Guy. The truth? What is the truth? Martin. Oh, you shall know. I'm keeping you alive that you may know. Guy. What is it, you-------- (_Enter Captain and Ephraim._) Captain (_entering_). Are you there, Barlow? (_Seeing him._) Oh---- (_Saluting Ruth._) Guy. Never mind these people. What is it? Captain. Confound it, that's what _I_ want to know. Guy. What are you doing here? Why aren't you down there surrounding those weavers? Captain. Well, you see, the fact is, there are no weavers. Ephraim. Dogs, Guy. You remember I noticed the dogs. Guy. Dogs? Have you both gone mad? My patience! What is it? Captain (_drawing him to look_). You see those torches? Guy (_impatiently_). Of course. Captain. But you can't see who's carrying them from here. Guy. I don't need to see. I know. It's the weavers' meeting. Captain. Weavers! They're sheep, sir. Sheep with torches fastened to them and not a man in sight. Guy. Sheep! Martin (_quietly_). You'll remember I said butchers was the right word. Guy. Sheep! But we heard singing; Martin. A dozen men can make a noise. They'll have sore throats to-morrow. Guy. Sheep! Martin (_ringingly_). Look up! I've got my sign in the heavens. (_The sky is illuminated by the great leaping glare of a distant fire_) Captain. Fire! Martin. This is my night after all, Guy Barlow. The factory's ablaze. CURTAIN. ACT IV _Later the same night. Scene as Act II. Wine and glasses on table. The curtains are drawn apart and the glare of the burning factory is seen. Ephraim and John are in the window._ John. It's a sad sight, Barlow. Ephraim. A sight I cannot bear to see. Shut it out. Shut it out. (_He draws curtains._) (_John lays a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, and Ephraim goes slowly to chair by fireplace._) I built it, Heppenstall, the first factory in these parts, fifteen years ago, and there it's stood through all these years a monument of enterprise, until I'd grown to love the very stone of it. They mocked me when I put it up. They called it Barlow's Folly. But I knew. I knew machinery had come to stay, and now new factories are springing up, and building one to-day is not the same great thing it was. The glamour's gone. John. But you'll rebuild. Ephraim. Guy will rebuild. I doubt if I shall care for what he does. This night has broken me. John. Come, come, now, don't give way like that. Ephraim. It's easy talk for you. Your factory is sound. They've left it standing. John. Aye. You were the scapegoats. Ephraim. And all my business checked. Customers to disappoint. Connections broken and---- John. They will come back to you. Ephraim. And when? You can burn fast, but you rebuild slowly. And the misery, Heppenstall, the misery of it. John. You're thinking of your men? Ephraim. Aye and their families. John. A merciful man, Barlow.