Detailed Summary The Sea by Edward Bond, Scene V
It is the shop of Hatch. There is news in the paper about preparations against continental powers. Hatch wishes to translate the continental powers as people from another world. Then he recalls drowning of Colin and associates it with the coming of the alien powers. He draws a funny logic that the aliens don't want the population of humans to increase so they drowned Colin when he was about to marry because: "The fewer we are, the easier we're overcome". He also fabricates a story that these aliens are catching humans and replacing their brains with "artificial material brought here in airships". While they are listening to the fictitious stories of Hatch, Mrs. Rafi comes along Mrs. Tilehouse.
Hatch welcomes her and informs her of the arrival of her order i.e. curtain cloth. But Mrs. Rafi inquires him about the accident on the beach and accuses him of not helping Willy when he was shouting for help. Hatch says nothing and she refuses to take the cloth because: "Mr. Hatach, you cannot expect me to patronize a tradesman who ignores his duty as a coast guard". Hatch tries to defend himself by calling Willy a liar but Mrs. Rafi won't believe it. Hatch begs her to buy the material because he has invested all his capital into it. She refuses because the curtains would remind her "of the tragedy". Hatch pleads: "My name, my good will, my whole life's work is at stake. I'm on the edge of a terrible disaster." But she just won't listen to him.
When Mrs. Rafi is gone, Hatch thinks that Mrs. Rafi has to buy the cloth because she ordered it. He decides to cut the cloth in three yards pieces. While he is working Hollarcut comes and informs him of Mrs. Rafi that is heading to his shop once more. She enters the shop and rebukes Hatch once more. She tells him that she is going to inform the constable and the doctor of his activities. Hatch, in tears, ignores her words and just informs her that he is cutting the cloth that she ordered. She has to buy. Mrs. Rafi warns him that he is wasting his cloth because nobody would buy cloth in rags. Hatch comes in the way of Mrs. Rafi holding her bag from one side. He asks her to pay and go. He struggles with her bag.
Hatch wounds Mrs. Rafi in the struggle and runs out of his shop when Carter comes. Mrs. Tilehouse has fallen onto the chair and is unconscious. Mrs. Rafi covers her arm with a piece of cloth from the shop and goes to the constable for reporting the matter to him. Later, Carter assists Mrs. Tilehouse in reaching home.
