"Well, a very good dinner, Sibil!" "Tell cook from me." "Absolutely first class." "Arthur, you're not supposed to say such things!" "Come come, I'm treating Gerald like one of the family." " I'm sure he won't object." " Go on Gerald, just do object." "No I wouldn't dream of it." "In fact, I insist on being one of the family now." "I've been trying long enough, haven't I?" " Well haven't I?" "You know I have!" " Of course she does!" "Yes, except for all last summer when you never came near me and I wondered what had happened to you." " And I've told you." "I was awfully busy..." " Yes, that's what you say." "Now Sheila, stop teasing him." "When you're married you'll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend all their time and energy on their business." "You'll get used to it, just as I had to." " I don't believe I will." "So you be careful." " Oh, I will, I will." "I'll never let business interfere with pleasure." "What's the joke, Eric?" "I dunno." "I suddenly felt I had to laugh." " I'm sure you're squiffy." " I tell you I'm not." "The words you girls pick up these days!" "If you think that's the best she can do, mother..." " Don't be a fool, Eric." " Now stop it, you two." " Arthur, what about that toast of yours?" " Oh, yes, of course." "Well, here's wishing the pair of you best that life can bring..." "Gerald, Sheila." "Yes, Gerald." "Yes, Sheila darling," "Our love, and very best wishes." " Eric!" " Ah?" "Oh!" "Yes, all the best!" "She's got a filthy temper sometimes, but as a sister she's not bad really." "Well I can't drink to this, can I?" " When do I drink?" " You can drink to me." "Alright then." " I drink to you, Gerald." " Thank you." "And I drink to you." "I hope that I can make you as happy as you deserve." "You be careful or I'll start weeping." "Perhaps this will help you to stop it." "You've got it!" " It's the one I wanted!" " Very one." "Steady the buffs!" "It's wonderful." "Look mommy, isn't it a beauty?" "Now I really feel engaged!" "So you should." "It's a beautiful ring." "Take care of it." "I'll never let it out of my sight for an instant." "And I'll never let you out either, business or no business." "You know, I'm delighted about this engagement." "Take my word for it, when you two marry you'll be marrying at a very good time." "A time of steadily increasing prosperity and progress." "I believe you're right." " Well what about war?" " War?" "Fiddlesticks!" "The Germans don't want war, nobody wants war!" "There's too much at stake these days." "Everything to lose and nothing to gain." " Yes I know, but still there's..." " I say there isn't a chance of war!" "When you're living in 1912, you've got to think like 1912." "Why, the world is developing so fast it'll make war impossible." "Yes, of course dear." "Now don't keep Gerald in here too long." "Eric, I want you a minute." "Sheila dear, go on into the drawing room." "I want to have a private word with Eric." "Alright, mother." "It's about time someone had a word with him." "Poor old Gerald." "If only he knew." "Eric dear, don't mind what I'm going to say," "But if I were you I shouldn't have involved a drink tonight." "I'm perfectly alright mother." "Yes of course you are darling, I'm not saying you aren't." "But on a celebration like this one gets excited." "Sometimes one doesn't notice how much one is taking." "I only had a couple of glasses, mother." "I dare say!" "That's quite enough for a boy of your age, you're not used to it." "Look at your waistcoat, you've spilled something on it." " And be careful." " Don't worry, mother." " Have a cigar." " No, thank you." " Help yourself." " Thank you." "There's something I'd like to mention," "I've got an idea that your mother, Lady Croft, well, she doesn't, er, object to my girl, feels that you might be doing better for yourself socially." " Oh no Sir I'm sure you..." " Oh no Gerald, that's quite alright." "She comes from an old county family and it's only natural." "But what I wanted to say is..." "There's a fair chance of my getting into the next honours list." "Oh, I say, congratulations!" "It's a bit too early for that yet, so don't say anything." "But I've had a hint or two." "I gather there's a very good chance of a knighthood." "So long as we behave ourselves... and don't get into the police courts, ahahahahaha." " What's that about police courts?" " Nothing, just a little joke, hehe!" "Doesn't seem very funny to me." "I was just telling Gerald that now that he and Sheila are engaged, we must all behave ourselves." "No scandals, no monkey business..." " You seem a nice, well-behaved family to me." " We think we are." "Mister Berling." "Yes?" " My name's Poole." "Inspector Poole." " What's the meaning of this?" "There's a front door, you know!" "I want to talk to you Mister Birling, I thought I'd find you here." "Very bright of you, I'm sure!" "People usually are in the dining room at dinner time!" "Oh well, now you're here, where's the warrant?" "Oh there's no warrant, Mister Berling." "Well what is it then?" "I'd like some information if you don't mind." "You'd better sit down." "Thank you." "Well?" "About two hours ago a young woman died in the infirmary." "She'd been removed there this afternoon after taking poison." "It's believed some strong disinfectant." " How horrible!" " Yes, it wasn't a pleasant sight." "Suicide?" "Well then, of course we don't know yet, for certain." "They did everything they could for her in the infirmary, but she died." "But I don't understand why you've come here, inspector?" "Like a lot of young these women who get into various kinds of trouble, she used more than one name." "But her original name, her real name was Eva Smith." " Eva Smith?" " Yes." " Do you remember her, mister Berling?" " No." "But I seem to remember having heard that name somewhere." "Eva Smith." "But it doesn't convey anything to me." "I don't see where I come into this, inspector." "But she was employed in your works, Mister Birling." "Oooh, that's it!" "Well, of course." "We've got several hundred young women there." "They keep changing." "Ah, but this young woman Eva Smith was a bit out of the ordinary." "I found a photograph of her in the lodgings." "Perhaps, uh, perhaps this will help you to remember." "Any particular reason why we shouldn't see this young woman's photograph, inspector?" "There might be." "You recognize her now, don't you, Mister Berling?" "Yees!" "I remember her." "She was one of my employees." "It must've been the Autumn of 1910." "About the time we opened our new machine shop." "Yeah, she was out of the ordinary." "An intelligent, good-looking girl." "If fact, the foreman told me he was ready to promote her to what they call a.... a leading operator." "Head of a small group of girls." "See them?" "Quite a bit of spirit." "I didn't know then that she was a troublemaker." "It's only the girls in the lath machine job isn't it?" " Not the whole boiling?" " Only the women, sir." "How many of them are coming up?" "A deputation of five, sir." " Right, you'd better show 'em in." " Right, sir." "I understand you're dissatisfied with the money you're getting here." "Is that so?" "Yes, sir." "How much are they getting at the moment?" "Between 22 shillings and 6 pence a week, sir." "That's the usual rate in the industry at present, isn't it?" "Yes, sir." "You see?" "How much do you think