[ANTHONY mutters.]
SCANTLEBURY. What's that?
TENCH. The Chairman says he is thinking of you, sir.
SCANTLEBURY. [Sinking back into torpor.] Cynic!
WILDER. It's past a joke. I don't want to go without a dividend for
years if the Chairman does. We can't go on playing ducks and drakes
with the Company's prosperity.
EDGAR. [Rather ashamedly.] I think we ought to consider the men.
[All but ANTHONY fidget in their seats.]
SCANTLEBURY. [With a sigh.] We must n't think of our private
feelings, young man. That'll never do.
EDGAR. [Ironically.] I'm not thinking of our feelings. I'm
thinking of the men's.
WILDER. As to that--we're men of business.
WANKLIN. That is the little trouble.
EDGAR. There's no necessity for pushing things so far in the face of
all this suffering--it's--it's cruel.
[No one speaks, as though EDGAR had uncovered something whose
existence no man prizing his self-respect could afford to
recognise.]
WANKLIN. [With an ironical smile.] I'm afraid we must n't base our
policy on luxuries like sentiment.
EDGAR. I detest this state of things.
ANTHONY. We did n't seek the quarrel.
EDGAR. I know that sir, but surely we've gone far enough.
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