Oh, Jim, can't you remember? Can't you remember the day you taught me a livelihood? I wasn't more than twelve, and it was spring, and all the may was in blossom outside the town. And we cleared out No. 25 in the new street. And next day we saw the man's fat, silly face. It was thirty years ago. JIM What are years? BILL Oh, _Jim_! JIM You see there isn't any hope here. And when there isn't any hope there isn't any future. And when there isn't any future there isn't any past. It's just the present here. I tell you we're stuck. There aren't no years here. Nor no nothing. BILL Cheer up, Jim. You're thinking of a quotation, "Abandon hope, all ye that enter here." I used to learn quotations; they are awfully genteel. A fellow called Shakespeare used to make them. But there isn't any sense in them. What's the use of saying _ye_ when you mean _you_? Don't be thinking of quotations, Jim. JIM I tell you there is no hope here. BILL Cheer up, Jim. There's plenty of hope there, isn't there? (_Points to the Gate of Heaven_) JIM Yes, and that's why they keep it locked up so. They won't let us have any. No. I begin to remember Earth again now since you've been speaking. It was just the same there. The more they'd got the more they wanted to keep _you_ from having a bit. BILL You'll cheer up a bit when I tell you what I've got. I say, Jim, have you got some beer? Why, so you have. Why, _you_ ought to cheer up, Jim. JIM All the beer you're ever likely to see again. They're empty. BILL (_half rising from the rock on which he has seated himself, and pointing his finger at Jim as he rises; very cheerfully_) Why, you're the chap that said there was no hope here, and you're hoping to find beer in every bottle you open. JIM Yes; I _hope_ to see a drop of beer in one some day, but I _know_ I won't. Their trick _might_ not work just once. BILL How many have you tried, Jim? JIM Oh, I don't know. I've always been at it, working as fast as I can, ever since--ever since--(_Feels his neck meditatively and up toward his ear_) Why, ever since, Bill. BILL Why don't you stop it? JIM I'm too thirsty, Bill. BILL What do you think _I've got_, Jim? JIM I don't know. Nothing's any use. BILL (_as yet another bottle is shown to be empty_) Who's that laughing, Jim? JIM (_astonished at such a question, loudly and emphatically_) Who's that laughing? BILL (_looks a little disconcerted at having apparently asked a silly question_) Is it a pal? JIM A pal!--(_laughs_) (_The laugh off joins in loudly and for long_) BILL Well, I don't know. But, Jim, what do you think I've got? JIM It isn't any good to you whatever it is. Not even if it is a ten-pound note. BILL It's better than a ten-pound note, Jim. Jim, try and remember, Jim. Don't you remember the way we used to go for those iron safes? Do you remember anything, Jim? JIM