you ought to get?" " 25 shillings, sir." " Well I'm sorry, but it can't be done." "Why can't it be done?" "Did you say "Why can't it be done"?" "Yes." "I don't see why I should have to give you an explanation." " Well why are you seeing us then?" " Alright, I'll tell you." "If I agreed to your demands, costs would go up 10%." "And if costs went up 10% prices would go up 10% a we should be unable to sell our goods against our competitors." "If that happened the factory would close down and you'd be out of work." "Satisfied?" "No." "I'm afraid you'll have to remain unsatisfied" "I've told you, we're paying the usual rates." "But what if you can't live on them?" "You'll have to go and work somewhere else." "It's a free country, after all." "What's the use of that if you can't get work somewhere else?" "I'm sorry, but that's no concern of mine." " There'll be trouble sir, I'm afraid." " Oh, You mean they'll strike?" " I'm sure of it, sir." " Just back from their holidays, aren't they?" "Yes, sir." "Yes, well it'll soon be over, they'll all be broke." "As soon as they feel the pinch they'll be trying to come back." " You'll take 'em back, sir?" " Yes, at the old rates." "I won't accept the ringleaders, that girl for instance." "She had far too much to say for herself." "Get rid of her." "So Eva Smith, together with 4 or 5 others, was discharged." " Is that why she killed herself?" " Don't be ridiculous, Eric." "All this happened before you'd even started in the works." "Nearly two years ago." "It obviously had nothing to do with the wretched girl's suicide, inspector." "I didn't say it was suicide." "What're you suggesting?" "I'm not suggesting anything, Mister Birling." "I'm merely trying to trace the facts that led to the death of this girl." "But good heavens man, I can't accept any responsibility!" "If we were all responsible for everything that happened to people that we'd had anything to do with..." "Well it would..." "It would be very awkward, wouldn't it?" "Oh yes, very awkward." "In any case I can't see that in the circumstances you could've done anything else, sir." "Yes he could." "He could've kept her on instead of throwing her out." " I call it tough luck." " Rubbish!" "If you don't come down sharply on them they'll soon be asking for the earth!" "Well why shouldn't they ask for higher wages?" "We try for the highest possible prices!" "I don't see why she should've been sacked just because she had a bit more spur than the others!" "You said yourself she was a good worker." "I'd have let her stay." "Unless you brighten some of your ideas... you'll never be in a position to let anybody stay or to tell anybody to go!" "Well Inspector, there's nothing more I can tell you." "I told the girl to clear it out and she went." "That's the last I heard of her." "Well have you got any ideas what happened to her after that?" "Get into trouble?" " Go on the streets?" " No, no Mister Berling, she didn't exactly go on the streets." "Oh, sorry I didn't know you had someone with you." "Alright, we'll be along in a minute, we're finished here." "There nothing else, you know." "I told you that." " What's this all about?" " Nothing to do with you Sheila, run along." " Wait, please, Miss Birling." " Now look here, inspector..." "There isn't the slightest reason why my daughter should be dragged into this unpleasant business." "What business?" "I'm a police inspector, Miss Berling." "This afternoon a young woman drank some poison and died in the infirmary." "After great suffering, I'm afraid." " How horrible!" "Was it an accident?" " That's what we want to find out." "Yes, well don't tell me the girl commited suicide just because" "I dismissed her from my employment about two years ago." "Well did you?" "Yes I did." "She'd been causing trouble at the works." " It was quite justified." " I think you were." "I wish you hadn't told me." "What was she like?" "Yes, what was she like?" " Quite young. 24." " Pretty?" " Not when I saw her today, Miss Berling, but she'd been pretty." "Very pretty." "I don't really see that this inquiry gets you anywhere, inspector." "It's what happened to her since she left." " Mister Berling's works that is important." " Obviously." "And we can't help you there because we don't know." "Are you quite sure you don't know?" "Are you suggesting that..." "One of them had something to do with this girl?" "Yes." "So you didn't come here just to see me then?" "No." "No, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you all a few more questions yet." "Well I've told you all I know." "So I'd be much obliged if you'd ask your questions and then clear it out." "We were having a nice little family celebration here this evening." "A nastiness you've made of it, haven't you?" "It is not of my making I assure you, Mister Birling." "I don't understand, Inspector." "You talk as if we were responsible for this poor girl's death." "You seem to forget that we're respectable citizens and not criminals, you know." "Ah well, sometimes there isn't as much difference as one would think." "Indeed, if it were left to me I wouldn't know where to draw the line." "Fortunately, it isn't left to you, is it?" "Very fortunately." "I'll have to make inquiries." "What happened to this girl after she left my father's works?" "Well she was out of work for a couple of months." "As you can imagine, she had a very distressing time." " How terrible." " Then she had a wonderful stroke of luck." "She was taken on in a shop." "A good shop." "Millwood's." "Millwood's?" "Oh, we go there!" "I was there this afternoon for your benefit." "She enjoyed working there, she liked being amongst pretty clothes." "It seems she felt that she was making a real fresh start." "But after two months, they told her she'd have to go." "Not doing her work properly?" "No no, there was nothing wrong about the way she was doing her work." "They admitted that." "There must've been something wrong?" "No, no." "All she knew was that a customer had complained about her and so she had to go." " When was this?" " The end of january last year." "What was this girl like?" "Well if you'll come over here Miss Birling, I'll show you." "What's the matter Sheila?" "You knew it was me all the time didn't you?" "Well, I had an idea it might be." "Did it make much difference to her?" "Yes, I'm afraid it did." "You see, that was the last really steady job she had." " So I'm really responsible?" " No, I wouldn't go as far as that." " No more than your father, really." " What'd you do, Sheila?" "What happened?" "I was in a filthy temper that afternoon." "I'd been out shopping with mother." "But I needed a new hat, so we went to Millwood's." "I was determined to get my own way over that hat." "The fact that I knew in my heart that mother was right and I was wrong made me even more obstinate and pigheaded." " This is the one I like best." " Oh dear." "It doesn't suit you at all." "Mother, you always say that when I choose something!" " Surely I'm old enough to know what I want." " It's quite unsuitable." "Pink ones are very much prettier." "Quite charming when the assistant had it on just now." "Why is it you girls always like things that are much too old for you?" "You need a hat like that to suit your baby face." "Still, if you think you know best, you'll have it dear." "Only hurry up and make up your mind." "You can