An Inspector Calls Page #4

commited suicide just because

I dismissed her from my

employment about two years ago.

Well did you? - Yes I did.

She'd been causing trouble at the works.

It was quite justified.

- I think you were.

I wish you hadn't told me. What was

she like? - Yes, what was she like?

Quite young. 24.

Pretty? - Not when I saw her today,

Miss Berling, but she'd been pretty. Very pretty.

I don't really see that this inquiry

gets you anywhere, inspector.

It's what happened to

her since she left

Mister Berling's works that

is important. - Obviously.

And we can't help you there

because we don't know.

Are you quite sure you don't know?

Are you suggesting that...

One of them had something

to do with this girl?

Yes. - So you didn't come here

just to see me then? - No.

No, I'm afraid I'll have to ask

you all a few more questions yet.

Well I've told you all I know.

So I'd be much obliged if you'd ask

your questions and then clear it out.

We were having a nice little

family celebration here this evening.

A nastiness you've made

of it, haven't you?

It is not of my making

I assure you, Mister Birling.

I don't understand, Inspector.

You talk as if we were responsible

for this poor girl's death.

You seem to forget that we're respectable

citizens and not criminals, you know.

Ah well, sometimes there isn't as

much difference as one would think.

Indeed, if it were left to me I

wouldn't know where to draw the line.

Fortunately,

it isn't left to you, is it?

Very fortunately.

I'll have to make inquiries.

What happened to this girl

after she left my father's works?

Well she was out of work

for a couple of months.

As you can imagine,

she had a very distressing time.

How terrible. - Then she had

a wonderful stroke of luck.

She was taken on in a shop.

A good shop. Millwood's. - Millwood's

Oh, we go there! I was there this

afternoon for your benefit.

She enjoyed working there,

she liked being amongst pretty clothes.

It seems she felt that she

was making a real fresh start.

But after two months, they told her

she'd have to go.

Not doing her work properly?

No no, there was nothing wrong about

the way she was doing her work.

They admitted that.

There must've been something wrong?

No, no. All she knew was that a

customer had complained about her

and so she had to go.

When was this?

- The end of january last year.

What was this girl like?

Well if you'll come over here

Miss Birling, I'll show you.

What's the matter Sheila?

You knew it was me

all the time didn't you?

Well, I had an idea it might be.

Did it make much difference to her?

Yes, I'm afraid it did. You see, that was

the last really steady job she had.

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