[Heturnstogo。]
　　JILL。[Justasheisvanishing——softly]Enemy？
　　ROLF。[Turning]Yes，enemy。
　　JILL。Beforethebattle——let'sshakehands。
　　[Theymovefromthelintelsandgraspeachother'shandsinthecentreoftheFrenchwindow。]
　　CURTAIN
　　ACTII
　　SCENEI
　　Abilliardroominaprovincialhotel，wherethingsareboughtandsold。Thesceneissetwellforward，andisnotverybroad；itrepresentstheauctioneer'sendoftheroom，having，rathertostageLeft，anarrowtablewithtwochairsfacingtheaudience，wheretheauctioneerwillsitandstand。Thetable，whichissetforwardtothefootlights，islitteredwithgreen-
　　coveredparticularsofsale。Theaudienceareineffectpublicandbidders。ThereisadoorontheLeft，levelwiththetable。Alongthebackwall，behindthetable，aretworaisedbencheswithtwostepsuptothem，suchasbilliardroomsoftenhave，dividedbyadoorinthemiddleofawall，whichispanelledinoak。LateSeptembersunlightiscomingfromaskylight（notvisible）ontotheseseats。Thestageisemptywhenthecurtaingoesup，butDAWKERS，andMRS。HILLCRISTarejustenteringthroughthedoorattheback。
　　DAWKER。Beoutoftheirwayhere，ma'am。SeeoldHornblowerwithChearlie？
　　[Hepointsdowntotheaudience。]
　　MRS。H。Itbeginsatthree，doesn'tit？
　　DAWKER。Theywon'tbeover-punctual；there'sonlytheCentryselling。There'syoungMrs。Hornblowerwiththeotherboy——
　　[Pointing]overattheentrance。I'vegotthatchapItoldyouofdownfromtown。
　　MRS。H。Ah！makesurequiteofher，Dawker。Anymistakewouldbefatal。
　　DAWKER。[Nodding]That'sright，ma'am。Lotofpeopled——alwayssparetimetowatchanauction——everremarkthat？TheDuke'sagent'shere；shouldn'tbesurprisedifhechippedin。
　　MRS。H。Wheredidyouleavemyhusband？
　　DAWKER。WithMissJill，inthecourtyard。He'scomingtoyou。IncaseImisshim；tellhimwhenIreachhislimittoblowhisnoseifhewantsmetogoon；whenheblowsitasecondtime，I'llstopforgood。Hopeweshan'tgettothat。OldHornblowerdoesn'tthrowhismoneyaway。
　　MRS。H。Whatlimitdidyousettle？
　　DAWKER。Sixthousand！
　　MRS。H。That'safearfulprice。Well，goodlucktoyou，Dawker！
　　DAWKER。Goodluck，ma'am。I'llgoandseetothatlittlematterofMrs。Chloe。Neverfear，we'lldothemissomehow。
　　[Hewinks，layshisfingeronthesideofhisnose，andgoesoutatthedoor。]
　　[MRS。HILLCRISTmountsthetwosteps，sitsdownRightofthedoor，andputsupapairoflong-handled>gdaases。ThroughthedoorbehindhercomeCHLOEandROLF。Shemakesasignforhimtogo，andshutsthedoor。
　　CHLOE。[Atthefootofthestepsinthegangway——withaslightlycommonaccent]Mrs。Hillcrist！
　　MRS。H。[Notquitestarting]Ibegyourpardon？
　　CHLOE。[Again]Mrs。Hillcrist——
　　MRS。H。Well？
　　CHLOE。Ineverdidyouanyharm。
　　MRS。H。DidIeversayyoudid？
　　CHLOE。No；butyouactasifIhad。
　　MRS。H。I'mnotawarethatI'veactedatall——asyet。Youarenothingtome，exceptasoneofyourfamily。
　　CHLOE。'Tisn'tIthatwantstospoilyourhome。
　　MRS。H。Stopthemthen。Iseeyourhusbanddowntherewithhisfather。
