od for 'im; he will
have his own way.

ENID. I suppose we all want that.

FROST. Yes, M'm. [Quietly.] Excuse me speakin' about the strike.
I'm sure if the other gentlemen were to give up to Mr. Anthony, and
quietly let the men 'ave what they want, afterwards, that'd be the
best way. I find that very useful with him at times, M'm.

[ENID shakes hey head.]

If he's crossed, it makes him violent [with an air of discovery],
and I've noticed in my own case, when I'm violent I'm always sorry
for it afterwards.

ENID. [With a smile.] Are you ever violent, Frost?

FROST. Yes, M'm; oh! sometimes very violent.

ENID. I've never seen you.

FROST. [Impersonally.] No, M'm; that is so.

[ENID fidgets towards the back of the door.]

[With feeling.] Bein' with Mr. Anthony, as you know, M'm, ever since
I was fifteen, it worries me to see him crossed like this at his age.
I've taken the liberty to speak to Mr. Wanklin [dropping his voice]--
seems to be the most sensible of the gentlemen--but 'e said to me:
"That's all very well, Frost, but this strike's a very serious
thing," 'e said. "Serious for all parties, no doubt," I said, "but
yumour 'im, sir," I said, "yumour 'im. It's like this, if a man
comes to a stone wall, 'e does n't drive 'is 'ead against it, 'e gets
over it." "Yes," 'e said, "you'd better tell your master that."
[FROST looks at his nails.] That's where it is, M'm. I said to Mr.
Anthony this morning: "Is it worth it, sir?" "Damn it," he said to
me, "Frost! Mind your own business, or take a month's notice!" Beg
pardon, M'm, for using such a word.

ENID. [Moving to the double-doors, and listening.] Do you know that
man Roberts, Frost?

FROST. Yes, M'm; that's to say, not to speak to. But to look at 'im
you can tell what he's like.

ENID. [Stopping.] Yes?

FROST. He's not one of these 'ere ordinary 'armless Socialists.
'E's violent; got a fire inside 'im. What I call "personal." A man
may 'ave what opinions 'e likes, so long as 'e 's not personal; when
'e 's that 'e 's not safe.

ENID. I think that's what my father feels about Roberts.

FROST. No doubt, M'm, Mr. Anthony has a feeling against him.

[ENID glances at him sharply, but finding him in perfect
earnest, stands biting her lips, and looking at the
double-doors.]

It 's, a regular right down struggle between the two. I've no
patience with this Roberts, from what I 'ear he's just an ordina