Hobson's Choice Page #2

without letting me know where you are.

Oh, he won't make a change.

How do you know? The man's a treasure,

and I expect you underpay him.

- That'll do, Willie. You can go.

- Yes, sir.

He's like a rabbit.

Can I take your order

for another pair of boots, Mrs Hepworth?

No, not yet, young woman,

but I shall send my daughters here,

and mind - that man's to make the boots.

- Certainly, Mrs Hepworth.

- Good morning.

Good morning. Very glad to have had

the honour of serving you, madam.

What does she want to praise

a workman to his face for?

- He deserved it.

- Deserved be blown!

- Making him uppish now!

- Are you coming over, Henry?

I am!

- Dinner's at one o'clock, remember.

- Now look here, Maggie.

I set the hours in this house.

It's one o'clock dinner because I say it is,

not because you do.

- Yes, Father.

- So long as that's clear, I'll go.

Dinner's at half-past.

That'll give him half an hour.

Female perversity

comes from leading an indoor life.

Morning.

Women think they're important

because they're boss in t'kitchen.

How do?

Oh, no.

Front.

Morning. How d'you do?

- 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?

I'm not a fool.

Then it's all off?

From the moment you breathed

the word "settlements", Jim,

it were dead off.

There'll be no marriages

in my house.

- Father!

- Aye?

No self-respecting decent man'll

marry us without settlements.

- It's expected from a man like you.

- Is it? Then I'll thwart their expectations.

- Father.

- Get back into t'shop, the lot of you!

Oh, they'll soon get over it, Maggie.

Aye.

I'm making plans,

and a husband's included in them.

What?

One, two, three Sundays

for calling the banns.

Any time after that,

when we get a fine day, I shall be wed.

- You?

- Me, Father.

I'll tell you something, Maggie,

that's maybe news to you.

If you're counting on a settlement from me,

you're on t'wrong horse.

Nay, I'm not.

I want no settlement.

I should think not neither.

- What's his name?

- His name?

I'll tell you when I've got him.

Out counting chickens

before they're hatched?

Maggie!

You nearly frightened me.

I never knew an old maid yet that hadn't

a husband coming along in a month.

I'll admit you gave me a shock

when you broke t'news

but I've no cause to fret meself.

Can't imagine you having

these fancies, Maggie.

Fancies are of value

for keeping females quiet and content.

Go and get back in t'shop.

It's a great relief to know

that your mind's taken up with ideas.

I thought at first it was taken up

with a real man.

- Good night, Maggie.

- Good night, Father.

- There's a good lass.

Good night.

- Willie?

- Yes, Miss Maggie?

- Come up.

- I... I haven't finished yet, Miss Maggie.

Come up.

Come with me.

Shut the door.

Come here.

Show me your hands, Willie.

They're dirty.

Aye, they're dirty,

but they're clever.

They can shape the leather

like no other man's

that's come into the shop.

Who taught you, Willie?

Why, Miss Maggie,

I learnt me trade here.

Hobson's never taught you

to make boots the way you do.

- I've had no other teacher.

- And needed none.

- When are you going to leave Hobson's?

- Leave Hobson's?

I... I thought I gave satisfaction.

- Don't you want to leave?

- Not me.

I've been at Hobson's all me life.

I'm not leaving till I'm made to.

Don't you want to get on,

Will Mossop?

You know the wages you could get

in one of the big shops in Manchester.

I'd be feared to go

in one of them fine places.

What keeps you here?

I don't know.

I... I'm used to being here.

Do you know what keeps

this business on its legs?

Two things.

One's the good boots you make

that sell themselves.

The other's the bad boots

other people make and I sell.

We're a pair, Will Mossop.

You're a wonder in t'shop,

Miss Maggie.

You're a marvel in the workshop.

Well?

Well, what?

It seems to me to point one way.

What way is that?

You're leaving me

to do all the work, my lad.

I... I think I'll be getting back to me stool,

Miss Maggie.

You'll go when I've done with you.

I've been watching you

for a long time,

and everything I've seen I've liked.

I think you'll do for me.

- What way, Miss Maggie?

- Will Mossop...

You're my man!

- Well, I never...

- I know you never.

Or it wouldn't be left for me

to do a job like this.

I... I'll, er...

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