not；
passing her eyes； with a queer； half…scarred expression； from
MRS。 HILLCRIST to DAWKER。＇
＇To CHLOE＇ I'm awfully sorry。 Come on！
＇They go out； Left。 ROLF hurries after them。＇
CHARLES。 You've insulted my wife。 Why？ What do you mean by it？
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST simply smiles。＇
HILLCRIST。 I apologise。 I regret extremely。 There is no reason
why the ladies of your family or of mine should be involved in our
quarrel。 For Heaven's sake； let's fight like gentlemen。
HORNBLOWER。 Catchwordssneers！ No； we'll play what ye call a skin
game； Hillcrist； without gloves on； we won't spare each other。 Ye
look out for yourselves； for； begod； after this morning I mean
business。 And as for you； Dawker； ye sly dog； ye think yourself
very clever； but I'll have the Centry yet。 Come； Chearlie！
＇They go out； passing JILL； who is coming in again； in the
doorway。＇
HILLCRIST。 Well； Dawker？
DAWKER。 ＇Grinning＇ Safe for the moment。 The old lady'll put it up
to auction。 Couldn't get her to budge from that。 Says she don't
want to be unneighbourly to either。 But； if you ask me； it's money
she smells！
JILL。 ＇Advancing＇ Now； mother
MRS。 H。 Well？
JILL。 Why did you insult her？
MRS。 H。 I think I only asked you to take her out。
JILL。 Why？ Even if she is Old Combustion's daughter…in…law？
MRS。 H。 My dear Jill； allow me to judge the sort of acquaintances I
wish to make。 ＇She looks at DAWKER。＇
JILL。 She's all right。 Lots of women powder and touch up their
lips nowadays。 I think she's rather a good sort； she was awfully
upset。
MRS。 H。 Too upset。
JILL。 Oh！ don't be so mysterious； mother。 If you know something；
do spit it out！
MRS。 H。 Do you wish me toer〃spit it out；〃 Jack？
HILLCRIST。 Dawker； if you don't mind
＇DAWKER； with a nod； passes away out of the French window。＇
Jill； be respectful； and don't talk like a bargee。
JILL。 It's no good； Dodo。 It made me ashamed。 It's just asas
caddish to insult people who haven't said a word； in your own house；
as it is to beold Hornblower。
MRS。 H。 You don't know what you're talking about。
HILLCRIST。 What's the matter with young Mrs。 Hornblower？
MRS。 H。 Excuse me； I shall keep my thoughts to myself at present。
＇She looks coldly at JILL； and goes out through the French
window。＇
HILLCRIST。 You've thoroughly upset your mother； Jill。
JILL。 It's something Dawker's told her； I saw them。 I don't like
Dawker； father； he's so common。
HILLCRIST。 My dear； we can't all be uncommon。 He's got lots of go；
You must apologise to your mother。
JILL。 ＇Shaking…her clubbed hair＇ They'll make you do things you
don't approve of； Dodo； if you don't look out。 Mother's fearfully
bitter when she gets her knife in。 If old Hornblower's disgusting；
it's no reason we should be。
HILLCRIST。 So you think I'm capablethat's nice； Jill！
JILL。 No； no； darling！ I only want to warn you solemnly that
mother'll tell you you're fighting fair； no matter what she and
Dawker do。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Smiling＇ Jill； I don't think I ever saw you so
serious。
JILL。 No。 Because＇She swallows a lump in her throat＇ WellI
was just beginning to enjoy； myself； and noweverything's going to
be bitter and beastly； with mother in that mood。 That horrible old
man！ Oh； Dodo！ Don't let them make you horrid！ You're such a
darling。 How's your gout； ducky？
HILLCRIST。 Better； lot better。
JILL。 There； you see！ That shows！ It's going to be half…
interesting for you； but not forus。
HILLCRIST。 Look here； Jillis there anything between you and young
what's…his…nameRolf？
JILL。 ＇Biting her lip＇ No。 Butnow it's all spoiled。
HILLCRIST。 You can't expect me to regret that。
JILL。 I don't mean any tosh about love's young dream； but I do like
being friends。 I want to enjoy things； Dodo； and you can't do that
when everybody's on the hate。 You're going to wallow in it； and so
shall Ioh！ I know I shall！we shall all wallow； and think of
nothing but 〃one for his nob。〃
HILLCRIST。 Aren't you fond of your home？
JILL。 Of course。 I love it。
HILLCRIST。 Well； you won't be able to live in it unless we stop
that ruffian。 Chimneys and smoke； the trees cut down； piles of
pots。 Every kind of abomination。 There！ ＇He points＇ Imagine！
＇He points through the French window； as if he could see those
ch