I wish you’d throw it out in the street again. MRS PERKINS No, no. MR PERKINS But what _are_ y’ up to? MRS PERKINS It’s come to us, this ’as. We’ll stick to it if we can. MR PERKINS But---- MISS PERKINS Oh, Ma! MRS PERKINS They may not find the ’ouse again. They’re all alike in this street. MR PERKINS There’s the broken window. MRS PERKINS Let’s ’ave the bits of glass out. Then it won’t be noticed. [_She peers out into the street. Then she begins to pluck the fragments of broken glass from the window. She winces and licks her finger._ MR PERKINS You’ve cut yourself now. MRS PERKINS Never mind that. Polly, pick all the bits off the floor. Don’t leave a trace. [_She licks her finger. Polly obeys._ MR PERKINS Now, what’s all this about? MISS PERKINS (_On the floor._) I dunno what’s come over ’er. MRS PERKINS ’Ere, Polly, look alive. ’Ave y’ got ’em all? MISS PERKINS All I can find. MRS PERKINS Drat it! A bit’s fallen outside. Go out and pick it up, Pa. No; p’raps better not. MR PERKINS Look here! What’s y’r game? MRS PERKINS Give here! (_She takes all the fragments together and puts them under the sofa cushion. She looks round the room, listens at the window and returns to her darning_.) If anyone comes, mind we know nothin’ about it. MR PERKINS It depends ’oo comes, doesn’t it? MRS PERKINS No. MR PERKINS It might be the police. MRS PERKINS Never mind the police. MR PERKINS Why! What d’ y’ mean? What _do_ y’ mean? MRS PERKINS It’s the chanct of a lifetime. We’ll take it. MISS PERKINS Oh, Ma! MR PERKINS Look ’ere---- MRS PERKINS It’s come to us. It might a’ bin the answer to a prayer. MR PERKINS Was it? MRS PERKINS Not exactly, but I’ve been thinkin’ a lot. MR PERKINS More likely the devil. MRS PERKINS There’s no such thing. Y’re talkin’ nonsense. MR PERKINS No devil. Then is there God? MRS PERKINS There may be. ’E may ’av sent it. MR PERKINS It’s awful talk, this. MISS PERKINS Why! What could you do with it? MRS PERKINS Chop it up and sell it. MR PERKINS Where? MRS PERKINS In South America. MR PERKINS Good ’eavens! MISS PERKINS Ma, how can you? MR PERKINS ’Ave y’ took leave of y’r senses? MRS PERKINS Yes, if y’ like. MR PERKINS Well, I’ve ’eard tell as women aren’t honest like men and now I know it. MRS PERKINS ’Ow do I know you’re honest? MR PERKINS I’ve never took a thing in my life. I’ve a record, ’aven’t I? MRS PERKINS I dessay. I dunno. I won’t give it up. I won’t. I won’t. So there! MR PERKINS ’Ow can y’ ’elp it? MRS PERKINS I’ve sat there darnin’ and mendin’, waitin’ and dozin’ till I’m tired. I’ve never ’ad a go at anythin’. The chanct ’as come. MISS PERKINS I did think you were honest, Ma. MRS PERKINS Honest! It’s ours. MR PERKINS ’Ow can it be? MRS PERKINS ’Oo’s is it? MR PERKINS Why! That Grand Cham’s. MRS PERKINS