[_A sound of squabbling is heard upon the street, growing
louder as the people engaging in it approach along the
sidewalk._]
CARTER: There's one we got to bring up and do something about at the
meetin' to-morrow.
GIBSON: What is it? [CARTER _goes up to the gate._]
NORA: It's that Mrs. Simpson; she's a great nuisance.
CARTER: Yes, it's her and Simpson and Frankel. The Simpsons moved into a
flat right up in this neighbourhood. Quite some of the comrades live up
round here now.
[FRANKEL _and_ MRS. SIMPSON _are heard disputing as they
approach: "Well, what you goin' to do about it!" "I'll show you
what we're goin' to do about it!" "You can't do nothing!" "You
wait till to-morrow and see." "I got my rights, ain't I?" and
so on._]
SIMPSON [_heard remonstrating_]: Now, Mamie, Mamie! Frankel, you
oughtn't to talk to Mamie that way.
[GIBSON, _interested and amused, goes part way up to the
hedge._ NORA _is somewhat mortified as the disputants reach the
gate._ GIBSON _speaks to them._]
GIBSON: How do you do, Simpson! How do you do, Mrs. Simpson! How do you
do, Frankel! Won't you come in and argue here?
MRS. SIMPSON: Wha'd you say, Mr. Gibson?
GIBSON: I said come in; come in!
SIMPSON [_uncertainly_]: Well, I don't know.
GIBSON: Come in! Nobody here but friends of yours. Sit down. I'd like to
hear what the argument was about.
[MRS. SIMPSON _is a large woman, domineering and noisy, dressed
somewhat expensively.
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