"The Duchess and I are both thinking of going on strike," said the Duke.
"Strike!"
The baleful word flashed out in all its old hideous familiarity. Was
there to be no end to its recurrence?
"Do you mean," faltered the reporter, "that you are contemplating a
mutual withdrawal of the charges?"
"Precisely," said the Duke.
"But think of the arrangements that have been made, the special
reporting, the cinematographs, the catering for the distinguished foreign
witnesses, the prepared music-hall allusions; think of all the money that
has been sunk--"
"Exactly," said the Duke coldly, "the Duchess and I have realised that it
is we who provide the material out of which this great far-reaching
industry has been built up. Widespread employment will be given and
enormous profits made during the duration of the case, and we, on whom
all the stress and racket falls, will get--what? An unenviable notoriety
and the privilege of paying heavy legal expenses whichever way the
verdict goes. Hence our decision to strike. We don't wish to be
reconciled; we fully realise that it is a grave step to take, but unless
we get some reasonable consideration out of this vast stream of wealth
and industry that we have called into being we intend coming out of court
and staying out. Good afternoon."
The news of this latest strike spread universal dismay. Its
inaccessibility to the ordinary methods of persuasion made it peculiarly
formidable. If the Duke and Duchess persisted in being reconciled the
Government could hardly be called on to interfere.
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