“I believe as THIS world is ’ell,” said Crass, looking around with a philosophic expression. This opinion was echoed by most of the others, although Slyme remained silent and Owen laughed.
“Wot the bloody ’ell are YOU laughin’ at?” Crass demanded in an indignant tone.
“I was laughing because you said you think this world is hell.”
“Well, I don’t see nothing to laugh at in that,” said Crass.
“So it IS a ’ell,” said Easton. “There can’t be anywheres much worse than this.”
“’Ear, ’ear,” said the man behind the moat.
“What I was laughing at is this,” said Owen. “The present system of managing the affairs of the world is so bad and has produced such dreadful results that you are of the opinion that the earth is a hell: and yet you are a Conservative! You wish to preserve the present system—the system which has made the world into a hell!”
“I thought we shouldn’t get through the dinner hour without politics if Owen was ’ere,” growled Bundy. “Bloody sickenin’ I call it.”
“Don’t be ’ard on ’im,” said Philpot. “’E’s been very quiet for the last few days.”
“We’ll ’ave to go through it today, though,” remarked Harlow despairingly. “I can see it comin’.”