meet me in the tea lounge." "Miss Francis, I know it didn't look right but I don't think I was wearing it properly." "Can you show me, please?" "Yes, Miss Birling." "I think it would look better like this." "Allow me." "No, I might disarrange your charming coiffure." "Eva, put it on, will you?" "Yes, I knew it was alright." "Give it to me!" "Come along!" "Alright I won't have this hat or any other!" "Oh but Miss Birling!" "I'm not going to sit here trying on hats for your amusement!" " But I assure you..." " That girl was grinning her head off!" " Don't you teach them any manners?" " Eva, you wouldn't!" " No." "I wasn't, and it isn't my fault." " I'm going to report you for impertinence!" "Well I must say that's unfair!" "It's nothing of the sort, you know perfectly well you were being insolent!" "I'm sorry if I made that impression madam, and I assure you nothing..." "Don't just stand there Miss Francis, do something!" " Miss Birling, do you see anything wrong?" " Yes." "This girl has been abominably rude!" "And if she's still here the next time I come I'll walk straight out!" "Well, Miss Birling, I'm sure there must be some mistake..." "And once more or I'll ask my mother to close her account with you!" "It didn't seem anything very terrible at the time." "Well of course it wouldn't, Miss Birling, at the time." "Well how could I know what it would lead to?" "If she'd been some miserable, plain little creature," "I don't suppose I would've done it." "She was very pretty, and..." "looked as if she could take care of herself." "In fact in kind of a way, you might be said to have been jealous of her?" "Yes I suppose I was..." "But if I could help her now, believe me I would." "I'm sure you would, Miss Birling." "But you can't." "It's a great pity." "She's dead." "It's a bit sick when you come to think of it." "Oh, I know, I know, I never done anything like that before." "And I'll never do it again to anyone!" "Why had this to happen?" "That's what I hope to find out before I leave here, Miss Birling!" "So far we've discovered that Eva Smith lost one job because she was sacked out of hand by your father." "Then she lost another one because..." "Well, for reasons which you've just described Miss Birling." "Now she had to start again." "She was anxious to dissociate herself from the past, so she changed her name to Daisy Renton." "What?" "I said she changed her name to Daisy Renton." "Well, Gerald?" "Well what, Sheila?" "How did you come to know this girl?" " Eva Smith." " I didn't." "Or Daisy Renton, and it's the same thing." "Why should I have known?" "Oh dear Gerald, you gave yourself away as soon as he mentioned her other name." "Alright, I knew her." "Let's leave it at that." " I wish we could leave it at that." " But Darling." "No, it's no use!" "You're not any newer, you knew her very well." "Otherwise you wouldn't look so guilty about it." "When did you first get to know her?" "Was it after she left Millwood's?" "Were you seeing her all last spring and summer during that time when you hardly came near me and said you were busy?" "Well were you?" "I'm sorry, Sheila." "But the whole thing was over and done with last summer." "I haven't set eyes on the girl for at least six months." "We don't come into this business." "Thought I didn't half an hour ago." "You don't." "Neither of us does." "For heaven's sake, don't say anything to the inspector." " About you and this girl?" " Yes." " He doesn't need to know." " But he knows." "Of course he knows." "But I hate to think how much he knows that we don't know yet." "For your sake." "Yes, I agree." "It's a very distressing story." "But I must say, inspector, that it seems an extraordinary coincidence that my husband, and as you tell us, Sheila, should both have come in contact with this girl." "As you say, Missus Birling, an extraordinary coincidence." "Of course, now we know why you're here, we should only be too glad to answer" " any questions we can." " Thank you." "But the rest of us, of course have never met the girl so I very much doubt if we should be of any great help to you." " No mother, please." " Why whatever's the matter, Sheila?" "I know it sounds silly, but I feel you're beginning all wrong." "I'm afraid you'll do or say something you'll be sorry for afterwards." "I don't know what you're talking about." "We all started like that." "So confident, so pleased with ourselves, until he began asking us questions." "I don't understand about you." "I don't know much about police inspectors, but I never imagined them like you." "You seem to have made a great impression on this child, inspector." "We often do in the young ones, Missus Birling." "They're more impressionable." "You're looking tired, dear." "I think you ought to go to bed." "I'm staying here until I know why that girl killed herself." "Morbid curiosity." "In any case, I don't suppose for a moment we can understand why she commited suicide." "Girls of that class!" "No mother, for your own sake as well as ours," " you mustn't..." " Mustn't what?" "Really, Sheila!" "You musnt't start building up a wall between us and that girl." "If you do the inspector will just break it down, it'll be all the worse when he does." " I don't understand you." "Do you?" " Yes." "Yes." "I'm afraid she's right." "That I consider a trifle impertinent, inspector!" "I realize that you have to conduct some sort of inquiry, but I must say that so far you seem to be conducting it in a rather peculiar, and offensive manner." "You realize of course that my husband was." "And that he's still a magistrate?" "Missus Birling, the inspector knows all that." "As a magistrate, Missus Birling, your husband will want to take a lively interest in this inquiry." "I'd be grateful for his help." "Will he be returning shortly, do you think?" "He's just talking to my son Eric." "He seems to be in a silly, excitable sort of mood." " What's the Matter with him?" " Eric?" "I'm afraid he may have had rather too much to drink tonight." "We were..." " Is he used to drinking?" " Of course not!" "He's only a boy." "We're all boys to our mothers, Missus Birling." " I'd say he's a young man." " Some young men drink far too much." "Are you insinuating that Eric is one of them?" "Mother, I'm the last person to say anything to hurt Eric, you know that." "What's the use of blindly shutting our eyes to the facts?" " But you, his own sister..." " Eric drinks too much." "It's no help to him merely to pretend that he doesn't." "But it isn't true!" "Gerald, you know him." "You know it isn't true." "Well, Mister Croft?" "Well..." "lately he has been drinking rather a lot, but..." "And this is the moment you choose to tell me?" "I've been trying to persuade Eric to go to bed, but he won't." "Now he says that you told him to wait." " Did you?" " Yes, yes I did." "Why?" "I want to talk to him." "Well I suggest you do it now and get it over" "I'm sorry, I can't today." " Now look here inspector..." " He must wait his turn." "I don't like your tone, or the way you're conducting this inquiry!" "I don't propose to give you much more rope." "You needn't give me any rope, Mister Birling." "Please father, please be careful!" "What is the matter with that girl?" "She's overexcited and behaving most stupidly." "Now come along inspector, what is it you want to know?" "Well Missus Birling, as I told you Eva Smith