　　CHLOE。I——Ihavetried。
　　MRS。H。[Lookingather]Oh！Isupposesuchmendon'tpayattentiontowhatwomenaskthem。
　　CHLOE。[Withaflashofspirit]I'mfondofmyhusband。I——
　　MRS。H。[Lookingathersteadily]Idon'tquiteknowwhyyouspoketome。
　　CHLOE。[Withasortofpatheticsullenness]Ionlythoughtperhapsyou'dliketotreatmeasahumanbeing。
　　MRS。H。Really，ifyoudon'tmind，Ishouldliketobeleftalonejustnow。
　　CHLOE。[Unhappilyacquiescent]Certainly！I'llgototheotherend。
　　[ShemovestotheLeft，mountsthestepsandsitsdown。]
　　[ROLF，lookinginthroughthedoor，andseeingwheresheis，joinsher。MRS。HILLCRISTresettlesherselfalittlefurtherinontheRight。]
　　ROLF。[BendingovertoCHLOE，afteraglanceatMRS。HILLCRIST。]
　　Areyouallright？
　　CHLOE。It'sawfullyhot。
　　[Shefansherselfwidetheparticularsofsale。]
　　ROLF。There'sDawker。Ihatethatchap！
　　CHLOE。Where？
　　ROLF。Downthere；see？
　　[HepointsdowntostageRightoftheroom。]
　　CHLOE。[Drawingbackinherseatwithalittlegasp]Oh！
　　ROLF。[Notnoticing]Who'sthatnexthim，lookinguphere？
　　CHLOE。Idon'tknow。
　　[Shehasraisedherauctionprogrammesuddenly，andsitsfanningherself，carefullyscreeningherface。]
　　ROLE。[Lookingather]Don'tyoufeelwell？ShallIgetyousomewater？[Hegetsupathernod。]
　　[Ashereachesthedoor，HILLCRISTandJILLcomein。HILLCRIST
　　passeshimabstractedlywithanod，andsitsdownbesidehiswife。]
　　JILL。[ToROLF]Cometoseeusturnedout？
　　ROLF。[Emphatically]No。I'mlookingafterChloe；she'snotwell。
　　JILL。[Glancingather]Sorry。Sheneedn'thavecome，Isuppose？
　　[RALFdeignsnoanswer，andgoesout。]
　　[JILLglancesatCHLOE，thenatherparentstalkinginlowvoices，andsitsdownnextherfather，whomakesroomforher。]
　　MRS。H。CanDawkerseeyouthere，Jack？
　　[HILLCRISTnods。]
　　What'sthetime？
　　HILLCRIST。Threeminutestothree。
　　JILL。Don'tyoufeelbeastlyalldownthebacksofyourlegs。
　　Dodo？
　　HILLCRIST。Yes。
　　JILL。Doyou，mother？
　　MRS。H。No。
　　JILL。AwagonofoldHornblower'spotspassedwhilewewereintheyard。It'sanomen。
　　MRS。H。Don'tbefoolish，Jill。
　　JILL。Lookattheoldbrute！Dodo，holdmyhand。
　　MRS。H。Makesureyou'vegotahandkerchief，Jack。
　　HILLCRIST。Ican'tgobeyondthesixthousand；Ishallhavetoraiseeverypennyonmortgageasitis。Theestatesimplywon'tstandmore，Amy。
　　[Hefeelsinhisbreastpocket，andpullsuptheedgeofhishandkerchief。]
　　JILL。Oh！Look！There'sMissMullins，attheback；justcomein。
　　Isn'tsheaspideryoldchip？
　　MRS。H。Cometogloat。Really，Ithinkhernotacceptingyourofferisdisgusting。Herimpartialityisallhumbug。
　　HILLCRIST。Can'tblameherforgettingwhatshecan——it'shumannature。Phew！Iusedtofeellikethisbeforea'vivavoce'。
　　Who'sthatnexttoDawker？
　　JILL。Whatafish！
　　MRS。H。[Toherself]Ah！yes。
　　[HereyesslideroundatCHLOE，siltingmotionlessandrathersunkinherseat，slowlyfanningherselfwiththeyparticularsofthesale。Jack，goandofferhermysmellingsalts。]
