It ruins trade.
FARRANT. [_Forlornly sticking to his point._] What has all this to do with
Trebell?
HORSHAM. [_Thoughtfully._] Farrant, beyond what you've told us, Percival
didn't recommend me to throw him over.
FARRANT. No, he didn't ... that is, he didn't exactly.
HORSHAM. Well ... he didn't?
FARRANT. I'm trying to be accurate! [_Obviously their nerves are now on
edge._] He said we should find him tough to assimilate--as he warned you.
HORSHAM _with knit brows, loses himself in thought again,_
BLACKBOROUGH _quietly turns his attention to_ FARRANT.
BLACKBOROUGH. Farrant, you don't seriously think that ... outside his
undoubted capabilities ... Trebell is an acquisition to the party?
FARRANT. [_Unwillingly._] Perhaps not. But if you're going to chuck a man
... don't chuck him when he's down.
BLACKBOROUGH. He's no longer down. We've got him O'Connell's promise and
jolly grateful he ought to be. I think the least we can do is to keep our
minds clear between Trebell's advantage and the party's.
CANTELUPE. [_From the distant music-stool._] And the party's and the
Country's.
BLACKBOROUGH. [_Countering quite deftly._] Cantelupe, either we think it
best for the country to have our party in power or we don't.
FARRANT. [_In judicious temper._] Certainly, I don't feel our responsibility
towards him is what it was ten minutes ago.
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