O'Cal. (to Ned). And a brave doer, Mr. Applegarth.
Ned. Well, well, a good start's half the battle, and I'm not denying that a ready tongue's a useful gift.
Mar. It's a dangerous one, Mr. Applegarth.
Jones. Aye, when it's by itself. Not when it's backed up by a knowledge of the principles of Karl Marx and used to expose fearlessly the gross fallacies of the capitalist professors of economics.
Ned (impatiently). Let's get to business. (Jones is resentful.) Mrs. Garside's making supper, and we don't want to keep her waiting.
Mrs. G. That's all one. Food 'ull be nobbut a fraud. We're too excited to eat this night. Sit you down.
Ned. Thank you, Mrs. Garside.
[Mrs. Garside puts Ned in chair, centre. Peter and Margaret bring the chairs right down stage, putting one right, near table, the other left, Jones sits right. O'Callagan at table left, Peter on chair he brings left of O'Callagan, and Mrs. Garside presently takes rocking-chair. Margaret stands l.c. well away from the rest, as if trying to efface herself, after going off left and returning without her hat in a moment.
(Sitting.) Peter, I've said it before, and I say it again. You've made a good start, lad.
Peter. Thank you, Mr. Applegarth.