　　HILLCRIST。[Takingthesalts]ThankGodforahumantouch！
　　MRS。H。[Takenaback]Oh！
　　JILL。[Withaquicklookathermother，snatchingthesalts]I
　　will。[ShegoesovertoCHLOEwiththesalts]Haveasniff；youlookawfullywhite。
　　CHLOE。[Lookingup，startled]Oh！nothanks。I'mallright。
　　JILL。No，do！Youmust。[CHLOEtakesthem。]
　　JILL。D'youmindlettingmeseethataminute？
　　[Shetakestheparticularsofthesaleandstudiesit，butCHLOEhasburiedthelowerpartofherfaceinherhandandthesmellingsaltsbottle。]
　　Beastlyhot，isn'tit？You'dbetterkeepthat。
　　CHLOE。[Herdarkeyeswanderinganduneasy]Rolf'sgettingmesomewater。
　　JILL。Whydoyoustay？Youdidn'twanttocome，didyou？
　　[CHLOEshakesherhead。]
　　Allright！Here'syourwater。
　　[Shehandsbacktheparticularsandslidesovertoherseat，passingROLFinthegangway，withherchinwellup。]
　　[MRS。HILLCRIST，whohaswatchedCHLOEandJILLandDAWKER，andhisfriend，makesanenquiringmovementwithherhand，butgetsadisappointinganswer。]
　　JILL。What'sthetime，Dodo？
　　HILLCRIST。[Lookingathiswatch]Threeminutespast。
　　JILL。[Sighing]Oh，hell！
　　HILLCRIST。Jill！
　　JILL。Sorry，Dodo。Iwasonlythinking。Look！Hereheis！
　　Phew！——isn'the——？
　　MRS。H。'Sh！
　　TheAUCTIONEERcomesinLeftandgoestothetable。Heisasquare，short，brown-faced，commonlookingman，withclippedgreyhairfittinghimlikeacap，andaclippedgreymoustache。
　　Hislidscomedownoverhisquickeyes，tillhecanseeyouverysharply，andyoucanhardlyseethathecanseeyou。Hecanbreakintoasmileatanymoment，whichhasnoconnectionwithhim，asitwere。Byacertainhurtlook，however，whenbiddingisslow，hedisclosesthatheisnotmerelyanauctioneer，buthasinhimelementsofthehumanbeing。Hecanwinkwithanyone，andisdressedinasnug-brownsuit，withaperfectlyunbuttonedwaistcoat，alow，turneddowncollar，andsmallblackandwhitesailorknottie。Whileheissettlinghispapers，theHILLCRISTSsettlethemselvestensely。CHLOE
　　hasdrunkherwaterandleanedbackagain，withthesmellingsaltstohernose。ROLFleansforwardintheseatbesideher，lookingsidewaysatJILL。ASOLICITOR，withagreybeard，hasjoinedtheAUCTIONEER，athistable。
　　AUCTIONEER。[Tappingthetable]Sorrytodisappointyou，gentlemen，butI'veonlyonepropertytoofferyouto-day，No。1，TheCentry，Deepwater。Thesecondontheparticularshasbeenwithdrawn。Thethirdthat'sBidcot，desirablefreeholdmansionandfarmlandsintheParishofKenway——weshallhavetodealwithnextweek。Ishallbehappytosellityouthenwithoutreservation。
　　[Helooksagainthroughtheparticularsinhishand，givingtheaudiencetimetoreadjustthemselvestohisstatements]Now，gen'lemen，asIsay，I'veonlytheonepropertytosell。FreeholdNo。1——allthatverydesirablecornandstock-rearingandparklikeresidentiallandknownastheCentry，Deepwater，uniquepropertyanA。1。chancetoanA。1。audience。[Withhissmile]Oughttomakethepriceofthethreewethoughtwehad。Nowyouwon'tmindlisteningtotheconditionsofsale；Mr。Blinkard'llread'em，andtheywon'twirryyou，they'reveryshort。
