rk hard for my living.

ERMYNTRUDE: O, father. How do you know what age he is?

SLADDER: O, I guessed he was 82, going to be 83 next birthday. But I
daresay I know nothing of the world. I daresay I may have been wrong.

ERMYNTRUDE: O, father, he's young.

SLADDER: Dear me, you don't say so. Dear me, you do surprise me. Well,
well, well, well. We do live and learn. Don't we? And what might his
name be now?

ERMYNTRUDE: It's Mr. Hippanthigh, father.

SLADDER: O-o-o! It's Mr. Hippanthigh, is it? O-ho, O-ho! (_He touches a
movable bell, shouting_ "SPLURGE!" _To his daughter or rather to
himself._) We'll see Mr. Hippanthigh.

ERMYNTRUDE: What are you going to do, father?

SLADDER: We'll see Mr. Hippanthigh. (_Enter_ SPLURGE.) Splurge, run
after Mr. Hippanthigh and bring him back. Say I've got something to say
to him. He's gone that way. Quick!

SPLURGE: Yes, sir. [_Exit._

SLADDER: I've got something to say to _him_ this time.

ERMYNTRUDE: Father! What are you going to do?

SLADDER: I'm going to give him What For.

ERMYNTRUDE: But why, father?

SLADDER: Because he's been giving it to your poor old father.

ERMYNTRUDE: Father----

SLADDER: Well?

ERMYNTRUDE: Be kind to him, father.

SLADDER: O, _I'll_ be kind to him. I'll be _kind_ to him. Just you wait.
I'll be _kind_ to him!

ERMYNTRUDE: But you wouldn't send him away, father. Father, for my sake
you wouldn't do that?

SLADDER: O, we haven't _come_ to that yet.

ERMYNTRUDE: But, but--you've sent for him.

SLADDER: O, I've sent for him to give him What For. We'll come to the
rest later.

ERMYNTRUDE: But, when you do come to it, father.

SLADDER: Why, when we do come to it, if the young man's any good, I'll
not stand in my daughter's way----

ERMYNTRUDE: O, thank you, father.

SLADDER: And if he's no good (_firmly_) I'll protect my child from him.

ERMYNTRUDE: But, father, I don't want to be protected.

SLADDER: If a man's a man, he must be some good at something. Well, this
man's chosen the clergyman job. I've nothing against the job, it's well
enough paid at the top, but is this young man ever going to get there?
Is he ever going to get off the bottom rung? How long has he been a
curate?

ERMYNTRUDE: Eight years, father.

SLADDER: It's a long time.

ERMYNTRUDE: But, father, he would get a vicarage if it wasn't for the
bishop. The bishop stands in his way. It isn't nice of him.

SLADDER: If I'd quarrelled with the head of my firm wh