had to leave Millwood's because your daughter compelled him to discharge her." "After that she stopped being Eva Smith and became Daisy Renton." "When did you first get to know her, Mister Croft?" "Where did you get the idea that I did know her?" " No, it's no use, Gerald." " Alright." "I met her first sometime in March last year at the palace theater." "Sheila, are you sure you want to hear this?" " Why don't you leave us?" " Because I want to understand." "Don't you see how important it is to both of us that I should understand?" "What's the matter, Mister Croft?" "Sorry, I suddenly realized..." "I'm taking it improperly that she's dead." "Probably between us we killed her." "Don't talk nonsense!" "Go on, Mister Croft." "You met her at the Palace variety theater." "I'd seen the only act I wanted to see, and that was bad so I went down to the bar to get a drink." "The Palace bar has, I understand, an unsavoury reputation." "Yes, it's the favorite front of uh, women of a certain sort." "Women of a certain sort?" "Here in Bromley?" "Yes, Missus Birling." "I'm afraid that even Bromley is not entirely free from... from that sort of thing." "I think it would be better if Sheila didn't listen to this at all." "I'm determined to listen to it, mother." "I explained why." "Go on, Gerald." "You went down into the bar..." "I take it you're not a friend of Gerald Maggoteth?" " Gerald Maggoteth?" " No, obviously not." "That was the amorous gentleman you were talking to." "He seemed part of a man before me." "He just came and sat down." "How on earth did you get in such a place?" "I came to see the manager to bite a job." "He told me to wait there." "And the manager didn't come?" " No." "Did you know him?" " Slightly." "Would you like me to try and find him for you?" "Sure, you want the job then?" "No, no not in there." "Selling programs or something." "Ah, I see." "You stay here and I'll try and find him for you." "What's the matter?" " Nothing." "I'm alright." " Come and sit down." " Are you ill?" " No, I'm alright." "It's just..." "I think perhaps I may be a tiny bit faint, and it's been getting to me..." " How many meals have you had today?" " Oh, I've had a lot of meals." "What'd you have for lunch?" "Dinner?" "What'd you have for dinner?" " I had dinner alright." " What?" "WHAT?" " Well, I...." " You had no dinner." "Come on now, be honest." "You had no dinner, now did you?" " No, I suppose not really." " And breakfast?" " Oh yes, I had breakfast." " What?" " I had a cup of tea." " A cup of tea!" "?" "Here, take my arm." "Oh." "Thank you." " Where're you taking me to?" " Come on." " That was wonderful." " What would you like now?" " Nothing, thank you." "No thank you." " A knife?" " Coffee?" " No really, I couldn't." "The bill please, waiter." "You know, you must've been a terribly bad cad to have to get sacked from both your jobs so quickly." "Perhaps I was." "No, I don't think I was." "I sure you weren't." "It was just bad luck." " Perhaps it was." " What'd you do then?" "Ooh, nothing very much." "A few odd things, I managed." " Were you born in Bromley?" " No, I was born in the country." "My father worked on a farm." "I lived there 'till I was fifteen." "I loved it there, the country." " Why did you leave?" " I wanted to better myself." "Oh, oh I'm so sorry." "I don't know why I feel so sleepy." "It's horrid of me when you've been so nice to me." "Not a bit." "It's the food and the wine." "I'll see you home." " Oh, no it doesn't matter though, really." " Oh yes it does!" "Wouldn't want any more Alderman Maggoteths." "Come on." "I've never been in a cab before." "Well, when you're a very old lady you'll be able to tell your grandchildren." "March the 18th, 1911." "You'll say, "That's the day I travelled in a cab"." "Teehee." "With the famous Gerald Croft." "The old Croft of Bromley by then." "This is Osmand Street, sir." "Any particular number?" " What number, Daisy?" " Oh, this'll do beautifully." "Good night Gerald, and thank you." "I said I was going to see you to your front door and I meant it." " Now, which house is it?" " No, don't bother, I'm alright." "I insist on bothering." "I don't leave a lady standing in the street in the middle of the night." "Now what is the number?" "Well I don't really live on Osmand street itself, it's it's just around the corner." "Good night." "I said I was gong to see you to your front door." " Will you wait there, cabbie?" " Bravo, sir." " Is this the corner?" " No, the next one." " Gerald, don't come with me!" " But why not?" "Well...." "Daisy, tell me the truth." "Well I..." "I don't really exactly live anywhere at the moment..." "I was hoping to stay with a friend of mine." "I was turned out of my room, I couldn't pay the rent." "I was hoping to stay with a girl I knew." "It's too late now, I can't wake up the house at this time of night." "But I'll be perfectly alright." "It'll be getting light soon, and..." "I'll just walk around..." "Thank you Gerald." "Goodbye." " Will you wait a moment please, cabbie?" " Alright, sir." "Now I'll tell you what actually is going to happen." "We live, my family and I, in the country about 15 miles out, so I keep a little flat here in Bromley." "It's yours until you get fixed up with another place." "When I say yours, I mean yours." "I shan't arrive unless I'm invited." " You really mean that?" " Yes." "What do you say?" "Cabbie, will you drive to 7 Arcride Terrace, please?" "That, madam, is I think all I need tell you about this... desirable residence." "It has of course constant cold water, and every modern inconvenience." "Ah, here's the keys." "'A' is for this door here, and 'B' is for the door downstairs." "Here're two sovereigns for housekeeping money." "Oh, but I couldn't!" "The flat must be kept up to its accustomed style of living, Miss Renton." "Now, go and get 12 hours of sleep." "Look at this, we might consider the possibility of three square meals a day not forgetting tea." " Would you be coming here tomorrow?" " Yes, we'll have dinner together." "I'll be here a 7 sharp." "Thank you." "Good night." "Good night." "Miss Daisy Renton, I believe?" "Quite right." "Would you be Mister Gerald Croft?" "Not if I could possibly be anyone else." "Can't talk until I get rid of this." " What is it?" " You'll see." "Chicken, ham, fruit, everything." "And a bottle of wine." "Now, plates." "Hello, what's this?" "I thought we'd eat here too." "But this is wonderful!" "We'll have two courses, a banquet!" "You know what you've forgotten?" "Corkscrew." "My hat, look at the time!" "I've gotta go." "I shall only just catch that last train!" "I have to run for it." "Good night, Daisy." "Goodnight." "And so she became your mistress?" "I suppose it was inevitable." "Were you in love with her?" "I object to my daughter, a young, unmarried girl, being drawn into this affair." "Your daughter isn't living on the moon, mother, she's here in Bromley." "Were you in love with her?" "It's hard to say." "I suppose I didn't feel about her the way she did about me." "Of course not." "You were the wonderful fairy prince." " You must've adored it, Gerald." " Yes, I admit it." "I did for a time." "Almost any man would've." "That's about the best thing that anyone's said here tonight." "At least it's honest." "Thank you, Gerald." "Is there anything else you ought to know, inspector?" "I don't think we