...
BLACKBOROUGH. They hate him.
HORSHAM. [_Elucidating._] Their front bench hates him because he turned them
out. The rest of them hate their front bench. After six years of office, who
wouldn't?
BLACKBOROUGH. That's true.
FARRANT. Oh, of course, we must stick to Trebell, Blackborough.
BLACKBOROUGH _is silent; so_ HORSHAM _turns his attention to his
cousin._
HORSHAM. Well, Charles, I won't ask you for a decision now. I know how hard
it is to accept the dictates of other men's consciences ... but a necessary
condition of all political work; believe me.
CANTELUPE. [_Uneasily._] You can form your cabinet without me, Cyril.
_At this_ BLACKBOROUGH _charges down on them, so to speak._
BLACKBOROUGH. No, I tell you, I'm damned if he can. Leaving the whole high
church party to blackmail all they can out of us and vote how they like!
Here ... I've got my Yorkshire people to think of. I can bargain for them
with you in a cabinet ... not if you've the pull of being out of it.
HORSHAM. [_With charming insinuation._] And have you calculated,
Blackborough, what may become of us if Trebell has the pull of being out of
it?
BLACKBOROUGH _makes a face._
BLACKBOROUGH. Yes ... I suppose he might turn nasty.
FARRANT. I should hope he would.
BLACKBOROUGH.[_Tackling_ FARRANT _with great ease._] I should hope he would
consider the matter not from the personal, but from the political point of
view .
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