Lord W. Good God!

Voice.  Wet’s this?  Throwin’ things?  Mind aht, or we’ll smash yer winders!

     [As the voices in chorus chant:  “Bread!  Bread!” Little Anne,
     night-gowned, darts in from the hall.  She is followed by miss
     Stokes.  They stand listening.]

Lord W. [To the Crowd] My friends, you’ve come to the wrong shop.  There’s nobody in London more sympathetic with you. [The crowd laughs hoarsely.] [Whispering] Look out, old girl; they can see your shoulders. [Lord William moves back a step.] If I were a speaker, I could make you feel——­

Voice.  Look at his white weskit!  Blood-suckers—­fattened on the people!

     [James dives his hand at the wine cooler.]

Lord W. I’ve always said the Government ought to take immediate steps——­

Voice.  To shoot us dahn.

Lord W. Not a bit.  To relieve the—­er——­

Lady W. [Prompting] Distress.

Lady W. Distress, and ensure—­er—­ensure

Lady W. [Prompting] Quiet.

Lord W. [To her] No, no.  To ensure—­ensure——­

L. Anne. [Agonized] Oh, Daddy!

Voice.  ’E wants to syve ’is dirty great ’ouse.

Lord W. [Roused] D——­if I do!

     [Rude and hoarse laughter from the crowd.]

James. [With fury] Me Lord, let me blow ’em to glory!

     [He raises the cooler and advances towards the window.]

Lord W. [Turning sharply on him] Drop it, James; drop it!

Press. [Jumping] No, no; don’t drop it!

     [James retires crestfallen to the table, where he replaces the
     cooler.]

Lord W. [Catching hold of his bit] Look here, I must have fought alongside some of you fellows in the war.  Weren’t we jolly well like brothers?

A voice.  Not so much bloomin’ “Kamerad”; hand over yer ’Ouse.

Lord W. I was born with this beastly great house, and money, and goodness knows what other entanglements—­a wife and family——­

Voice.  Born with a wife and family!

     [Jeers and laughter.]

Lord W. I feel we’re all in the same boat, and I want to pull my weight.  If you can show me the way, I’ll take it fast enough.

A deep voice.  Step dahn then, an’ we’ll step up.

Another voice.  ’Ear, ’Ear!

     [A fierce little cheer.]

Lord W. [To lady William—­in despair] By George!  I can’t get in anywhere!

Lady W. [Calmly] Then shut the window, Bill.

Lemmy. [Who has been moving towards them slowly] Lemme sy a word to ’em.

     [All stare at him.  Lemmy approaches the window, followed by
     little Aida.  Poulder re-enters with the three other footmen.]