　　[Hesitsdownandgivestwolittletapeonthetable。]
　　[TheSOLICITORrisesandreadstheconditionsofsaleinavoicewhichnoonepracticallycanhear。Justashebeginstoreadtheseconditionsofsale，CHARLESHORNBLOWERentersatback。Hestandsamoment，glancingroundattheHILLCRISTandtwirlinghismoustache，thenmovesalongtohiswifeandtouchesher。]
　　CHARLES。Chloe，aren'tyouwell？
　　[Inthestartwhichshegives，herfaceisfullyrevealedtotheaudience。]
　　CHARLES。Comealong，outofthewayofthesepeople。
　　[HejerkshisheadtowardstheHILLCRISTS。CHLOEgivesaswiftlookdowntothestageRightoftheaudience。]
　　CHLOE。No；I'mallright；it'shotterthere。
　　CHARLES。[ToROLF]Well，lookafterher——Imustgoback。
　　[ROLFnode。CHARLES，slidesbanktothedoor，withaglanceattheHILLCRISTS，ofwhomMRS。HILLCRISThasbeenwatchinglikealynx。Hegoesout，justastheSOLICITOR，finishing，sitsdown。]
　　AUCTIONEER。[Risingandtapping]Now，gen'lemen，it'snotoftenapieceoflandlikethiscomesintothemarket。What'sthat？[Toafriendinfrontofhim]NobetterlandinDeepwater——that'sright，Mr。Spicer。Iknowthevillagewell，andacharmingplaceitis；
　　perfectlocality，tobesure。NowIdon'twanttowirryyoubysingingthepraisesofthisproperty；thereitis——well-watered，nicelytimbered——noreservationofthetimber，gen'lemen——notenancytoholdyouup；freetodowhatyoulikewithitto-morrow。You'vegotajewelofasitethere，too；perfectpositionforahouse。ItliesbetweentheDuke'sandSquireHillcrist's——anemeraldisle。
　　[Withhissmile]NoallusiontoIreland，gen'lemen——perfectpeaceintheCentry。Nothinglikeitinthecounty——agen'leman'ssite，andyoudon'tgetthatofferedyoueveryday。[HelooksdowntowardsHORNBLOWER，stageLeft]Carriesthemineralrights，andasyouknow，perhaps，there'stheveryvaluableDeepwaterclaythere。
　　WhatamItostartitat？CanIsaythreethousand？Well，anythingyouliketogiveme。I'msotparticular。Comenow，you'vegotmoretimethanme，Iexpect。Twohundredacresoffirst-rategrazin'andcornland，withasiteforaresidenceunequalledinthecounty；andallthepossibilities！Well，whatshallIsay？
　　[BidfromSPICER。]
　　Twothousand？[Withhissmile]Thatwon'thurtyou，Mr。Spicer。
　　Why，it'sworththattooverlooktheDuke。Fortwothousand？
　　[BidfromHORNBLOWER，stageLeft。]
　　Andfive。Thankyou，sir。Twothousandfivehundredbid。
　　[Toafriendjustbelowhim。]
　　Come，Mr。Sandy，don'tscratchyourheadoverit。
　　[BidfromDAWKER，StageRight。]
　　Andfive。Threethousandbidforthisdesirableproperty。Why，you'dthinkitwasn'tdesirable。Comealong，gen'lemen。Alittlespirit。
　　[Aalightpause。]
　　JILL。Whycan'tIseethebids，Dodo？
　　HILLCRIST。ThelastwasDawker's。
　　AUCTIONEER。Forthreethousand。[HORNBLOWER]Threethousandfivehundred？MayIsay——four？[Abidfromthecentre]No，I'mnotparticular；I'lltakehundreds。Threethousandsixhundredbid。
　　[HORNBLOWER]Andseven。Threethousandsevenhundred，and——
