CHARLIE. You treat me like a child. Having been naughty, I'm sent to bed to sleep oft my tantrums.
JABEZ. And I'm the ogre in the fairy story who makes bread of people's bones, eh, Charlie? Yes, you'll laugh at this to-morrow. Really, you've been making an awful ass of yourself. You 'll see things in a better perspective in the morning.
CHARLIE (bitterly). With myself as a respectable member of the governing classes, I suppose, with nice clean hands and a dirty conscience.
JABEZ. For Heaven's sake, Charlie, drop that silly twaddle. We've had enough of your platform manner for one night. You talk like a Hyde Park orator, only they're paid to make fools of themselves and you're not.
CHARLIE. (Pulling himself together) No. Let's have this out. I didn't begin it, but now we've gone so far I must know where we stand.
JABEZ. You're not fit for it. But it's as you like. (Sits l. of table.)
CHARLIE. I do like. Now, Mr. Thompson, it's understood that I meant what I said. You must let me continue my laboratory work. I still hope to find less dangerous methods. I may also drop across a few more novelties for you to exploit. But I definitely decline to have a hand in coercing my fellow creatures to do the work as it is done at present, or in procuring orders necessitating such work.
JABEZ. But it is necessary work, Charlie. You must see that.
CHARLIE. No work involving risk of death and the certaintv of ill health is necessary.
JABEZ. Ours is. If the supply of our productions was cut short huge industries would be automatically dislocated. How are people to run their bleaching works and dye works if they can't get dye stuffs?