Ephraim. Then you'd better not forget it or I'll turn you out of the room and finish this talk with Heppenstall alone. (_Guy throws himself in chair by fire._) Guy (_sighing to himself_). Oh, my God, these old men! Ephraim (_to John_). I agree to that. I'll raise them on condition you do the same. Guy. I object. Ephraim. Your objection is overruled. Guy. I'm your partner. Ephraim (_hotly_). I am the head of Barlow's and---- (_Manservant enters with port, glasses, etc., places on table, and exit in silence._) (_Ephraim pours out wine, and offers John, etc._) Guy. The old wages won't satisfy the weavers. They grumbled then. But the point for Mr. Heppenstall is this. It may have hurt his tender heart, but when we reduced, he did the same, and he needn't cant about it now, for actions speak louder than words. The thing is that he acts with us, and we manufacturers can present a solid front and---- John. Yes, but you set the bad example. I'm a business man and I had to follow or you'd have cut me out with my customers. But as a humane man, I protest, sir. Guy. Because you look at the men. I look at the system. The system's magnificent, and if the factory system demands sacrifices, I shall sacrifice men without scruple. John. Will you sacrifice yourself? Guy. I do sacrifice myself. I've sacrificed my personal security. I risk my life every day and I value my life, Mr. Heppenstall. I value it so much that I've taken protective measures at the factory. I've a few stout fellows there--an odd prizefighter or two, an old soldier from the French wars, nominally as watchmen, but they're men who can use their fists and handle a gun too if the worst comes. John. Ah! You've a pretty good idea of looking after yourself. Guy. It isn't for my own sake. John (_sceptically_). No? Guy. Oh, I've a life I'd like to live. I've a wife and I'm young and so on--but that doesn't matter. My value is as a factory owner. Epiiraim. Owner? Guy. Manager, then. I believe in the system, I'm here to spread that system, to cover Lancashire with factories and make the county manufacturing centre of the world. That is my dream, sir, the dream of cheap production, and the triumph of machinery. John. You're talking very big, young man. It takes me all my time to run one factory. Guy. I know I'm talking big. I'm seeing big, bigger than will come in your lifetime or in mine. This thing's at the beginning. It's not secure yet, but I mean to do my part to set it firmly on its legs before I die. John. There's nothing wonderful in bigness. A thousand factories are no more wonderful than one. Guy. Oh, you've no vision. John. And maybe you've too much. The future isn't here. The present and those weavers are. And they trouble me. Guy. They trouble me until they've learnt who's master. After that, there'll be no trouble. (_Enter Ruth, excitedly, leaving door open behind her._) Ruth. Guy! The men. Don't you hear them? Guy. Men! Where? Ruth. They're in the hall.