No, I don't suppose he wants for asking. But Charlie's not the man to put up with that sort o' work. MRS. HOLROYD Charlie put up with it! If he's anything to say, why doesn't he say it, without going to other folks ...? GRANDMOTHER Charlie's never been near me with a word--nor 'as he said a word elsewhere to my knowledge. For all that, this is going to end with trouble. MRS. HOLROYD In this hole, every gossiping creature thinks she's got the right to cackle about you--sickening! And a parcel of lies. GRANDMOTHER Well, Lizzie, I've never said anything against you. Charlie's been a handful of trouble. He made my heart ache once or twice afore you had him, and he's made it ache many, many's the time since. But it's not all on his side, you know. MRS. HOLROYD (_hotly_) No, I don't know. GRANDMOTHER You thought yourself above him, Lizzie, an' you know he's not the man to stand it. MRS. HOLROYD No, he's run away from it. GRANDMOTHER (_venomously_) And what man wouldn't leave a woman that allowed him to live on sufferance in the house with her, when he was bringing the money home? MRS. HOLROYD "Sufferance!"--Yes, there's been a lot of letting him live on "sufferance" in the house with me. It is _I_ who have lived on sufferance, for his service and pleasure. No, what he wanted was the drink and the public house company, and because he couldn't get them here, he went out for them. That's all. GRANDMOTHER You have always been very clever at hitting things off, Lizzie. I was always sorry my youngest son married a clever woman. He only wanted a bit of coaxing and managing, and you clever women won't do it. MRS. HOLROYD He wanted a slave, not a wife. GRANDMOTHER It's a pity your stomach wasn't too high for him, before you had him. But no, you could have eaten him ravishing at one time. MRS. HOLROYD It's a pity you didn't tell me what he was before I had him. But no, he was all angel. You left me to find out what he really was. GRANDMOTHER Some women could have lived with him happy enough. An' a fat lot you'd have thanked me for my telling. [_There is a knock at the door. Mrs. Holroyd opens._ RIGLEY They tell me, missus, as your mester's not hoom yet. MRS. HOLROYD No--who is it? GRANDMOTHER Ask him to step inside. Don't stan' there lettin' the fog in. [_Rigley steps in. He is a tall, bony, very roughly hewn collier._ RIGLEY Good evenin'. GRANDMOTHER Oh, is it you, Mr. Rigley? (_In a querulous, spiteful tone to Mrs. Holroyd_) He butties along with Charlie. MRS. HOLROYD Oh! RIGLEY An' han yer seen nowt on 'im? MRS. HOLROYD No--was he all right at work? RIGLEY Well, 'e wor nowt to mention. A bit short, like: 'adna much to say. I canna ma'e out what 'e's done wi' 'issen. (_He is manifestly uneasy, does not look at the two women_) GRANDMOTHER An' did 'e come up i' th' same bantle wi' you? RIGLEY