Hillcrist. Will you hold to your word over those cottages?

Hornblower.  I’m goin’ to have the cottages.  I need them, and more besides, now I’m to put up me new works.

Hillcrist. That’s a declaration of war.

Hornblower.  Ye never said a truer word.  It’s one or the other of us, and I rather think it’s goin’ to be me.  I’m the risin’ and you’re the settin’ sun, as the poet says.

Hillcrist. [Touching the bell] We shall see if you can ride rough-shod like this.  We used to have decent ways of going about things here.  You want to change all that.  Well, we shall do our damnedest to stop you. [To fellows at the door] Are the Jackmans still in the house?  Ask them to be good enough to come in.

Hornblower. [With the first sign of uneasiness] I’ve seen these people.  I’ve nothing more to say to them.  I told ’em I’d give ’em five pounds to cover their moving.

Hillcrist. It doesn’t occur to you that people, however humble, like to have some say in their own fate?

Hornblower.  I never had any say in mine till I had the brass, and nobody ever will.  It’s all hypocrisy.  You county folk are fair awful hypocrites.  Ye talk about good form and all that sort o’ thing.  It’s just the comfortable doctrine of the man in the saddle; sentimental varnish.  Ye’re every bit as hard as I am, underneath.

Mrs. H. [Who had been standing very still all this time] You flatter us.

Hornblower.  Not at all.  God helps those who ’elp themselves—­ that’s at the bottom of all religion.  I’m goin’ to help meself, and God’s going to help me.

Mrs. H. I admire your knowledge.

Hillcrist. We are in the right, and God helps——­

Hornblower.  Don’t ye believe it; ye ’aven’t got the energy.

Mrs. H. Nor perhaps the conceit.

Hornblower. [Throwing out his forefinger] No, no; ’tisn’t conceit to believe in yourself when ye’ve got reason to. [The JACKMAN’S have entered.]

Hillcrist. I’m very sorry, Mrs. Jackman, but I just wanted you to realise that I’ve done my best with this gentleman.

Mrs. J. [Doubtfully] Yes, sir.  I thought if you spoke for us, he’d feel different-like.

Hornblower.  One cottage is the same as another, missis.  I made ye a fair offer of five pounds for the moving.

Jackman. [Slowly] We wouldn’t take fifty to go out of that ’ouse.  We brought up three children there, an’ buried two from it.

Mrs. J. [To Mrs. Hillcrist] We’re attached to it like, ma’am.

Hillcrist. [To Hornblower.] How would you like being turned out of a place you were fond of?

Hornblower.  Not a bit.  But little considerations have to give way to big ones.  Now, missis, I’ll make it ten pounds, and I’ll send a wagon to shift your things.  If that isn’t fair—!  Ye’d better accept, I shan’t keep it open.