want to know more details of this... disgusting affair." "I'm afraid I do, Missus Berling." "I'll have to know the rest of the story, Mister Croft." "I've proceeded, I imagine, along more or less conventional lines." " Conventional?" " There were no particular incidents." "I supported her, though she would never accept much money." "We were never seen together in Bromley." "She insisted on that." "But I saw her pretty frequently at the flat..." " Have you been out somewhere?" " Yes." "Theater." " Was it good?" " It was alright." "What'd you do today?" "Daisy, I don't know how to tell you this, but I..." "I've simply got to talk to you." "No, don't you talk." "It's impossible for you, let me do the talking." "Just tell me if I go wrong." " Daisy, this isn't fair!" " No, leave it to me." "This's got to end." "It's wrong for both of us." "It's better." "You were never really in love with me, you know, just... just sorry for me, and that's not quite the same thing." "And perhaps..." "I was never really in love with you." "Just very grateful." "I've always known it would have to end, so it's no shock." "Even when we were happiest together having fun," "I was always a little unhappy too, it's because I knew it would have to end." "The only thing I didn't know was when." "Have you found someone else?" " Yes." " Then I must leave tomorrow." " You don't have to go as quickly as..." " No, I'll go tomorrow." "She might find out I was here I'll pack and go as soon as I possibly can." "Stop it, Daisy." "I know you're only trying to make it easier for me, but it's horrible." " I'll leave some money for you." " No, no, I don't need any money." "Please take it Daisy, I couldn't bear it if you didn't." "It's just something to keep you going until you get a decent job." "Oh, don't worry about me." "I'll get a job." " You sure?" " Yes, I'm quite sure." "Goodbye Gerald, please go quickly now." "No, no." "Please." "I'm afraid that's all I can tell you." "Thank you, Mister Croft." "That's all I want from you." "In that case, if you'll excuse me, I'd be glad if you'd let me go." "Go where, home?" "No, I'd like to walk around a bit if you don't mind." " Certainly Mister Croft." " Gerald." "I think you'd better take this." " I see." " Oh, don't misunderstand me." "I don't dislike you as I did half an hour ago." "In fact in some odd way I rather respect you more than I've ever done before." "But this has made a difference." "You and I aren't the same people who sat down to dinner here." "We shall have to get to know each other all over again." "No, Sheila, I'm not defending him but you must understand that a lot of young men..." "No father, please." " Gerald knows what I mean." " Yes, I know what you mean." " But I'm coming back, if I may." " You may." "Well, let's hope that disposes of the unfortunate girl." "I'm afraid not quite, Missus Birling." "You never showed that photograph to Gerald, inspector." "It wasn't necessary." " Is that a photograph of the girl?" " Yes." "I think you'd better have a look at her." " You recognize her?" " No, why should I?" "You mean you don't choose to?" "I meant what I said." "You're not telling me the truth, Missus Birling." "I beg your pardon!" "Now look here, inspector..." "I won't have this!" "I'm a public man!" "I suggest, Mister Birling, that public men have responsibilities as well as privileges." "Yes, but you weren't told to come here to talk to me about my responsibilities." "Let's hope not, but I'm beginning to wonder." "Does that meaning anything, Sheila?" "It means that we've no excuse now for putting on airs." "Father threw this girl out because she asked for decent wages." "I did no such thing!" "I sacked her because she was a troublemaker!" "Well anyways, she was sacked." "I pushed her further out because I was in a bad temper, and she was pretty" "Gerald gives her the earth and then drops her as soon as it suits him." "And now you're pretending you don't recognize her for herself!" " Sheila, how dare do you!" " Oh, I admit I know why you should, but I do very well know that you did from the way you look!" "Can't you see that you're just making tours?" " It's the door again." " Gerald must've come back." " Unless your son has just gone out." " Well I'll go and see." "Missus Birling, you are a member, a very prominent member of the." "Blumley women's charity organization, aren't you?" " Yes, I am." " And it's an organization to which women in distress may appeal for help in various forms?" "Yes, we've done a great deal of work in helping deserving cases." "And there was a meeting of the interviewing committee, two weeks ago?" "I daresay there was." "You know very well there was, Missus Birling." "You were in the chair!" "And if I was?" "What business is it of yours?" " Was it Eric?" " Must've been." " Did you go up to his room?" " Yes." "And I called out on both landings." "Must've gone out." " Silly boy, where could he have gone to?" " Can't imagine." "He's in one of his excitable moods." "Anyway, we don't need him here." "Oh, but we do need him here." " He's probably gone to cool off." " I'm sure he'll be back soon." " You're sure?" " Reasonably sure." " He'll be back." " I hope so." "Why should you hope so?" "I'll explain that when you've answered my questions, Missus Birling." "You remember that Mister Croft told us, quite truthfully I believe, that he hadn't spoken to or seen Eva Smith for the last 6 months." "But Missus Birling spoke to her and saw her only two weeks ago." " Mother did?" " Is this true?" "Yes, quite true." "She appealed to your organization for help." " Yes." " Did you give it?" " No." " Why?" "Why, Missus Birling?" "She told me ridiculous, incredible story." "An obvious lie." "Also, she was grossly impertinent." " Impertinent?" " Yes." "That was one of the reasons that prejudiced me against her case." "You admit being prejudiced against her?" " Yes." " Mother, she's just died a horrible death." "I'm very sorry." "I think she had only herself to blame." "Tell me, was it due to your influence as the most prominent member of the committee" " that help was refused this girl?" " Possibly." "Come now Missus Birling." "Was it or was it not your influence?" " I didn't like her manner." " Why did she ask for help?" "You know very well why she asked for help." "No, I don't." "I know that she needed help, but if I wasn't there then I don't know why she asked it from your committee." "I don't think we need to discuss it." "You have no hope of not discussing it, Missus Birling." "If you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, inspector, you're very much mistaken." "Unlike the other three, I have nothing that I'm ashamed of or that won't bear investigation." "This girl asked for assistance." "We are required to look very carefully into the claims made upon us." "I wasn't satisfied with this girl's tale." "It seemed to me that she was not a good case." "So I used my influence to have it refused." "In spite of what's happened since, I still think that I did my duty." "So if I don't choose to discuss it any further, you have no power to make me change my mind." "I'm afraid I have that power, Missus Birling." "No you have not!" "Simply because I've done nothing wrong, and you know it!" "If you've done nothing wrong, why are you afraid to discuss it, Missus Birling?" "How dare you say I'm afraid." "Under