　　[Hepauses，quarteringtheaudience。]
　　JILL。Whowasthat，Dodo？
　　HILLCRIST。Hornblower。It'stheDukeinthecentre。
　　AUCTIONEER。Come，gen'lemen，don'tkeepmeallday。FourthousandmayIsay？[DAWKER]Thankyou。We'rebeginning。Andone？[Abidfromthecentre]Fourthousandonehundred。[HORNBLOWER]Fourthousandtwohundred。MayIhaveyours，sir？[ToDAWKER]Andthree。Fourthousandthreehundredbid。Nosuchsiteinthecounty，gen'lemen。I'mgoingtosellthislandforwhatit'sworth。
　　Youcan'tbidtoomuchforme。[Hesmiles][HORNBLOWER]Fourthousandfivehundredbid。[Bidfromthecentre]Andsix。[DAWKER]
　　Andseven。[HORNBLOWER]Andeight。Nine，mayIsay？[Butthecentrehasdriedup][DAWKER]Andnine。[HORNBLOWER]Fivethousand。Fivethousandbid。That'sbetter；there'ssomespiritinit。Forfivethousand。
　　[Hepauseswhilehespeak&totheSOLICITOR]
　　HILLCRIST。It'saduelnow。
　　AUCTIONEER。Now，gen'lemen，I'mnotgoingtogivethispropertyaway。Fivethousandbid。[DAWKER]Andone。[HORNBLOWER]Andtwo。
　　[DAWKER]Andthree。Fivethousandthreehundredbid。Andfive，didyousay，sir？[HORNBLOWER]Fivethousandfivehundredbid。
　　[Helooksathipparticulars。]
　　JILL。[Ratheragonised]Enemy，Dodo。
　　AUCTIONEER。Thischancemaynevercomeagain。
　　"Howyou'llregretitIfyoudon'tgetit，"
　　asthepoetsays。May，Isayfivethousandsixhundred，sir？
　　[DAWKER]Fivethousandsixhundredbid。[HORNBLOWER]Andseven。
　　[DAWKER]Andeight。Forfivethousandeighthundredpounds。We'regettin'on，butwehaven'tgotthevalueyet。
　　Aslightpause，whilehewipeshisbrowatthesutteesofhisownefforts。
　　JILL。Us，Dodo？
　　[HILLCRISTnods。JILLlooksoveratROLF，whosefaceisgrimlyset。CHLOEhasnevermoved。MRS。HILLCRISTwhisperstoherhusband。]
　　AUCTIONEER。Fivethousandeighthundredbid。Forfivethousandeighthundred。Comealong，gen'lemen，comealong。We'renotbeaten。Thankyou，sir。[HORNBLOWER]Fivethousandninehundred。
　　And——？[DAWKER]Sixthousand。Sixthousandbid。Sixthousandbid。Forsixthousand！TheCentry——mostdesirablespotinthecounty——goingforthelowpriceofsixthousand。
　　HILLCRIST。[Muttering]Low！Heavens！
　　AUCTIONEER。Anyadvanceonsixthousand？Come，gen'lemen，wehaven'tdriedup？Alittlespirit。Sixthousand？Forsixthousand？Forsixthousandpounds？Verywell，I'mselling。Forsixthousandonce——[Hetaps]Forsixthousandtwice——[Hetaps]。
　　JILL。[Low]Oh！we'vegotit！
　　AUCTIONEER。Andone，sir？[HORNBLOWER]Sixthousandonehundredbid。
　　[TheSOLICITORtoucheshisarmandsayssomething，towhichtheAUCTIONEERrespondswithanod。]
　　MRS。H。Blowyournose，Jack。
　　[HILLCRISTblowshisnose。]
　　AUCTIONEER。Forsixthousandonehundred。[DAWKER]Andtwo。
　　Thankyou。[HORNBLOWER]Andthree。Forsixthousandthreehundred。[DAWKER]Andfour。Forsixthousandfourhundredpounds。
　　Thiscovetedproperty。Forsixthousandfourhundredpounds。Why，it'sgivingitaway，gen'lemen。[Apause。]
　　MRS。H。Giving！
　　AUCTIONEER。Sixthousandfourhundredbid。[HORNBLOWER]Andfive。
