human
I remember! he began, sitting up.
gpt
I remember everything. Are you feeling better? I hope so. Yes. Exactly. Where were we? An injunction--what did you say?
human
I said it was the drawback of old people that they never know when they have had enough of an argument.
gpt
But what is an injunction?
human
How many more times do you wish me to make that clear? Shall I begin all over again? Have it your way! When you go into Court and ask the judge to do something to prevent a man from doing something he wants to do when you do not want him to do it. Like that, more or less.
gpt
So I gather. But I confess I do not see why a man should not do something he wants to do just because you want him not to do it. You might as well go into Court and ask the judge to do something to make a man do something he does not want to do just because you want him to do it.
human
Ah, but he must not, in this case. Good Lord, have I not explained that a thousand times already? You always miss my point. It is illegal, don't you understand? Illegal, illegal.
gpt
Anybody can say that. It would be a very natural thing to say, under the circumstances. I should say it myself! Now just take my advice. You go and tell your brother----
human
My brother? It is not my brother. You are quite beside the point. Why introduce this personal element? It is the Strega Company. Strega, a liqueur. I am talking about a commercial concern obtaining an injunction. Burroughs and Wellcome--they got injunctions on the same grounds. I know a great deal of such things, though I don't talk about them all day long as other people would, if they possessed half my knowledge. A company, don't you see? An injunction. A liqueur. Please to note that I am talking about a company, a company. Have I now made myself clear, or how many more times----
gpt
One would think he was at least your brother, from the way you take his part. Let us say he is a friend, then; some never-to-be-mentioned friend who is interested in a shady liqueur business and now wants to make a judge do something to make a man do something----
human
Wrong again! To prevent a man doing something----
gpt
Dirty work. God Almighty! I don't want any judge to do dirty work----
human
No doubt, no doubt. I am quite convinced you don't. But your priceless friend does. Come now! Why not be open about it?
gpt
Open about what?
human
It is positively humiliating for me to be treated like this, after all the years we have known each other. I wish you would try to cultivate the virtue of frankness. You are far too secretive. Something will really have to be done about it.
gpt
A company, a company.
human
A company consists of a certain number of human beings. Why make mysteries about one of them? It may happen to the best of mankind to be mixed up----
gpt
Mixed up----
human
You are going to be disagreeable about my choice of words. Have it your way! We all know you think you can talk better Italian than the Pope. My own father, I was going to say, has been involved in some pretty dirty work in the course of his professional career----
gpt
No doubt, no doubt.
human
And please to note that he is as good a man as any brother of yours.
gpt
You always miss my point.
human
Now try to be truthful, for once in your life. Out with it!
gpt
A liqueur.
human
Is that all? Sleep does not seem to have sharpened your wits to any great extent.
gpt
I was not asleep. I was thinking about eggs. A company.
human
A company? You are waking up. Anything else?
gpt
An injunction....