Hobson's Choice Page #3

- Frederick.

- Yes, Father?

- You see where Hobson's going?

- Yes, Father.

There's a small spark of decency

in that man

that's telling him at this very moment

that my eye's on him.

- Morning, sir.

- Morning.

Ah.

Good morning, Mr Hobson.

Morning, Henry.

- Morning, Henry.

- Up late this morning, Henry.

I were detained.

- More.

You're doing a good class of trade, Henry.

Carriage folk now, eh?

- Good health.

- I'd be in better health if it weren't for you.

Do you think I'd pay you to dress

my daughters up like French poodles?

You'll be 15 a year

worse off for this.

Now, Henry,

this is not the language of friends,

and I hope we're all friends here.

Aye.

I own I'm a bit short today.

But I've cause to be an' all.

Sam...

You've got daughters.

Do yours worry you?

Nay, they mostly do as I bid 'em,

and the missus does the leathering

if they don't.

Aye.

A wife's a handy thing,

and I wish mine were still alive.

I know...

I know what you're thinking,

but I do.

I felt grateful

when my Mary fell on rest,

but I can see now

that I made a mistake.

Eh.

The dominion of one woman

is paradise to the dominion of three.

You want to get 'em wed, Henry.

Aye, I've thought of that,

but the trouble is to find men.

Men are common enough.

I'd like my daughters to wed

temperance young men, Denton.

Good heavens.

Eeh, you must keep your demands

within reasonable limits, Henry.

You've got three daughters

to provide husbands for.

- Two, Jim, two.

- Two?

Maggie's too useful to part with.

Aye.

And she's a bit on t'ripe side

for marrying, is our Maggie.

Ripe! I've known 'em do it

at twice her age.

Still, leaving Maggie out,

you've still got two.

One'll do to start with.

I've noticed that if you get

one marriage in a family,

- it goes through t'lot like measles!

- Now, we're getting down to business.

- Yes.

We know what we want.

We want one young man,

and we want him temperance.

Question is, Henry,

how high are you prepared to go?

Oh, aye. I'll put me hand down

for the wedding do all right.

Aye, a warm man like you'll have to do

more than pay for a wedding do, Henry.

What's the price of an outfit,

Tudsbury?

Ooh, I could do

milady's trousseau for 60.

Hm.

And then there'll be...

settlements.

- Settlements?

- Marriage settlements, Henry.

Me pay marriage settlements?

Five hundred apiece

for temperance folk.

- Aye.

- Five hundred?

- You have to bait your hook to catch fish.

Then I'll none go fishing.

They can stay single and lump it.

Settlements indeed!

You'll save their keep.

They work for that,

and none of them are big eaters.

- And their wages.

- Wages?

D'you think

I'd pay my own daughters wages?

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