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.

WANKLIN. That is the little trouble.

EDGAR. There's no necessity for pushing 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.]

WANKLIN. [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.]

WANKLIN. 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.

WANKLIN. 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 pass 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.

WANKLIN. [Suavely.] Seriously, Chairman, are you going to let the
ship 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