　　[DAWKER]Andsix。[HORNBLOWER]Andseven。[DAWKER]Andeight。
　　[Apause，duringwhich，throughthedoorLeft，someonebeckonstotheSOLICITOR，whorisesandconfers。]
　　HILLCRIST。[Muttering]I'vedoneifthatdoesn'tgetit。
　　AUCTIONEER。Forsixthousandeighthundred。Forsixthousandeighthundred-once——[Hetaps]twice——[Hetape]Forthelasttime。Thisdominatingsite。[HORNBLOWER]Andnine。Thankyou。Forsixthousandninehundred。
　　[HILLCRISThastakenouthishandkerchief。]
　　JILL。Oh！Dodo！
　　MRS。H。[Quivering]Don'tgivein！
　　AUCTIONEER。SeventhousandmayIsay？[DAWKER]Seventhousand。
　　MRS。H。[Whispers]Keepitdown；don'tshowhim。
　　AUCTIONEER。Forseven-thousand——goingforseventhousand——once——
　　[Taps]twice[Taps][HORNBLOWER]Andone。Thankyou，sir。
　　[HILLCRISTblowshisnose。JILL，withachoke，leansbackinherseatandfoldsherarmstightlyonherchest。MRS。
　　HILLCRISTpassesherhandkerchiefoverherlips，sittingperfectlystill。HILLCRIST，too，ismotionless。]
　　[TheAUCTIONEER，haspaused，andistalkingtotheSOLICITOR，whohasreturnedtohisseat。]
　　MRS。H。Oh！Jack。
　　JILL。Stickit，Dodo；stickit！
　　AUCTIONEER。Now，gen'lemen，IhaveabidofseventhousandonehundredfortheCentry。AndI'minstructedtosellifIcan'tgetmore。It'safairprice，butnotabigprice。[TohisfriendMR。
　　SPICER]Athumpin'price？[Withhissmile]Well，you'reajudgeofthumpin'，Iadmit。Now，who'llgivemeseventhousandtwohundred？What，noone？Well，Ican'tmakeyou，gen'lemen。Forseventhousandonehundred。Once——[Taps]Twice——[Taps]。
　　[JILLuttersalittlegroan。]
　　HILLCRIST。[Suddenly，inaqueervoice）Two。
　　AUCTIONEER。[TurningwithsurpriseandlookinguptoreceiveHILLCRIST'Snod]Thankyou，sir。Andtwo。Seventhousandtwohundred。[HescrewshimselfroundsoastocommandbothHILLCRIST
　　andHORNBLOWER]MayIhaveyours，sir？[HORNBLOWER]Andthree。
　　[HILLCRIST]Andfour。Seventhousandfourhundred。Forseventhousandfourhundred。[HORNBLOWER]Five。[HILLCRIST]Six。Forseventhousandsixhundred。[Apause]Well，gen'lemen，thisis。
　　better，butarecordpropertyshidfetcharecordprice。Thepossibilitiesareenormous。[HORNBLOWER]Eightthousanddidyousay，sir？Eightthousand。Goingforeightthousandpounds。
　　[HILLCRIST]Andone。[HORNBLOWER]Andtwo。[HILLCRIST]Andthree。[HORNBLOWER]Andfour。[HILLCRIST]Andfive。Foreightthousandfivehundred。Awonderfulpropertyforeightthousandfivehundred。
　　[Hewipeshisbrow。]
　　JILL。[Whispering）Oh，Dodo！
　　MRS。H。That'senough，Jack，wemuststopsometime。
　　AUCTIONEER。Foreightthousandfivehundred。Once——[Taps]——twice——
　　[Taps][HORNBLOWER]Sixhundred。[HILLCRIST]Seven。MayIhaveyours，sir？[HORNBLOWER]Eight。
　　HILLCRIST。Ninethousand。
　　[MRS。HILLCRISTlooksathim，bitingherlips，butheisquiteabsorbed。]
　　AUCTIONEER。Ninethousandforthisastoundingproperty。Why，theDukewouldpaythatifherealisedhe'dbeoverlooked。Now，Sir？
