as if you'd got chilblains--aye, stiff neck above and weak knees
below. It's immodest!

ALICE. It is not immodest, father. It's the fashion to wear
bustles.

HOBSON. Then to hell with the fashion.

MAGGIE. Father, you are not in the "Moonraker's" now.

VICKEY. You should open your eyes to what other ladies wear.
(_Rises_.)

HOBSON. If what I saw on you is any guide, I should do nowt of
kind. I'm a decent-minded man. I'm Hobson. I'm British middle
class and proud of it. I stand for common sense and sincerity.
You're affected, which is bad sense and insincerity. You've
overstepped nice dressing and you've tried grand dressing--
(VICKEY _sits_)--which is the occupation of fools and such
as have no brains. You forget the majesty of trade and the
unparalleled virtues of the British Constitution which are all
based on the sanity of the middle classes, combined with the
diligence of the working-classes. You're losing balance, and
you're putting the things which don't matter in front of the
things which do, and if you mean to be a factor in the world in
Lancashire or a factor in the house of Hobson, you'll become
sane.

VICKEY. Do you want us to dress like mill girls?