the circumstances I consider I was perfectly justified!" "The girl told us a pack of lies." "Made me lose all patience with her." "She claimed elaborate, fine feelings and scruples, simply absurd in a girl in that position." "She gave herself ridiculous airs." "She'd no ridiculous airs when I saw her last." "In the infirmary." "Come now, Miss Birling." "Let's have some facts." "Facts, please!" "There was a meeting of the committee with yourself in the chair to which this girl appealed for help, isn't that so?" " Yes." " Under what name?" " Not as Eva Smith?" " No." " Nor as Daisy Renton." " As what, then?" "Missus Birling." " What did you say?" " Pardon?" "You called yourself Missus Birling just now." " I'm sorry?" " That's not your husband's name, is it?" " No." " But you know that it is mine?" "No!" "If you come here for the express purpose of being impertinent..." "No." "It was the first name I thought of." "I worked at Birling's once." "What is your husband's name." "I can't say." "You can't say!" "In fact, you're not married at all, are you?" "No." "So your whole story about a husband who deserted you is quite false, isn't it?" "Yes." "Tissue of lies." "Have you tried to get work?" " I can't get work." " Why not?" "I can't say." "If you don't confide in us we can't help you, can we?" "Now, why can't you work?" "I'm going to have a baby." "Come along, my dear." "You must sit down." "There are plenty of chairs." " Sit down now." " Thank you ma'am." "There are certain circumstances in which it is prudent to be seated as much as possible." " May we now proceed, Missus Livson?" " Oh, do." "Now, this man." "Why must you lie about him?" "I didn't want to bring him into it." "Why not?" "He didn't mean any harm, he was just silly and wild." "Sometimes he drank too much." "Why don't you make him marry you?" "In my opinion you should be compelled to marry him." "It isn't that he won't marry me, we just couldn't." "We're not of the same class." "This's ridiculous..." "A girl in your position can't afford these fine airs and scruples." "You don't mind coming begging for charity, why not go to this drunken young idler, whoever he is?" "Make him support you." "He did." "He gave me money." "And now he won't give you anymore?" "He would, but I can't take it." "This young ne'er-do-well, because of your high-falutin' notions, is to escape the consequences of his actions, and shift hist responsibility onto a charitable organization such as this." "I think the members of this committee will agree with me that it would be monstrous were I to recommend the expenditure of our funds in such a way." "In my opinion he should be publicly exposed." "If you want help, young woman, go to him." "So I think I was perfectly justified in advising my committee not to allow her claim." "And you still think that?" "I'm sorry she should've come to such a horrible end, but" "I accept no blame for it at all." "Tell me who, who do you say is to blame, then?" "First, the girl herself." "By letting father and me have her chucked out of her jobs?" "Secondly, I blame the young man." "He ought to be dealt with very severely." "If the girl's death is due to anybody, then it's due to him." " Ah, then he's the chief culprit anyhow?" " Certainly." "In that case, he's responsible for the whole thing." "The girl's death, everything." " He ought to be dealt with very severely." " Mother, please stop." "You're behaving like a hysterical child, my Sheila." "And if you would take steps to find this young man, make him admit his responsibilities instead of staying here and asking quite unnecessary questions, then you really would be doing your duty." "Don't worry Missus Birling, I'll do my duty." " Now perhaps you'd like to say goodnight." " Not yet." "I'm waiting." " Waiting?" "For what?" " To do my duty." "Oh mother, can't you see?" "Are you suggesting..." "My boy...." "If it was, Missus Birling, we know what to do." "You just told us." "Yes, but...." "Look here, inspector!" "Mother, I begged and begged you to stop." "I don't believe it." "I won't believe it." " Come in, Mister Birling." " What?" "I think I heard your son come in." "I didn't hear anything." "Oh, yes." "There he is." "Eric." "You know, don't you?" "I don't know anything." "Not anymore." "Mother's been blaming everything on the young man who got this girl into trouble." "Saying you shouldn't escape, and should be made an example of." "That's enough, Sheila." "You haven't made it any easier for me, have you, mother?" "You're not like that!" "Mother, what's the use of pretending?" "If you had any sense of loyalty you..." "Father, you don't have to talk to Sheila like that." "Hold your tongue!" " I've had about enough." " One moment please." "You'll have plenty of time to adjust family relationships after I've gone." "Because now, Mister Birling, I'd like to ask your son about his association with Eva Smith." "Sheila, take your mother into the dining room." " Father, I want to hear..." " You heard what I said." "Go on Sibil." "Could I have a drink first?" " No you don't!" " Yes." "I know I know, this is your house and he's your son, but look at him." " This is one time he needs a drink." " Alright, go on." "Now when did you first meet this girl?" "It was one night last winter." "I'd been out with some of the chaps, I was a bit squiffy, I..." "It was late but I didn't want to go home." "So for some reason I don't know why I, I got on a tram." "Nevermind about trams, go on!" "Fares, please." "Fares, please." "How much?" "Well that depends on how far you're going, doesn't it?" "Not too far." "We mustn't overdo it." "That's nice, but you're the one that's been overdoing it." "Come on, we'll call it toppence then." "Yes." "Yes that's very reasonable." "Here you are, and I want 19 and 10 pence of change." "Well I haven't got 19 and 10 pence." "Stop trying to make a fool of me." "I've had a long day." "Either pay your fare or get off my tram." "I am trying to pay my fare, and you won't let me." "Right, I'm putting you off the next stop." "Fares, please." "Two tickets please, I'll pay his fare." "You know, that was extraordinarily kind of you." "If I give you this." "No, I haven't got 19 and ten pence change either." "It doesn't matter." "Of course it matters." "It's just these little things that do matter." " By the way, where are we?" " Turning into Elmerbridge Road." "This is where I get out." "So do I. I always get out somewhere on Elmerbridge Road." "That's just silly." "No madam, I insist." "This's the only place open here where I can get change and pay my debt." "And I have no doubt" "I have no doubt that we shall find something very very delicious to eat." "You're hungry, I'm hungry..." " And you're hungry?" " Yes." "Yes, well there you see, everybody's hungry!" "Except him." "Hello my good friend!" "Now just a minute, I want to see if I got this shipping order right." "Now, let's have it again." "Two penny worth of chip four times and here's your money." "Now, what's yours?" "Goodnight, princess." "I shall have 8 penny worth of them both." "That guarantees me the right kind of change." "'Birling the Businessman', they call me." " Oh, you are Mister Birling?" " Eric, but that too." "I worked there once." "Did you?" "I work there now." " Well what happened to you?" " I got the sack." "Hmm, they didn't have a sack for me where I