THOMAS. [Craning.] What's that? If I stand up to a potty, and he knocks me town, I am not to go hollering to other potties to help me; I am to stand up again; and if he knocks me town properly, I am to stay there, is n't that right? [Laughter.] JAGO. No Union! HENRY ROUS. Union! [Murmurs.] [Others take up the shout.] EVANS. Blacklegs! [BULGIN and the BLACKSMITH shake their fists at EVANS.] THOMAS. [With a gesture.] I am an olt man, look you. [A sudden silence, then murmurs again.] LEWIS. Olt fool, with his "No Union!" BULGIN. Them furnace chaps! For twopence I 'd smash the faces o' the lot of them. GREEN. If I'd a been listened to at the first! THOMAS. [Wiping his brow.] I'm comin' now to what I was going to say---- DAVIES. [Muttering.] An' time too! THOMAS. [Solemnly.] Chapel says: Ton't carry on this strife! Put an end to it! JAGO. That's a lie! Chapel says go on! THOMAS. [Scornfully.] Inteet! I haf ears to my head. RED-HAIRED YOUTH. Ah! long ones! [A laugh.] JAGO. Your ears have misbeled you then. THOMAS. [Excitedly.] Ye cannot be right if I am, ye cannot haf it both ways. RED-HAIRED YOUTH. Chapel can though! ["The Shaver" laughs; there are murmurs from the crowd.] THOMAS. [Fixing his eyes on "The Shaver."] Ah! ye 're Going the roat to tamnation. An' so I say to all of you. If ye co against Chapel I will not pe with you, nor will any other Got-fearing man. [He steps down from the platform. JAGO makes his way towards it. There are cries of "Don't let 'im go up!"] JAGO. Don't let him go up? That's free speech, that is. [He goes up.] I ain't got much to say to you. Look at the matter plain; ye 've come the road this far, and now you want to chuck the journey. We've all been in one boat; and now you want to pull in two. We engineers have stood by you; ye 're ready now, are ye, to give us the go-by? If we'd aknown that before, we'd not a-started out with you so early one bright morning! That's all I 've got to say. Old man Thomas a'n't got his Bible lesson right. If you give up to London, or to Harness, now, it's givin' us the chuck--to save your skins--you won't get over that, my boys; it's a dirty thing to do. [He gets down; during his little speech, which is ironically spoken, there is a restless discomfort in the crowd. ROUS, stepping forward, jumps on the platform. He has an air of fierce distraction. Sullen murmurs of disapproval from the crowd.] ROUS. [Speaking with great excitement.] I'm no blanky orator, mates, but wot I say is drove from me. What I say is yuman nature. Can a man set an' see 'is mother starve? Can 'e now? ROBERTS. [Starting forward.] Rous! ROUS. [Staring at him fiercely.] Sim 'Arness said fair! I've changed my mind! ROBERTS. Ah! Turned your coat you mean! [The crowd manifests a great surprise.]