Midsummer's Eve

Annora, I cannot understand Frances taking his money.”

"Frances has a very good reason, and she makes the best possible use of it.”

"To take money from the man who ruined our father!”

"I wish you could talk to Uncle Peter. I wish you knew him.”

"I'd rather know the devil.”

"Joe, you have to try to look at this coldly, calmly, without bias. You have to try to understand.”

"I understand perfectly. There was an important post almost certainly about to be bestowed on my father-a chance to do good, to wipe the town free of vice. Your uncle looked on it as a steppingstone to his ambitions. Moreover he himself was trading in vice. How ironical it would have been to have had him on the Commission! But as I say, he saw it as a stepping-stone to his ambitions. And trying to get it ... he destroyed my father.”

"And you tried to destroy him. But it seems he was indestructible.”

"I cannot understand you, Annora. I think you are on his side.”

"No. That's not true.”

"And Frances ... there she is taking his money and saying, Thank you very much, dear Papa-in-law. I can't understand my sister.”

"I can. She takes it because she can make good use of it. And what is she doing with it but bringing help to those who so sorely need it?

If she did not take it, think of how those people would suffer. She is saving lives, Joe.”

"It is a question of morality." "What is morality? Uncle Peter takes from those people who spend their money in an immoral way, you would say. But suppose they did not spend this money, it would not be going into the Mission. It might be spent on fine clothes, houses, horses. It's a difficult question to answer, and I think Frances and Peterkin are right to take the money. In fact I think they are wonderful people.”

"That money is given by your uncle, not because he wants to do good but because he wishes to be seen as a philanthropist, whose good works will wash away his past.”

"That is true. Oh, Joe, we'll never agree about this. But ... why don't you try to get into Parliament?”

"And face all that scandal being revived?”

"If it were ... by your opponents ... it would only be for a short while. After all, it was not even you who were involved. At least, that is what people would think.”

"I see that your uncle is setting up Helena's husband now. I suppose he will decide which way the young man is to vote.”

"I think Matthew will judge for himself. Uncle Peter spoke for him during the election.

Everyone knows he was supporting his son in-law. That did not spoil Matthew's chances.

So why should what happened to your father spoil yours?”

"I couldn't risk it.”

"If you don't take risks now and then you can't hope to succeed.”

"Annora, I want to be there. It's the life I want. I know I could do it. I could have got in at the last election.”

"You should have tried.”

"I couldn't face it. All that stuff in the papers. I was afraid it would be revived.

I shall never forget it.”

"It's past.”

"And you and I," he went on. "We were getting on very well, weren't we? And that stopped it. That day you saw me in that room ...”

"I know.”

"You seemed to despise me.”

"No. Joe. I understood.”

"It was for my father.”

"You didn't do him any good by your attempt to ruin Uncle Peter.”

"And I lost your friendship, I know. You were different afterwards. You couldn't forgive me for using you to get into the house. I was desperate. If it had been your father, wouldn't you?”

I thought of the accusation that woman had made against my father. Yes, I would do a great deal to prove her wrong ... not only for the sake of Cador, but for my father's memory.

I said: "I understand how you felt about your father.”

"He is a good man, a man of high morality. Think of that sleazy scandal involving such a man. Think of my mother, the family. I could have killed him when I knew he had set it all up.”

"He is ruthless. He brushed people aside to get what he wants. But that is not all of him. People are strange. They are not all bad ... not all good.”

"I think any goodness he may have is lost beneath the weight of evil.”

"He is a manipulator, a man who must have power, who must ...”

"Use people to his own ends.”

"Yes, that's true. But, Joe, it's past. Let's forget it. Let's think of you ...

and your future.”

"I shall be in the mills. I shall force myself to stop dreaming of what might have been.”

"That is no way to live really. Not when there is a way open to you.”

"I see no way.”

"I do: Pull yourself together. How long will this government last, do you think?

Be ready for the next election.”

"And face all that slanderous mud?”

"Yes, face it, Joe. They'll soon get tired of throwing it.”

"I couldn't do it, Annora.”

"Then you must content yourself with the cotton mill. Oh, Joe, forgive me. I sound sententious. Who am I to talk? I am undecided, floundering hopelessly.”

"Life has been hard to us both, Annora.”

"Uncle Peter says that you cannot help yourself lying down and letting events get the better of you. You have to stand up and fight.”

"And ruin other people's lives as you do so?”