Hobsons Choice | Page 9

Will Mossop, I'm telling you, you'll come
home to-night to a thick ear.
(She goes.)

WILLIE (rising). I'd really rather wed Ada, Maggie, if it's all same to
you.
MAGGIE. Why? Because of her mother?
WILLIE. She's a terrible rough side to her tongue, has Mrs. Figgins.
MAGGIE. Are you afraid of her?
WILLIE (hesitates, then says). Yes.
MAGGIE. You needn't be.
WILLIE. Yes, but you don't know her. She'll jaw me till I'm black in
the face when I go home to-night.
MAGGIE. You won't go home to-night.
WILLIE. Not go?
MAGGIE. You've done with lodging there. You'll go to Tubby
Wadlow's when you knock off work and Tubby'll go round to Mrs.
Figgins for your things.
WILLIE. And I'm not to go back there never no more?
MAGGIE. No.
WILLIE. It's like an 'appy dream. Eh, Maggie, you do manage things.
(He opens the trap.)
MAGGIE. And while Tubby's there you can go round and see about
putting the banns up for us two.
WILLIE. Banns! Oh, but I'm hardly used to the idea yet. (A step down.)
MAGGIE. You'll have three weeks to get used to it in. Now you can
kiss me, Will.

WILLIE. That's forcing things a bit, and all. It's like saying I agree to
everything, a kiss is.
MAGGIE. Yes.
WILLIE. And I don't agree yet. I'm--
MAGGIE. Come along.
(ALICE, then VICKEY enter R.)
Do what I tell you, Will.
WILLIE. Now? With them here?
MAGGIE. Yes.
WILLIE (pause). I couldn't. (He dives for trap, runs down, and closes
it.)
ALICE. What's the matter with Willie?
MAGGIE. He's a bit upset because I've told him he's to marry me. Is
dinner cooking nicely? (To desk, L.)
ALICE. You're going to marry Willie Mossop! Willie Mossop!
VICKEY. You've kept it quiet, Maggie.
MAGGIE. You know about it pretty near as soon as Willie does
himself.
VICKEY. Well, I don't know!
ALICE. I know, and if you're afraid to speak your thoughts, I'm not.
Look here, Maggie--(moving to L. C.),--what you do touches us, and
you're mistaken if you think I'll own Willie Mossop for my
brother-in-law.

MAGGIE. Is there supposed to be some disgrace in him?
ALICE. You ask father if there's disgrace. And look at me. I'd hopes of
Albert Prosser till this happened.
MAGGIE. You'll marry Albert Prosser when he's able, and that'll be
when ho starts spending less on laundry bills and hair cream. (Goes to
R.)
(HOBSON enters from the street.)
HOBSON. Well, what about that dinner? (Comes C.)
(The positions are MAGGIE R., VICKEY up R. C., HOBSON up C.,
ALICE L. C.) MAGGIE. It'll be ready in ten minutes.
HOBSON. You said one o'clock.
MAGGIE. Yes, father. One for half-past. If you'll wash your hands, it'll
be ready as soon as you are.
HOBSON. I won't wash my hands. I don't hold with such finicking
ways, and well you know it. (Sits in front of counter.)
VICKEY. Father, have you heard the news about our Maggie? (Down
R. C.)
HOBSON. News? There is no news. It's the same old tale. Uppishness.
You'd keep a starving man from the meat he earns in the sweat of his
brow, would you? I'll put you in your places. I'll--(Rises.)
MAGGIE. Don't lose your temper, father. You'll maybe need it soon
when Vickey speaks. (Moves down R.)
HOBSON. What's Vickey been doing?
VICKEY. Nothing. It's about Will Mossop, father.
HOBSON. Will?

ALICE. Yes. What's your opinion of Will?
HOBSON. A decent lad. I've nowt against him that I know of.
ALICE. Would you like him in the family?
HOBSON. Whose family? (Coming down C.)
VICKEY. Yours.
MAGGIE. I'm going to marry Willie, father. That's what all the fuss is
about.
HOBSON. Marry--you--Mossop? (Moves to her.)
MAGGIE. You thought me past the marrying age. I'm not. That's all.
HOBSON. Didn't you hear me say I'd do the choosing when it came to
a question of husbands?
MAGGIE. You said I was too old to get a husband.
HOBSON. You are. You all are.
VICKEY. Father!
HOBSON. (crossing to C.) And if you're not, it makes no matter. I'll
have no husbands here.
(VICKEY R., ALICE L. of HOBSON.)
ALICE. But you said--
HOBSON. I've changed my mind. I've learnt some things since then.
There's a lot too much expected of a father nowadays. There'll be no
weddings here.
ALICE. Oh, father!

HOBSON (taking them down). Go and get my dinner served and talk
less. Go on now. I'm not in right temper to be crossed.
(He drives ALICE and VICKEY before him. They go out protesting
loudly. But MAGGIE stands in his way as he follows and she closes the
door. She looks at him from the stair.)
MAGGIE. You and I 'ull be straight with one another, father. I'm not a
fool and you're not a