The Gibson Upright Part 12

CARTER: Now look here; this ain't very much like comrades, is it, all this arguin'? Sunday, too!

FRANKEL: Oh, I'm tryin' to be friendly!

CARTER [_to_ GIBSON]: This buyin' of shares and all has kind of introduced a sort of an undesirable element into the factory, you might say. That's kind of the bothersome side of it, and it can't be denied we would have quite a good deal of bothersomeness if it wasn't for our meeting.

NORA [_to everybody except_ GIBSON]: Don't you all think that these arguments are pretty foolish when you know that nothing can be settled except at the governing committee's meeting?

SIMPSON: That's so, Miss Gorodna. What's more, it don't look like as good comrades as it ought to. I don't want to have no trouble with Frankel. He might have the rights of it for all I know. Anyways, if he hasn't I ain't got the brains to make out the case against him, and anyways, as you say, the meetin' settles all them things.

NORA: Don't you think you and Frankel might shake hands now, like good comrades?

FRANKEL [_with hostility_]: Sure, I'll shake hands with him!

SIMPSON: Well, I just as soon.

MRS. SIMPSON: Don't you do it, Henry!

SIMPSON: Well, but he's a comrade.

MRS. SIMPSON: Well, you can't help that! You don't have to shake hands with him.

SIMPSON: Well, consider it done, Frankel. Consider it done!

CARTER: That's right, that's right! We can leave it to the meeting.

s...o...b..RG: You bet you can! You goin' my way, Frankel?

[FRANKEL, _joining him, speaks to_ MRS. SIMPSON.]

FRANKEL: I s'pose you're going to come to the meetin', Mrs. Simpson?

MRS. SIMPSON: Ain't my place where my husband is?

FRANKEL: Well, you don't git no vote!

MRS. SIMPSON: There's goin' to be a motion introduced for the wives _to_ vote.

FRANKEL: Watch it pa.s.s! Good-bye, Mr. Gibson!

[GIBSON _nods._ FRANKEL _goes away with_ s...o...b..RG.]

SIMPSON: Good-bye, Mr. Gibson! All this don't amount to much. It'll all be settled to-morrow.

MRS. SIMPSON: Good-bye, Mr. Gibson! [_And as they go out the gate_]: You bet your life it'll be settled! If that wall-eyed runt thinks he can walk over _me_--

CARTER [_looking after them, laughing_]: Well, she's an awful interfering woman! And she ain't the only one. If they'd all stay home like my wife things would be smoother, I guess. Still, they're smooth enough. [_Going_]: If you want to see that, Mr. Gibson, we'll be glad to have you look in at the meeting. You're always welcome at the factory and it'd be a treat to you to see how things work out. It's at eleven o'clock if you'd like to come.

GIBSON: Thanks, Carter.

CARTER: Well, good afternoon, Mr. Gibson and Miss Gorodna. Good evening, I should say, I reckon.

GIBSON: Good evening, Carter.

[_The light has grown to be of sunset._ CARTER _goes._]

NORA [_going toward the gate_]: I'm glad to see you looking so well.

Good evening!

GIBSON: Oh, just a minute more.

NORA: Well?

GIBSON: It looks as if that might be a lively meeting to-morrow.

NORA: Is that the old capitalistic sneer?

GIBSON: Indeed it's not! It only seemed to me from what we've just heard here--

NORA [_bitterly_]: Oh, I suppose all business men's meetings and arguments, when their interests happen to clash, are angelically sweet and amiable! Because you see that my comrades are human and have their human differences--

GIBSON: Nora, don't be angry.

NORA: I'll try not. Of _course_ it isn't all a bed of roses! Of _course_ things don't run like oiled machinery!

GIBSON: But they do run?

NORA: It's magnificent!

GIBSON: Do you want me to come to that meeting to-morrow?

NORA: Yes; I'd like you to see how reasonable people settle their differences when they have an absolutely equal and common interest.

GIBSON [_in a low voice_]: Aren't you ever tired?

[_For a moment she has looked weary. She instantly braces up and answers with spirit._]

NORA: Tired of living out my ideals?

GIBSON: No; I just mean tired of working. Wouldn't you rather stop and come here and live in this quiet house?

NORA [_incredulously_]: I?

GIBSON: Couldn't there even be a chance of it, Nora? That you'd marry me?

NORA [_amazed and indignant_]: A chance that I would--

GIBSON: Well, then, wouldn't you even be willing to leave it to the meeting to-morrow?