Birling: No, no, I couldn't do that. And don't say anything yet. Gerald: Not even to my mother? I know she'd be delighted. Birling: Well, when she comes back, you might drop a hint to her. And you can promise her that we'll try to keep out of trouble during the next few months. //they Eric both laugh. enters// Eric: What's the joke? Started telling stories? Birling: No. want another glass of port? Eric: (sitting Yes, please. (takes mother says we down) decanter and helps himself.) mustn't stay too long. But I don't think it matters. I left'em talking about clothes again. You'd think a girl had never any clothes before she gets married. Women are potty about 'em. Birling: Yes, but you've got to remember, my boy, that clothes mean something different to a woman. Not just something to wear and not only something to make 'em look – prettier but well, a sort of sign or token of their self-respect. – – Gerald: That's true. Eric: (eagerly) Yes, I remember (but he checks himself.) – Birling: Well, what do you remember? Eric: (confused) Nothing. Birling: Nothing? Gerald: (amused) Sounds a bit fishy to me. Birling: (taking Yes, you don't know what some of these boys get it in the same manner) up to nowadays. More money to spend and time to spare than I had when I was Eric’s age. They worked us hard in those days and kept us short of cash. Thought even then we broke out and – had a bit of fun sometimes. Gerald: I’ll bet you did. Birling: (solemnly) But this is the point. I don't want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don't seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his own way has to look after himself and his family too, of course, – – when he has one and so long as he does that he won't come to much harm. But the way some of – these cranks talk and write now, you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we
Birling: No, no, I couldn't do that. And don't say anything yet. Gerald: Not even to my mother? I know she'd be delighted. Birling: Well, when she comes back, you might drop a hint to her. And you can promise her that we'll try to keep out of trouble during the next few months. //they both laugh. Eric enters// Eric: What's the joke? Started telling stories? Birling: No. want another glass of port? Eric: (sitting down) Yes, please. (takes decanter and helps himself.) mother says we mustn't stay too long. But I don't think it matters. I left'em talking about clothes again. You'd think a girl had never any clothes before she gets married. Women are potty about 'em. Birling: Yes, but you've got to remember, my boy, that clothes mean something different to a woman. Not just something to wear – and not only something to make 'em look prettier – but – well, a sort of sign or token of their self-respect. Gerald: That's true. Eric: (eagerly) Yes, I remember – (but he checks himself.) Birling: Well, what do you remember? Eric: (confused) Nothing. Birling: Nothing? Gerald: (amused) Sounds a bit fishy to me. Birling: (taking it in the same manner) Yes, you don't know what some of these boys get up to nowadays. More money to spend and time to spare than I had when I was Eric’s age. They worked us hard in those days and kept us short of cash. Thought even then – we broke out and had a bit of fun sometimes. Gerald: I’ll bet you did. Birling: (solemnly) But this is the point. I don't want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so many of you don't seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won't come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we
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