human
I thought of writing to you, Tallente, he said.
gpt
I cannot bring myself to believe that you were in earnest on Wednesday morning.
human
Absolutely, the other assured him.
gpt
I have an appointment with Dartrey in an hour's time to close the matter.
human
You will dig your own grave, he declared.
gpt
The idea is perfectly scandalous. You propose to sell your political birthright for a mess of pottage.
human
I am afraid I can't agree with you, sir, Tallente regretted.
gpt
I am at least as much in sympathy with the programme of the Democratic Party as I am with yours.
human
In that case, was the somewhat stiff rejoinder,
gpt
When we beat Germany, Horlock ruminated,
human
I will challenge you to repeat that statement in the House or on any public platform, sir, Tallente objected.
gpt
The present state of discontent throughout the country is solely owing to the shocking financial mismanagement of every Chancellor of the Exchequer and lawmaker since peace was signed. We won the war and the people who had been asked to make heroic sacrifices were simply expected to continue them afterwards as a matter of course. What chance has the man of moderate means had to improve his position, to save a little for his old age, during the last ten years? A third of his income has gone in taxation and the cost of everything is fifty per cent, more than it was before the war. And we won it, mind. That is what he can't understand. We won the war and found ruin.
human
Legislation has done its best, the Prime Minister said,
gpt
Legislation was too slow, Tallente answered bluntly.
human
Legislation is only playing with the subject now. You sneer at the Democratic Party, but they have a perfectly sound scheme of financial reform and they undertake to bring the income tax down to two shillings in the pound within the next three years.
gpt
They'll ruin half the merchants and the manufacturers in the country if they attempt it.
human
How can they ruin them? Tallente replied.
gpt
The factories will be there, the trade will be there, the money will still be there. The financial legislation of the last few years has simply been a blatant nursing of the profiteer.
human
I need not say, Tallente, that I disagree with you entirely, his companion declared.
gpt
At the same time, I am not going to argue with you. To tell you the truth, I spent a great part of last night with you in my thoughts. We cannot afford to let you go. Supposing, now, that I could induce Watkinson to give up Kendal? His seat is quite safe and with a little reshuffling you would be able to slip back gradually to your place amongst us?
human
I am very sorry, sir, he said,