slept." "And I'm so bored all day that I have to go out with the boys at night otherwise I'd go balmy." "Yes of course I am a balmy I just don't know it." "Here you are." "Ah, your tuppence, thank you very, very much." "And now with the compliments of the Birling esquire some delicious chish and fips." "And now, I shall see you home." "I shall see you home!" "Good night, monsieur de restauranteur!" "Well I'll say you are balmy!" "Well, this is it." "Well if you don't mind me saying so," "Now you go home like a good boy." "Good night." "But I'm not a good boy." "I'm a bad boy." "Eric, or little bundle." "Well give me a kiss, then I'll go home." "Alright, then." "Just one." "Now off you go, you'll get wet soon." "You know, you've disappointed me." "I'm very, very sad." "You really must go home." "I'll tell you a secret." "I don't go home." "Not yet." "I must sober up first." "I really ought to have something to eat." "Because I'm very hungry, it's cold, and I'm tired, and..." "It's wet." "And a nice girl wouldn't turn a dog away on a night like this." "Alright then, but do be good." "Try to be sensible." "I won't breathe." " And so you stayed for a hour or two." " Yes." "And then you met her again." "Yes." "In fact you met her lots of..." "Yes!" "Until one night she told you that something had happened." "Yes." "What did she tell you had happened?" "Oh for heaven's sake, leave me alone, all of you!" "Oh don't you start on me too!" " Eric!" " Oh stop it, stop it I tell you!" "All of you!" "What did she tell you?" "Come on boy, out with it!" "What is it, Eric?" "No, I couldn't be mistaken." "Sorry Eric, but I'm quite sure." "I'm glad you said that." "I was hoping you would." "But I can't marry you Eric, it wouldn't be right." "You see, you don't love me, you were lonely." "So was I, that's all it ever amounted to." "No, I don't know what I'm going to do." "But you haven't got any money." "How?" "Promise me you won't do anything silly." "I know you don't want to let me down, but you mustn't do anything stupid." " Oh, hello boy." "Got no work to do?" " Yes I have, father..." "Well, you'd better get on with it, haven't you?" "I wanted to talk to you about something though." "I'm very busy just now, can't it wait?" " It's rather urgent, I'm afraid." " Well, well, what is it?" "Come to ask you for a rise, father." "A rise?" "Good heavens boy, you're getting 30 bob a week!" " What more do you want at your age?" " I'm 25." "Other chaps my age get more than that." "Gerald, for instance." "Yes, well Gerald's a good deal older and a good deal more responsible." "Anyway, I don't like to see young men having a lot of money to waste." " I can't manage on it, father." " Can't manage on it?" "You've got nothing to spend it on as far as I can see" " you live at home, you've got everything..." " I've got debts, father." "Debts?" "Well let me tell you something." "I'm not going to pay your debts or anybody else's." "You can save up and pay your own debts." "Or tell whoever you owe the money to to whistle and wait for it." " It's a matter of honour, father." " Oh, so that's it, is it?" "A debt of honour?" "Betting, horses, eh?" "Well I'll tell you something else!" "I'm not gonna hand over this firm's money to a lot of bookmakers and that's flat!" "You got into this mess, and you'll get out of it!" "And it'll teach you a good lesson!" "We'll talk about that rise when you've learned a bit of common sense!" "Well?" "Come on, out with it!" "I was the father of the child, so it was up to me to stand by her as best I could." "What did you do?" "I gave her some money, as I said I would." "How much?" " A suppose about 50 pounds, all told." " 50 pounds!" "?" " Where did you get 50 pounds from!" "?" " From the office, father." " From my office!" "?" " Yes." "You stole it!" "No, I went around to one or two of the firm's small debtors and collected their accounts in cash and gave them the receipt without a carbon copy in the book." " Pocketed the money!" "Pinched it!" " Not really." " I intended to pay it back." " And you will pay it back." "You'll pay it back if you work for nothing for the rest of your life!" "50 pounds!" "I've a very good mind to give you in charge!" "I'm not sure it rests with you, Mister Birling." "Your son may have commited a criminal offense." "Criminal..." "You mean..." "Police courts?" "Papers?" "No, inspector!" "No!" "That's scarcely your attitude of a few minutes ago, Missus Birling." "Why didn't you come to me when you found yourself in this mess?" "Because you're the last person in the world anyone could go to when they're in trouble." "Your trouble is that you're being spoiled!" "You can divide the responsibility between you after I've gone." "Now, the girl really knew that the money you were giving her was stolen, didn't she?" "Yes." "Yes, that was the worst part." "She wouldn't take any more and she didn't want to see me again." "But how did you know that, did she tell you?" "No." "No, I never spoke to her." " She told mother." " Sheila!" "Well he has to know." "She told you?" "When did she come here?" "Well don't just stand there, tell me!" "Tell me what happened!" "I'll tell you." "She applied to your mother's committee for help and your mother refused that help." "Then you killed her!" "She came to you to protect me, and you turned her away!" "You killed her!" "And the child!" "My child!" "You killed them both!" "Eric, please!" "I didn't understand." "You don't understand anything." " You never did!" " Eric, don't!" "Please." "Inspector, is there bound to be an inquiry?" "Or can all this be forgotten?" "People have short memories, Mister Birling." " I'm not likely to forget it." " No." "No, I don't think you will." "You needn't look at me, I know I shan't." "I started it." "No, No I don't think we can quite say that you started it, Miss Birling." "Can we, Mister Birling?" "Inspector, I'll..." "I'll give thousands." "Yes, thousands." "You're offering money at the wrong time, father." "It isn't only Eva Smith, father." "It's all the other Eva Smiths." "The things we do to people without realizing it." "Only for once we've seen the consequences." "Yes, I was rather hoping one of you would say something like that." "I suppose if we all knew the consequences beforehand we'd all be a bit more careful, eh Missus Birling?" "But it's a pity that so often something horrible has to happen before we see some things at all." "Do you know that not one of you is the same person that you were when I first came here tonight?" "Well now..." "I wonder where I left my hat?" "I think I saw it in the dining room, Arthur." "Yes, that's right." "Thank you, Missus Berling." "Thank you." "Eric!" "Sheila, please!" "I don't think I can stand anymore tonight." "I only want to say how sorry I am about you" " and that girl." " Thank you." "We've never been much of a brother and sister before, have we?" "Things change, I suppose." "I can change." "Stop drinking, take my punishment over the money." "Try and pay it back somehow." "Nobody really cares about the money anymore, it's you I'm thinking of." "Don't let it make you feel bitter about father and mother." "Don't let it Eric." "Alright." "But you mustn't feel like that about Gerald, either." " I don't any longer, not really." " Because he's in love with you, you know." "And you are with him, aren't you?" "I was very much, but..." " after