Ste. Did you think your tin pot rents paid Sir Charles to let land like this lie idle?
Mont. He likes to have us here. We're desirable tenants.
Ste. Pardon me. As a property owner I know. Desirable tenants are paying tenants.
Vin. Do you insinuate that we don't pay?
Ste. You don't pay a profitable price. He can make a little gold, mine of the Polygon. Land values in the town have been going up all the time. He's cute enough to know it, or his agent is. The only question is, will our price tempt him or is he able to be greedy and wait a bit longer till the land's worth more.
Mont. And you mean to tell me we've been living on the edge of a volcano all these years?
Ste. You've been living in Sir Charles' almshouses for decayed gentlefolk. That's our name for it in the town.
Vin. Sir!
Ste. (calmly). It's the truth. What did it matter to him how little he got out of you meantime? He knew very well it's a fortune waiting for him whenever he wants it.
Mont. I'd no idea of this. (Sits below fire.)