PRICE Thievin swine! Wish I ad their job, Rummy, all the same. Wot does Rummy stand for? Pet name praps?

RUMMY Short for Romola.^{19}

PRICE For wot!?

RUMMY Romola. It was out of a new book. Somebody me mother wanted me to grow up like.

PRICE We’re companions in misfortune, Rummy. Both on us got names that nobody cawnt pronounce. Consequently I’m Snobby and youre Rummy because Bill and Sally wasnt good enough for our parents. Such is life!

RUMMY Who saved you, Mr. Price? Was it Major Barbara?

PRICE No: I come here on my own. I’m goin to be Bronterre O‘Brien Price, the converted painter. I know wot they like. I’ll tell em how I blasphemed and gambled and wopped my poor old mother

RUMMY [shocked] Used you to beat your mother?

PRICE Not likely. She used to beat me. No matter: you come and listen to the converted painter, and youll hear how she was a pious woman that taught me me prayers at er knee, an how I used to come home drunk and drag her out o bed be er snow white airs, an lam into er with the poker.

RUMMY Thats whats so unfair to us women. Your confessions is just as big lies as ours: you dont tell what you really done no more than us; but you men can tell your lies right out at the meetins and be made much of for it; while the sort o confessions we az to make az to be whispered to one lady at a time. It aint right, spite of all their piety.

PRICE Right! Do you spose the Army ’d be allowed if it went and did right? Not much. It combs our air and makes us good little blokes to be robbed and put upon. But I’ll play the game as good as any of em. I’ll see somebody struck by lightnin, or hear a voice sayin “Snobby Price: where will you spend eternity?” I’ll ave a time of it, I tell you.

RUMMY You wont be let drink, though.

PRICE I’ll take it out in gorspellin, then. I dont want to drink if I can get fun enough any other way.

JENNY HILL, a pale, overwrought, pretty Salvation lass of 18, comes in through the yard gate, leading PETER SHIRLEY, a half hardened, half worn-out elderly man, weak with hunger.

JENNY (supporting him] Come! pluck up. I’ll get you something to eat. Youll be all right then.

PRICE [rising and hurrying officiously to take the old man offjenny’s hands] Poor old man! Cheer up, brother: youll find rest and peace and appiness ere. Hurry up with the food, miss: e’s fair done. [JENNY hurries into the shelter.] Ere, buck up, daddy! shes fetchin y’ a thick slice o breadn treacle, an a mug o sky-blue.[46] [He seats him at the corner of the table.]

RUMMY (gailyJ Keep up your old art![47] Never say die!

SHIRLEY I’m not an old man. I’m ony 46. I’m as good as ever I was. The grey patch come in my hair before I was thirty. All it wants is three pennorth o hair dye: am I to be turned on the streets to starve for it? Holy God! I’ve worked ten to twelve hours a day since I was thirteen, and paid my way all through; and now am I to be thrown into the gutter and my job given to a young man that can do it no better than me because Ive black hair that goes white at the first change?

PRICE [cheerfully] No good jawrin about it. Youre ony a jumped-up, jerked-off, orspittle-turned-out incurable[48] of an ole workin man: who cares about you? Eh? Make the thievin swine give you a meal: theyve stole many a one from you. Get a bit o your own back. [JENNY returns with the usual meal.] There you are, brother. Awsk a blessin an tuck that into you.

SHIRLEY [looking at it ravenously but not touching it, and crying like a child] I never took anything before.

JENNY [petting him] Come, come! the Lord sends it to you: he wasnt above taking bread from his friends; and why should you be? Besides, when we find you a job you can pay us for it if you like.

SHIRLEY [eagerly] Yes, yes: thats true. I can pay you back: its only a loan. [Shivering.] Oh Lord! oh Lord! [He turns to the table and attacks the meal ravenously.]

JENNY Well, Rummy, are you more comfortable now?

RUMMY God bless you, lovey! youve fed my body and saved my soul, havent you? [JENNY, touched, kisses her.] Sit down and rest a bit: you must be ready to drop.

JENNY Ive been going hard since morning. But theres more work than we can do. I mustnt stop.

RUMMY Try a prayer for just two minutes. Youll work all the better after.

JENNY [her eyes lighting up] Oh isnt it wonderful how a few minutes prayer revives you! I was quite lightheaded at twelve o‘clock, I was so tired; but Major Barbara just sent me to pray for five minutes; and I was able to go on as if I had only just begun. [To PRICE.] Did you have a piece of bread?

PRICE [with unction] Yes, miss; but Ive got the piece that I value more; and thats the peace that passeth hall hannerstennin. [49]

RUMMY [fervently] Glory Hallelujah!

BILL WALKER, a rough customer of about 25 , appears at the yard gate and looks malevolently at JENNY.

JENNY That makes me so happy. When you say that, I feel wicked for loitering here. I must get to work again.

She is hurrying to the shelter, when the new-comer moves quickly up to the door and intercepts her. His manner is so threatening that she retreats as he comes at her truculently, driving her down the yard.

BILL I know you. Youre the one that took away my girl. Youre the one that set er agen me. Well, I’m goin to av er out. Not that I care a curse for her or you: see? But I’ll let er know; and I’ll let you know. I’m goin to give er a doin thatll teach er to cut away from me. Now in with you and tell er to come out afore I come in and kick er out. Tell er Bill Walker wants er. She’ll know what that means; and if she keeps me waitin itll be worse. You stop to jaw back at me; and I’ll start on you: d‘ye hear? Theres your way. In you go. [He takes her by the arm and slings her towards the door of the shelter. She falls on her hand and knee. RUMMY helps her up again.]

PRICE [rising, and venturing irresolutely towards BILL] Easy there, mate. She aint doin you no arm.

BILL Who are you callin mate? [Standing over him threateningly.] Youre goin to stand up for her, are you? Put up your ands.

RUMMY [running indignantly to him to scold him] Oh, you great brute — [He instantly swings his left hand back against her face. She screams and reels back to the trough, where she sits down, covering her bruised face with her hands and rocking herself and moaning with pain. ]

JENNY [going to her] Oh God forgive you! How could you strike an old woman like that?

BILL [seizing her by the hair so violently that she also screams, and tearing her away from the old woman] You Gawd forgive me again and I’ll Gawd forgive you one on the jaw thatll stop you prayin for a week. [Holding her and turning fiercely on PRICE.] Av you anything to say agen it? Eh?

PRICE [intimidated] No, matey: she aint anything to do with me.

BILL Good job for you! I’d put two meals into you and fight you with one finger after, you starved cur. [To JENNY.] Now are you goin to fetch out Mog Habbijam;[50] or am I to knock your face off you and fetch her myself?

JENNY [writhing in his grasp] Oh please someone go in and tell Major Barbara — [She screams again as he wrenches her head down; and PRICE and RUMMY flee into the shelter.]