human
What were you talking such a long time to Johnnie Orgreave about?
gpt
Talking a long time to Johnnie Orgreave? Oh! D’you mean at the front-door? Why, it wasn’t half a minute! He happened to mention a piece of land down at Shawport that I had a sort of a notion of buying.
human
Buying? What for?
gpt
Well, supposing I had to build a new works?
human
You never told me anything about it.
gpt
I’ve only just begun to think of it myself. You see, if I’m to go in for lithography as it ought to be gone in for, I can’t possibly stay at the shop. I must have more room, and a lot more. And it would be cheaper to build than to rent.
human
Why go in more for lithography?
gpt
You can’t stand still in business. Must either go forward or go back.
human
It seems to me it’s very risky. I wondered what you were hiding from me.
gpt
My dear girl, I was not hiding anything from you,
human
Whose land is it?
gpt
It belongs to Tobias Hall’s estate.
human
Yes, and I’ve no doubt the Halls would be very glad to get rid of it. Who told you about it?
gpt
Johnnie.
human
Of course it would be a fine thing for him too.
gpt
But I’d asked him if he knew of any land going cheap.
human
Anyone could get the better of you,
gpt
Oh! Could they?
human
Of course! she insisted, superiorly, and then went on:
gpt
We’re all right as we are. We spend too much money, but I daresay we’re all right. If you go in for a lot of new things you may lose all we’ve got, and then where shall we be?
human
What’s it got to do with you? You manage your home, and I’ll manage my business! You know nothing at all about business. You’re the very antithesis of business. Whatever business you’ve ever had to do with you’ve ruined. You’ve no right to judge and no grounds for judgment. It’s odious of you to asperse any of the Orgreaves. They were always your best friends. I should never have met you if it hadn’t been for them. And where would you be now without me? Trying to run some wretched boarding-house and probably starving. Why do you assume that I’m a d----d fool? You always do. Let me tell you that I’m one of the most common-sense men in this town, and everybody knows it except you. Anyhow I was clever enough to get _you_ out of a mess.... You knew I was hiding something from you, did you? I wish you wouldn’t talk such infernal rot. And moreover I won’t have you interfering in my business. Other wives don’t, and you shan’t. So let that be clearly understood.
gpt
Well, we shall see.
human
Naturally if you’ve made up your mind, there’s no more to be said.
gpt
I’ve not made up my mind. Don’t I tell you I’ve only just begun to think about it?