TREBELL. Cantelupe, I quite understand. You may be right ... it's a very
interesting question. Blackborough, I take it that you object first of all
to the scheme that I'm bringing you.
BLACKBOROUGH. I object to those parts of it which I don't think you'll get
through the House.
FARRANT. [_Feeling that he must take part._] For instance?
BLACKBOROUGH. I've given you one already.
CANTELUPE. [_His eye on_ BLACKBOROUGH.] Understand there are things in that
scheme we must stand or fall by.
_Suddenly_ TREBELL _makes for the door_, HORSHAM _gets up
concernedly._
TREBELL. Horsham, make up your mind to-night whether you can do with me or
not. I have to see Percival again to-morrow ... we cut short our argument at
the important point. Good-bye ... don't come down. Will you decide to-night?
HORSHAM. I have made up my own mind.
TREBELL. Is that sufficient?
HORSHAM. A collective decision is a matter of development.
TREBELL. Well, I shall expect to hear.
HORSHAM. By hurrying one only reaches a rash conclusion.
TREBELL. Then be rash for once and take the consequences. Good-night.
_He is gone before_ HORSHAM _can compose another epigram._
BLACKBOROUGH. [_Deprecating such conduct._] Lost his temper!
FARRANT. [_Ruffling considerably._] Horsham, if Trebell is to be hounded out
of your cabinet ... he won't go alone.
HORSHAM. [_Bitter-sweet._] My dear Farrant ... I have yet to form my
cabinet.
CANTELUPE. You are forming it to carry disestablishment, are you not, Cyril?
Therefore you will form it in the best interests of the best scheme
possible.
HORSHAM. Trebell was and is the best man I know of for the purpose. I'm a
little weary of saying that.
_He folds his arms and awaits further developments. After a moment_
CANTELUPE _gets up as if to address a meeting._
CANTELUPE. Then if you would prefer not to include me ... I shall feel
justified in giving independent support to a scheme I have great faith in.
[_And he sits down again._]
BLACKBOROUGH. [_Impatiently._] My dear Cantelupe, if you think Horsham can
form a disestablishment cabinet to include Trebell and exclude you, you're
vastly mistaken. I for one....
FARRANT. But do both of you consider how valuable, how vital Trebell is to
us just at this moment? The Radicals trust him....
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?