s just where I am, outside your pale all round ye.
Ye're not long for Deepwater, ma'am. Make your dispositions to go;
ye'll be out in six months, I prophesy. And good riddance to the
neighbourhood. [They are all down on the level now.]

CHLOE. [Suddenly coming closer to MRS. HILLCRIST] Here are your
salts, thank you. Father, can't you----?

HORNBLOWER. [Surprised] Can't I what?

CHLOE. Can't you come to an arrangement?

MRS. H. Just so, Mr. Hornblower. Can't you?

HORNBLOWER. [Looking from one to the other] As we're speakin' out,
ma'am, it's your behaviour to my daughter-in-law--who's as good as
you--and better, to my thinking--that's more than half the reason
why I've bought this property. Ye've fair got my dander up. Now
it's no use to bandy words. It's very forgivin' of ye, Chloe, but
come along!

MRS. H. Quite seriously, Mr. Hornblower, you had better come to an
arrangement.

HORNBLOWER. Mrs. Hillcrist, ladies should keep to their own
business.

MRS. H. I will.

HILLCRIST. Amy, do leave it to us men. You young man [He speaks to
ROLF] do you support your father's trick this afternoon?

[JILL looks round at ROLF, who tries to speak, when HORNBLOWER
breaks in.]

HORNBLOWER. My trick? And what dye call it, to try and put me own
son against me?

JILL. [To ROLF] Well?

ROLF. I don't, but----

HORNBLOWER. Trick? Ye young cub, be quiet. Mr. Hillcrist had an
agent bid for him--I had an agent bid for me. Only his agent bid at
the beginnin', an' mine bid at the end. What's the trick in that?

[He laughs.]

HILLCRIST. Hopeless; we're in different worlds.

HORNBLOWER. I wish to God we were! Come you, Chloe. And you,
Rolf, you follow. In six months I'll have those chimneys up, and me
lorries runnin' round ye.

MRS. H. Mr. Hornblower, if you build----

HORNBLOWER. [Looking at MRS. HILLCRIST] Ye know--it's laughable.
Ye make me pay nine thousand five hundred for a bit o' land not
worth four, and ye think I'm not to get back on ye. I'm goin' on
with as little consideration as if ye were a family of blackbeetles.
Good afternoon!

ROLF. Father!

JILL. Oh, Dodo! He's obscene.

HILLCRIST. Mr. Hornblower, my compliments.

[HORNBLOWER with a stare at HILLCRIST'S half-smiling face,
takes CHLOE'S arm, and half drags her towards the door on the
Left. But there, in the opened doorway, are standing DAWKER
and a STRANGER. They move jus