STEEL. [Running his arm through MORE'S, and almost dragging him down the steps] You owe it to the theatre people. [MORE still hesitates] We might be penned in there another hour; you told Mrs. More half-past ten; it'll only make her anxious. And she hasn't seen you for six weeks. MORE. All right; don't dislocate my arm. They move down the steps, and away to the left, as a boy comes running down the alley. Sighting MORE, he stops dead, spins round, and crying shrilly: "'Ere 'e is! That's 'im! 'Ere 'e is!" he bolts back in the direction whence he came. STEEL. Quick, Sir, quick! MORE. That is the end of the limit, as the foreign ambassador remarked. STEEL. [Pulling him back towards the door] Well! come inside again, anyway! A number of men and boys, and a few young girls, are trooping quickly from the left. A motley crew, out for excitement; loafers, artisans, navvies; girls, rough or dubious. All in the mood of hunters, and having tasted blood. They gather round the steps displaying the momentary irresolution and curiosity that follows on a new development of any chase. MORE, on the bottom step, turns and eyes them. A GIRL. [At the edge] Which is 'im! The old 'un or the young? [MORE turns, and mounts the remaining steps.] TALL YOUTH. [With lank black hair under a bowler hat] You blasted traitor! MORE faces round at the volley of jeering that follows; the chorus of booing swells, then gradually dies, as if they realized that they were spoiling their own sport. A ROUGH GIRL. Don't frighten the poor feller! [A girl beside her utters a shrill laugh.] STEEL. [Tugging at MORE's arm] Come along, sir. MORE. [Shaking his arm free--to the crowd] Well, what do you want? A VOICE. Speech. MORE. Indeed! That's new. ROUGH VOICE. [At the back of the crowd] Look at his white liver. You can see it in his face. A BIG NAVY. [In front] Shut it! Give 'im a chanst! TALL YOUTH. Silence for the blasted traitor? A youth plays the concertina; there is laughter, then an abrupt silence. MORE. You shall have it in a nutshell! A SHOPBOY. [Flinging a walnut-shell which strikes MORE on the shoulder] Here y'are! MORE. Go home, and think! If foreigners invaded us, wouldn't you be fighting tooth and nail like those tribesmen, out there? TALL YOUTH. Treacherous dogs! Why don't they come out in the open? MORE. They fight the best way they can. [A burst of hooting is led by a soldier in khaki on the outskirt.] MORE. My friend there in khaki led that hooting. I've never said a word against our soldiers. It's the Government I condemn for putting them to this, and the Press for hounding on the Government, and all of you for being led by the nose to do what none of you would do, left to yourselves. The TALL YOUTH leads a somewhat unspontaneous burst of execration.