[The men assent reluctantly. ANTHONY takes from TENCH the paper
and peruses it.]

Not one single sentence. All those demands are fair. We have not.
asked anything that we are not entitled to ask. What I said up in
London, I say again now: there is not anything on that piece of paper
that a just man should not ask, and a just man give.

[A pause.]

ANTHONY. There is not one single demand on this paper that we will
grant.

[In the stir that follows on these words, ROBERTS watches the
Directors and ANTHONY the men. WILDER gets up abruptly and goes
over to the fire.]

ROBERTS. D' ye mean that?

ANTHONY. I do.

[WILDER at the fire makes an emphatic movement of disgust.]

ROBERTS. [Noting it, with dry intensity.] Ye best know whether the
condition of the Company is any better than the condition of the men.
[Scanning the Directors' faces.] Ye best know whether ye can afford
your tyranny--but this I tell ye: If ye think the men will give way
the least part of an inch, ye're making the worst mistake ye ever
made. [He fixes his eyes on SCANTLEBURY.] Ye think because the