going to
say----

DAVIES. [Muttering.] An' time too!

THOMAS. [Solemnly.] Chapel says: Ton't carry on this strife! Put
an end to it!

JAGO. That's a lie! Chapel says go on!

THOMAS. [Scornfully.] Inteet! I haf ears to my head.

RED-HAIRED YOUTH. Ah! long ones!

[A laugh.]

JAGO. Your ears have misbeled you then.

THOMAS. [Excitedly.] Ye cannot be right if I am, ye cannot haf it
both ways.

RED-HAIRED YOUTH. Chapel can though!

["The Shaver" laughs; there are murmurs from the crowd.]

THOMAS. [Fixing his eyes on "The Shaver."] Ah! ye 're Going the
roat to tamnation. An' so I say to all of you. If ye co against
Chapel I will not pe with you, nor will any other Got-fearing man.

[He steps down from the platform. JAGO makes his way towards
it. There are cries of "Don't let 'im go up!"]

JAGO. Don't let him go up? That's free speech, that is. [He goes
up.] I ain't got much to say to you. Look at the matter plain; ye
've come the road this far, and now you want to chuck the journey.
We've all been in one boat; and now you want to pull in two. We
engineers have stood by you; ye 're ready now, are ye, to give us the
go-by? If we'd aknown that before, we'd not a-started out with you
so early one bright morning! That's all I 've got to say. Old man
Thomas a'n't got his Bible lesson right. If you give up to London,
or to Harness, now, it's givin' us the chuck--to save your skins--you
won't get over that, my boys; it's a dirty thing to do.

[He gets down; during his little speech, which is ironically
spoken, there is a restless discomfort in the crowd. ROUS,
stepping forward, jumps on the platform. He has an air of
fierce distraction. Sullen murmurs of disapproval from the
crowd.]

ROUS. [Speaking with great excitement.] I'm no blanky orator,
mates, but wot I say is drove from me. What I say is yuman nature.
Can a man set an' see 'is mother starve? Can 'e now?

ROBERTS. [Starting forward.] Rous!

ROUS. [Staring at him fiercely.] Sim 'Arness said fair! I've
changed my mind!

ROBERTS. Ah! Turned your coat you mean!

[The crowd manifests a great surprise.]

LEWIS. [Apostrophising Rous.] Hallo! What's turned him round?

ROUS. [Speaking with intense excitement.] 'E said fair. "Stand by
us," 'e said, "and we'll stand by you." That's where we've been
makin' our mistake this long time past; and who's to blam