Plays By John Galsworthy - LightNovelsOnl.com
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SCANTLEBURY. [With emphasis.] We ought to think of the shareholders. [Turning heavily.] Chairman, I say we ought to think of the shareholders. [ANTHONY mutters.]
SCANTLEBURY. What's that?
TENCH. The Chairman says he is thinking of you, sir.
SCANTLEBURY. [Sinking back into torpor.] Cynic!
WILDER. It's past a joke. I don't want to go without a dividend for years if the Chairman does. We can't go on playing ducks and drakes with the Company's prosperity.
EDGAR. [Rather ashamedly.] I think we ought to consider the men.
[All but ANTHONY fidget in their seats.]
SCANTLEBURY. [With a sigh.] We must n't think of our private feelings, young man. That'll never do.
EDGAR. [Ironically.] I'm not thinking of our feelings. I'm thinking of the men's.
WILDER. As to that--we're men of business.
w.a.n.kLIN. That is the little trouble.
EDGAR. There's no necessity for pus.h.i.+ng things so far in the face of all this suffering--it's--it's cruel.
[No one speaks, as though EDGAR had uncovered something whose existence no man prizing his self-respect could afford to recognise.]
w.a.n.kLIN. [With an ironical smile.] I'm afraid we must n't base our policy on luxuries like sentiment.
EDGAR. I detest this state of things.
ANTHONY. We did n't seek the quarrel.
EDGAR. I know that sir, but surely we've gone far enough.
ANTHONY. No. [All look at one another.]
w.a.n.kLIN. Luxuries apart, Chairman, we must look out what we're doing.
ANTHONY. Give way to the men once and there'll be no end to it.
w.a.n.kLIN. I quite agree, but----
[ANTHONY Shakes his head]
You make it a question of bedrock principle?
[ANTHONY nods.]
Luxuries again, Chairman! The shares are below par.
WILDER. Yes, and they'll drop to a half when we pa.s.s the next dividend.
SCANTLEBURY. [With alarm.] Come, come! Not so bad as that.
WILDER. [Grimly.] You'll see! [Craning forward to catch ANTHONY'S speech.] I didn't catch----
TENCH. [Hesitating.] The Chairman says, sir, "Fais que--que--devra."
EDGAR. [Sharply.] My father says: "Do what we ought--and let things rip."
WILDER. Tcha!
SCANTLEBURY. [Throwing up his hands.] The Chairman's a Stoic--I always said the Chairman was a Stoic.
WILDER. Much good that'll do us.
w.a.n.kLIN. [Suavely.] Seriously, Chairman, are you going to let the s.h.i.+p sink under you, for the sake of--a principle?
ANTHONY. She won't sink.
SCANTLEBURY. [With alarm.] Not while I'm on the Board I hope.
ANTHONY. [With a twinkle.] Better rat, Scantlebury.
SCANTLEBURY. What a man!
ANTHONY. I've always fought them; I've never been beaten yet.
w.a.n.kLIN. We're with you in theory, Chairman. But we're not all made of cast-iron.
ANTHONY. We've only to hold on.
WILDER. [Rising and going to the fire.] And go to the devil as fast as we can!
ANTHONY. Better go to the devil than give in!
WILDER. [Fretfully.] That may suit you, sir, but it does n't suit me, or any one else I should think.
[ANTHONY looks him in the face-a silence.]
EDGAR. I don't see how we can get over it that to go on like this means starvation to the men's wives and families.
[WILDER turns abruptly to the fire, and SCANTLEBURY puts out a hand to push the idea away.]
w.a.n.kLIN. I'm afraid again that sounds a little sentimental.
EDGAR. Men of business are excused from decency, you think?
WILDER. n.o.body's more sorry for the men than I am, but if they [las.h.i.+ng himself] choose to be such a pig-headed lot, it's nothing to do with us; we've quite enough on our hands to think of ourselves and the shareholders.