　　[ToHORNBLOWER。Noresponse]。Justalittleraiseonthat。[Noresponse。]Forninethousand。TheCentry，Deepwater，forninethousand。Once——[Taps]Twice——[Taps]。
　　JILL。[Underherbreath]Ours！
　　AVOICE。[Fromfarbackinthecentre]Andfivehundred。
　　AUCTIONEER。[Surprisedandthrowingouthisarmstowardsthevoice]
　　Andfivehundred。Forninethousandfivehundred。MayIhaveyours，sir？[HelooksatHORNBLOWER。Noresponse。]
　　[TheSOLICITORspeakstohim。MRS。H。[Whispering]ItmustbetheDukeagain。]
　　HILLCRIST。[Passinghishandoverhisbrow]That'sstoppedhim，anyway。
　　AUCTIONEER。[LookingatHILLCRIST]Forninethousandfivehundred？
　　[HILLCRISTshakeshishead。]Oncemore。TheCentry，Deepwater，forninethousandfivehundred。Once——[Taps]Twice——[Taps][HepausesandlooksagainatHORNBLOWERandHILLCRIST]Forthelasttime——atninethousandfivehundred。[Taps][Withalooktowardsthebidder]Mr。Smalley。Well！[Withgreatsatisfaction]That'sthat！Nomoreto-day，gen'lemen。
　　[TheAUCTIONEERandSOLICITORbusythemselves。Theroombeginstoempty。]
　　MRS。H。Smalley？Smalley？IsthattheDuke'sagent？Jack！
　　HILLCRIST。[Comingoutofasortofcoma，aftertheexcitementhehasbeengoingthrough]What！What！
　　JILL。Oh，Dodo！Howsplendidlyyoustuckit！
　　HILLCRIST。Phew！Whatasqueak！Iwascleanoutofmydepth。A
　　mercytheDukechippedinagain。
　　MRS。H。[LookingatROLFandCHLOE，whoarestandingupasifabouttogo]Takecare；theycanhearyou。FindDAWKER，Jack。
　　[Below，theAUCTIONEERandSOLICITORtakeuptheirpapers，andmoveoutLeft。]
　　[HILLCRISTstretcheshimself，standingup，asiftothrowoffthestrain。Thedoorbehindisopened，andHORNBLOWER
　　appears。]
　　HORNBLOWER。Yeranmeupaprettyprice。Yebidverypluckily，Hillcrist。Butyedidn'tquitegetmymeasure。
　　HILLCRIST。Oh！ItwasmyninethousandtheDukecapped。ThankGod，theCentry'sgonetoagentleman！
　　HORNBLOWER。TheDuke？[Helaughs]No，theGentry'snotgonetoagentleman，nortoafool。It'sgonetome。
　　HILLCRIST。What！
　　HOUNBLOWER。I'msorryforye；ye'renotfittomanagethesethings。
　　Well，it'samonstrousprice，andI'vehadtopayitbecauseofyourobstinacy。Ishan'tforgetthatwhenIcometobuild。
　　HILLCRIST。D'youmeantosaythatbidwasforyou？
　　HORNBLOWER。OfcourseIdo。ItoldyeIwasabadmantobeupagainst。Perhapsye'llbelievemenow。
　　HILLCRIST。Adastardlytrick！
　　HORNBLOWER。[Withvenom]Whatdidyecallit——askingame？
　　Rememberwe'replayin'askingame，Hillcrist。
　　HILLCRIST。[Clenchinghisfists]Ifwewereyoungermen——
　　HORNBLOWER。Ay！'Twouldn'tLookprettyforustobeatfisticuffs。
　　We'llleavethefightin'totheyoungones。[HeglancesatROLFandJILL；suddenlythrowingouthisfingeratROLF]Nomakin'uptothatyoungwoman！I'vewatchedye。Andasforyou，missy，youleavemyboyalone。
　　JILL。[Withsuppressedpassion]Dodo，mayIspitinhiseyeorsomething？
　　HILLCRIST。Sitdown。
　　[JILLsitsdown。HestandsbetweenherandHORNBLOWER。]
　　[Yu'vewonthisround，sir，byafoulblow。Weshallseewhetheryoucantakeanyadvantageofit。Ibelievethelawcanstopyouruiningmyproperty。]