Ste. You know now. If you hadn't been so busy with thinking what nice people you were and what nasty brutes lived outside you'd have found it out for yourselves. Not one of you's on lease. You can all be turned out at six months' notice.
Vin. We trusted to Sir Charles' sense of honour.
Ste. I wouldn't trust him with sixpence, and I'm a sound Tory at that.
Vin. I still think you're wrong, sir. You've given us your view. We're much obliged. (Sits l.)
Ste. (sneering). You'd be more obliged if I'd given you your petition.
Vin. Your view was unexpected.
Ste. Was it? (Turning to Walter.) I thought he'd told you.
Vin. Unexpectedly strong.
Ste. You've not heard the half of it. You've been the bane of the town. It's a working town and it does the working man no good to have the sight of a lot of idle people living well and doing nothing for it. Breeds discontent. Makes him ask questions. That's what you've been to us. A public nuisance. Easy game for every agitator to have his shy at. Do you think we employers loved you? They didn't mind us. They could see we worked for our living. But you set of do-nothing wastrels——
Walter (c.). Mr. Verity! (Vining rises and goes up to back, returns, then round to R. c.)