BREFFITT. Oh—ah—it's Mr. Gerald!—I couldn't make out who it was.—Were you coming up to the office, sir? Do you want me to go back with you?
GERALD. No, thank you—I just wanted a word with you about this agitation. It'll do just as well here. It's a pity it started—that the office should have set it going, Breffitt.
BREFFITT. It's none of the office's doing, I think you'll find, Mr. Gerald. The office men did nothing but ask for a just advance—at any rate, time and prices being what they are, I consider it a fair advance. If the men took it up, it's because they've got a set of loud-mouthed blatherers and agitators among them like Job Arthur Freer, who deserve to be hung—and hanging they'd get, if I could have the judging of them.
GERALD. Well—it's very unfortunate—because we can't give the clerks their increase now, you know.
BREFFITT. Can't you?—can't you? I can't see that it would be anything out of the way, if I say what I think.
GERALD. No. They won't get any increase now. It shouldn't have been allowed to become a public cry with the colliers. We can't give in now.
BREFFITT. Have the Board decided that?
GERALD. They have—on my advice.
BREFFITT. Hm!—then the men will come out.
GERALD. We will see.