Flower Mounter. Yes; but what might these topping Nottingham Lydy-Workers talk about when they do meet?
Sempstress. Well, you see——
Laundress. 'Old 'ard a minnit, Liz. Before you begin, let's drink up and 'ave another all round. Torkin' 's dry work, as I dessay the Nottingham spouters found it.
[They toss off, and replenish.
Sempstress (continuing). Well, I see, one of their papers is on "The Ethics of Work."
Step Girl. Lor! wot's that, Miss Mivvins?
Sempstress (hesitating). Well—you see—I suppose it means the morals of work, or something o' that.
Laundress. Morals of work! Might as well talk o' the morals of misery while you 're erbout it. The less I 'ave to do, the better I like it—that's my moral.
Shop Girl. Not much morals about work nowadays, Sarah, if I'm any judge. Piling up work and cutting down prices, with the halternative of the streets if yer strikes—that's about the "morals" of our firm. And if you torked to our Boss about these 'ere Nottingham notions, 'e'd "moral" you!
Semptress. Another lady, I see, with such a pretty, poetic-like sort of name, talks about "The Responsibility of Refinement."