hearing about him and that girl..." " That doesn't matter." "Gerald's alright." "Well I know he puts on the grand Croft manner sometimes but he's alright behind it all." " You know that, don't you?" " Yes." "Good evening, Mister Croft." "Oh, it's you Sergeant." "Good evening." " Everything alright, sir?" " Yes." "Yes, everything's fine." "Taking a stroll before I turn in." " Looks like a change in the weather, sir." " Yes." "Well, I'd better be going." "By the way, Sergeant, what sort of a fellow is this Inspector Poole?" "Poole?" "Which division, sir?" "Well, here is Bromley." "There's no Inspector Poole in Bromley, Sir." " Are you certain?" " Positive, sir." "You couldn't be mistaken, could you?" "I mean, there couldn't be a new man transferred here that you didn't know anything about?" "Impossible, Sir." "I would've heard of it down at the station." "No, you can rest assured there is no Inspector Poole in Bromley." "Is the inspector still here?" " Inspector?" "What inspector?" " Oh, of course you don't know, do you." "They're all in the dining room, sir." "Goodbye, Missus Birling." "Goodbye, Miss Birling." "Good night, Mister Croft." "Just a moment, inspector." "Something has happened, and I must speak to Mr and Mrs Birling." "Do you mind waiting?" "Not at all Mister Croft, but it won't make any difference, you know." "Well, Mister Birling, where would you like me to wait?" "Wait?" "Well..." " Would you mind waiting in my study?" " Certainly." "Thank you Mister Birling." "Will you take a seat?" "I don't think we shall keep you more than a few moments." " You know something?" " That man isn't a police officer!" " What!" "?" " Are you certain?" " Absolutely!" " But how did you find out?" "I met a policeman I know down the road and I asked him about the inspector." "He swore there was no Inspector Poole on the force here." " By dingle, a fake!" " Yes!" "I knew a real inspector would never have spoken to me like that." "Yes, and look at the way he talked to me too, ordering me about in my own house!" "He must've know I was an ex-Lord Mayor and a magistrate!" "I mean, real inspectors just don't talk like that." "You were right, he wasn't real." "There's no such inspector." "We've been had." " I just can't believe it." " Well there's no doubt about it." "This makes a difference, you know." "I suppose we're all nice people now?" "If you've got nothing more sensible to say than that Sheila, you'd better keep quiet." " She's right, though." " Yes, and you'd better keep quiet anyhow." "You'd better know Gerald, I stole some money." "And you'll pay back." "Oh, the money's not important, it's what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters!" "Harry's absolutely right." "Just remember what that inspector said." " But he's not an inspector!" " Well he inspected us all right!" "What do you make of this business now?" "I suppose there are people in this town who dislike me enough to arrange a put-up job of this sort." "What on earth are you doing?" " I'm gonna phone the police." " Idiot!" "Give me that!" "If the man's an impostor we'd better have him him arrested before he escapes, haven't we?" "You keep out of this." "And keep the police out too." "Anyway, he can't escape without coming out here." "What about the windows?" "Impossible, they're barbed." "Just a moment." "I'm sorry Inspector, we shan't keep you much longer." "Now we've got him." "All we have to do is to settle quietly amongst ourselves what to do, and the best way to deal with him." "We've established he's an impostor." "It's the same rotten story whether we told it to a police inspector or somebody else, what difference does it make?" "It makes all the difference between a lot of stuff like this coming out in private, and a downright public scandal!" "Scandal?" "What does a scandal matter?" "The girl's dead and we all helped to kill her, that's what matters." "But did we?" "Who says so?" "There's no real evidence that we did." " Of course there is!" " No, there isn't!" "Just think!" "A man comes here pretending to be a police officer." "Now what does he do?" "Very artfully, working on bits of information he's picked up here and there, he bluffs us into confessing that we've been mixed up in this girl's life in one way or another." "And so we have." "But how do we know it's the same girl?" " We all admitted it anyway." " No we didn't!" "We admitted something to do with a girl," " but how do we know it's the same girl?" " By the photograph." "But how do we know it's the same photograph?" "He was very careful that Eric and I shouldn't see the one he showed to your father." "Now just think back." "Did any two of us look at the same photograph at once?" "No." " No." " No." "Precisely." "There's no proof that it was the same photograph." "Therefore, no proof that it was the same girl." "And there isn't the slightest proof that this..." "Daisy Renton was really Eva Smith." "We've only got his word for it and he may have been lying all the time." "Of course!" "There were probably 4 or 5 different girls." "That doesn't matter to me." "The one I knew is dead." " Well, we can soon settle that." " Oh?" "How?" "By ringing the infirmary." "Hello, will you get me the infirmary?" "It's urgent." "No, I don't know the number." "Either there's a dead girl there or there isn't." "And if there isn't?" "Hello?" "Is that the infirmary?" "This is Mister Gerald Croft speaking, of Croft's limited." "We are rather worried about one of our employees." "Have you had a girl brought in there this afternoon who commited suicide by drinking disinfectant?" "Or... any suicide?" "Yes, I'll wait." "Yes?" "You're certain of that?" "I see." "Thank you very much." "Goodbye." "No girl has died there today." "They haven't had a suicide in months." "What a relief!" "Gerald my boy, pull us out some drinks at once!" "To think that it's all over!" " Is it?" " Well isn't it?" "We've just been had, that's all!" "So nothing's really happened?" "Just because it didn't end tragically, there's nothing to be sorry for?" "Nothing to learn?" " We can all go on behaving just as we did!" " Well, why shouldn't we?" "You had begun to learn something, but now you're ready to go on the same old way?" "Oh, and you're not, eh?" "No." "Because I remember what he said and how he made me feel." "It frightens me the way you talk." "It frightens me, too." "Just look at them!" "The famous younger generation who know it all!" "They can't even take a joke!" "I tell you, whoever that inspector is, as long as I live I shall never forget him." "I do!" "I'd forgotten all about him!" "Oh good gracious!" "Now Arthur, what do you think we'd better do?" " We don't want any fuss or scandal." " Leave it to me my dear." "We'll just give him a fright and send him away with a flea in his ear." "After all, you know, we owe him the right!" "Now look here," "I want to have a few straight words with you." "One or two facts have come my way, Mister so-called inspector." "And now it's my turn to ask you a few questions," " and I don't think you're going to like." " Father." "You're wanted on the telephone." "Just a minute." "Mister Birling speaking." "Yes, Fletcher?" "What?" "Here?" "It was the police." "A girl has just died on her way to the infirmary." "After swallowing some disinfectant." "The police inspector is on his way here." "To ask some questions."