Three Plays by Granville-Barker Part 98

TREBELL. I a.s.sure you that I am interested in the Disestablishment Bill.

_So they turn readily enough from the more uncomfortable part of their subject._

BLACKBOROUGH. Well . . here's Farrant.

FARRANT. I'm no good. Give me Agriculture.

BLACKBOROUGH. Pity you're in the Lords, Horsham.

TREBELL. Horsham, I'll devil for any man you choose to name . . feed him sentence by sentence. . .

HORSHAM. That's impossible.

TREBELL. Well, what's to become of my bill? I want to know.

BLACKBOROUGH. [_Casting his care on Providence._] We shall manage somehow. Why, if you had died suddenly . . or let us say, never been born. . .

TREBELL. Then, Blackborough . . speaking as a dying man . . if you go back on the integrity of this scheme, I'll haunt you. [_Having said this with some finality, he turns his back._]

CANTELUPE. Cyril, I agree with what Trebell is saying. Whatever happens there must be no tampering with the comprehensiveness of the scheme.

Remember you are in the hands of the extremists . . on both sides. I won't support a compromise on one . . nor will they on the other.

HORSHAM. Well, I'll confess to you candidly, Trebell, that I don't know of any man available for this piece of work but you.

TREBELL. Then I should say it would be almost a relief to you if O'Connell tells on me to-morrow.

FARRANT. We seem to have got off that subject altogether. [_There comes a portentous tap at the door._] Good Lord! . . I'm getting jumpy.

HORSHAM. Excuse me.

_A note is handed to him through the half opened door; and obviously it is at_ EDMUNDS _whom he frowns. Then he returns fidgetting for his gla.s.ses_.

Oh, it turns out . . I'm so sorry you were blundered in here, Trebell . .

this man . . what's his name . . Edwards . . had been reading the papers and thought it was a cabinet council . . seemed proud of himself.

This is from Wedgecroft . . scribbled in a messenger office. I never can read his writing . . it's like prescriptions. Can you?

_It has gradually dawned on the three men and then on_ TREBELL _what this note may have in it_. FARRANT'S _hand even trembles a little as he takes it. He gathers the meaning himself and looks at the others with a smile before he reads the few words aloud._

FARRANT. "All right. He has promised."

BLACKBOROUGH. O'Connell?

FARRANT. Thank G.o.d. [_He turns enthusiastically to_ TREBELL _who stands rigid_.] My dear fellow . . I hope you know how glad I am.

CANTELUPE. I am very glad.

BLACKBOROUGH. Of course we're all very glad indeed, Trebell . . very glad we persuaded him.

FARRANT. That's dead and buried now, isn't it?

TREBELL _moves away from them all and leaves them wondering. When he turns round his face is as hard as ever; his voice, if possible, harder._

TREBELL. But, Horsham, returning to the more important question . .

you've taken trouble, and O'Connell's to perjure himself for nothing if you still can't get me into your child's puzzle . . to make the pretty picture that a Cabinet should be.

HORSHAM _looks at_ BLACKBOROUGH _and scents danger_.

HORSHAM. We shall all be glad, I am sure, to postpone any further discussion. . .

TREBELL. I shall not.

BLACKBOROUGH. [_Encouragingly._] Quite so, Trebell. We're on the subject, and it won't discount our pleasure that you're out of this mess, to continue it. This habit of putting off the hour of disagreement is . . well, Horsham, it's contrary to my business instincts.

TREBELL. If one time's as good as another for you . . this moment is better than most for me.

HORSHAM. [_A little irritated at the wantonness of this dispute._] There is nothing before us on which we are capable of coming to any decision . .

in a technical sense.

BLACKBOROUGH. That's a quibble. [_Poor_ HORSHAM _gasps_.] I'm not going to pretend either now or in a month's time that I think Trebell anything but a most dangerous acquisition to the party. I pay you a compliment in that, Trebell. Now, Horsham proposes that we should go to the country when Disestablishment's through.

HORSHAM. It's the condition of Nonconformist support.

BLACKBOROUGH. One condition. Then you'd leave us, Trebell?

HORSHAM. I hope not.

BLACKBOROUGH. And carry with you the credit of our one big measure.

Consider the effect upon our reputation with the Country.

FARRANT. [_Waking to_ BLACKBOROUGH'S _line of action_.] Why on earth should you leave us, Trebell? You've hardly been a Liberal, even in name.

BLACKBOROUGH. [_Vigorously making his point._] Then what would be the conditions of your remaining? You're not a party man, Trebell. You haven't the true party feeling. You are to be bought. Of course you take your price in measures, not in money. But you are preeminently a man of ideas . . an expert. And a man of ideas is often a grave embarra.s.sment to a government.

HORSHAM. And vice-versa . . vice-versa!

TREBELL. [_Facing_ BLACKBOROUGH _across the room_.] Do I understand that you for the good of the Tory party . . just as Cantelupe for the good of his soul . . will refuse to sit in a cabinet with me.

BLACKBOROUGH. [_Unembarra.s.sed._] I don't commit myself to saying that.

CANTELUPE. No, Trebell . . it's that I must believe your work could not prosper . . in G.o.d's way.

TREBELL _softens to his sincerity_.

TREBELL. Cantelupe, I quite understand. You may be right . . it's a very interesting question. Blackborough, I take it that you object first of all to the scheme that I'm bringing you.

BLACKBOROUGH. I object to those parts of it which I don't think you'll get through the House.

FARRANT. [_Feeling that he must take part._] For instance?