J B PRIESTLEY: An Inspector Calls Remember to support your ideas with details from the writing. Read this passage carefully, and then answer the question that follows it: Birling: Giving us the port, Edna? That's right. [he pushes it towards ERIC.] You ought to like this port, Gerald. As a matter of fact, Finchley told me it's exactly the same port your father gets from him. Gerald: Then it'll be all right. The governor prides himself on being a good judge of port. I don't pretend to know much about it. 5 Sheila [gaily, possessively]: I should jolly well think not, Gerald, I'd hate you to know all about port – like one of these purple-faced old men. Birling: Here, I'm not a purple-faced old man. Sheila: No, not yet. But then you don't know all about port – do you? Birling [noticing that his wife has not taken any]: Now then, Sybil, you must take a little tonight. Special occasion, y'know, eh? 10 Sheila: Yes, go on, mummy. You must drink our health. Mrs Birling [smiling]: Very well, then. Just a little, thank you. [to EDNA, who is about to go, with tray.] All right, Edna. I'll ring from the drawing room when we want coffee. Probably in about half an hour. 15 Edna [going]: Yes, ma'am. [EDNA goes out. They now have all the glasses filled. BIRLING beams at them and clearly relaxes.] Birling: Well, well - this is very nice. Very nice. Good dinner too, Sybil. Tell cook from me. 20 Gerald [politely]: Absolutely first-class. Mrs Birling [reproachfully]: Arthur, you're not supposed to say such things – Birling: Oh - come, come I'm treating Gerald like one of the family. And I'm sure he won't object. Sheila [with mocking aggressiveness]: Go on, Gerald – just you object! 25 Gerald [smiling]: Wouldn't dream of it. In fact, I insist upon being one of the family now. I've been trying long enough, haven't I? [as she does not reply, with more insistence] Haven't I? You know I have. Mrs Birling [smiling]: Of course she does. Sheila [half serious, half playful]: Yes – except for all last summer, when you never came near me, and I wondered what had happened to you. 30 Gerald: And I've told you I was awfully busy at the works all that time. Sheila [same tone as before]: Yes, that's what you say. Mrs Birling: Now, Sheila, don't tease him. When you're married you'll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You'll have to get used to that, just as I had. 35 Sheila: Gerald: I don't believe I will. [Half playful, half serious, to GERALD.] So you be careful. Oh - I will, I will. [ERIC suddenly guffaws. His parents look at him.] Sheila [severely]: Now – what's the joke? 40 Eric: Sheila: I don't know - really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh. You're squiffy. Eric: I'm not. Mrs Birling: What an expression, Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up these days! Eric: If you think that's the best she can do – Sheila: Don't be an ass, Eric. Mrs Birling: Now stop it, you two. Arthur, what about this famous toast of yours? Birling: Yes, of course. [Clears his throat.] Well, Gerald, I know you agreed that we should only have this quiet little family party. It's a pity Sir George and – er – Lady Croft can't be with us, but they're abroad and so it can't be helped. As I told you, they sent me a very nice cable – couldn't be nicer. I'm not sorry that we're celebrating quietly like this – Much nicer really. I agree. So do I, but it makes speech-making more difficult – [not too rudely]: Well, don't do any. We'll drink their health and have done with 45 50 55 Mrs Birling: Gerald: Birling: Eric it. [From Act 1] How does Priestley make this such a striking introduction to the Birling family and Gerald Croft?