the master of mrs. chilvers-第14章

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GEOFFREY　　Because　＇with　a　short；　ugly　laugh＇　the　Lord　only　knows
when　you'll　get　another　opportunity。

ELIZABETH　　You　are　going　to　stop　us？

GEOFFREY　　To　stop　women　from　going　to　the　poll。　　The　Bill　will　be
introduced　on　Monday。　　Carried　through　all　its　stages　the　same
week。

ELIZABETH　　You　think　it　will　pass？

GEOFFREY　　The　Whips　assure　me　that　it　will。

ANNYS　　But　they　cannot；　they　dare　not；　without　your　assent。　　The
＇The　light　breaks　in　upon　her。＇　　Who　is　bringing　it　in？

GEOFFREY　　I　am。

ANNYS　　＇Is　going　to　speak。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇He　stops　her。＇　　Oh；　I'm　prepared　for　all　thatridicule；
abuse。　　〃Chilvers's　Bill　for　the　Better　Regulation　of　Mrs。
Chilvers；〃　they'll　call　it。　　I　can　hear　their　laughter。　　Yours
won't　be　among　it。

ANNYS　　But；　Geoffrey！　　What　is　the　meaning？　　Merely　to　spite　me；
are　you　going　to　betray　a　cause　that　you　have　professed　belief　in
that　you　have　fought　for？

GEOFFREY　　Yesif　it　is　going　to　take　you　away　from　me。　　I　want
you。　　No；　I　don't　want　a　friend〃a　fellow…worker〃some
interesting　rival　in　well　doing。　　I　can　get　all　that　outside　my
home。　　I　want　a　wife。　　I　want　the　woman　I　love　to　belong　to　meto
be　mine。　　I　am　not　troubling　about　being　up　to　date；　I'm　talking
what　I　feelwhat　every　male　creature　must　have　felt　since　the
protoplasmic　cell　developed　instincts。　　I　want　a　woman　to　lovea
woman　to　work　fora　woman　to　fight　fora　woman　to　be　a　slave　to。
But　minemine；　and　nothing　else。　　All　the　rest　＇he　makes　a
gesture＇　is　talk。

＇He　closes　the　window；　shutting　out　the　hubbub　of　the　crowd。＇

ANNYS　　＇A　strange；　new　light　has　stolen　in。　　She　is　bewildered；
groping。＇　　Butall　this　is　new　between　us。　　You　have　not　talked
like　this　fornot　since　We　were　just　good　friendscomrades。

GEOFFREY　　And　might　have　remained　so；　God　knows！　　I　suppose　we're
made　like　that。　　So　long　as　there　was　no　danger　passion　slept。　　I
cannot　explain　it。　　I　only　know　that　now；　beside　the　thought　of
losing　you；　all　else　in　the　world　seems　meaningless。　　The　Woman's
Movement！　　＇He　makes　a　gesture　of　contempt。＇　　Men　have　wrecked
kingdoms　for　a　woman　before　nowand　will　again。　　I　want　you！　　＇He
comes　to　her。＇　　Won't　you　come　back　to　me；　that　we　may　build　up　the
home　we　used　to　dream　of？　　Wasn't　the　old　love　good？　　What　has　this
new　love　to　give　you？　　Work　that　man　can　do　better。　　The　cause　of
the　womenthe　children！　　Has　woman　loved　woman　better　than　man？
Will　the　world　be　better　for　the　children；　man　and　woman
contending？　　Come　back　to　me。　　Help　me。　　Help　me　to　fight　for　all
good　women。　　Teach　me　how　I　may　make　the　world　betterfor　our
children。

ANNYS　　＇The　light　is　in　her　eyes。　　She　stands　a　moment。　　Her　hands
are　going　out　to　him。＇

ELIZABETH　　＇She　comes　between　them。＇　　Yes；　go　to　him。　　He　will　be
very　good　to　you。　　Good　men　are　kind　to　women；　kind　even　to　their
dogs。　　You　will　be　among　the　pampered　few！　　You　will　be　happy。　　And
the　others！　　What　does　it　matter？

＇They　draw　apart。　　She　stands　between　them；　the　incarnation　of　the
spirit　of　sex　war。＇

The　women　that　have　not　kind　ownersthe　dogs　that　have　not　kind
mastersthe　dumb　women；　chained　to　their　endless；　unpaid　drudgery！
Let　them　be　content。　　What　are　they　but　man's　chattel？　　To　be
honoured　if　it　pleases　him；　or　to　be　cast　into　the　dust。　　Man's
pauper！　　Bound　by　his　laws；　subject　to　his　whim；　her　every　hope；
her　every　aspiration；　owed　to　his　charity。　　She　toils　for　him
without　ceasing：　　it　should　be　her　〃pleasure。〃　　She　bears　him
children；　when　he　chooses　to　desire　them。　　They　are　his　to　do　as　he
will　by。　　Why　seek　to　change　it？　　Our　man　is　kind。　　What　have　they
to　do　with　us：　　the　women　beaten；　driven；　overtaskedthe　women
without　hope　or　joy；　the　livers　of　grey　lives　that　men　may　laugh
and　spendthe　women　degraded　lower　than　the　beasts　to　pander　to
the　beast　in　manthe　women　outraged　and　abandoned；　bearing　to　the
grave　the　burden　of　man's　lust？　　Let　them　go　their　way。　　They　are
but　our　sisters　of　sorrow。　　And　we　who　could　help　themwe　to　whom
God　has　given　the　weapons：　　the　brain；　and　the　couragewe　make
answer：　　〃I　have　married　a　husband；　and　I　cannot　come。〃

＇A　silence。＇

GEOFFREY　　Well；　you　have　heard。　　＇He　makes　a　gesture。＇　　　What　is
your　answer？

ANNYS　　＇She　comes　to　him。＇　　Don't　you　love　me　enough　to　humour　me　a
littleto　put　up　with　my　vexing　ways？　　I　so　want　to　help；　to　feel
I　am　doing　just　a　little；　to　make　the　world　kinder。　　I　know　you　can
do　it　better；　but　I　want　so　to　be　〃in　it。〃　　＇She　laughs。＇　　Let　us
forget　all　this。　　Wake　up　to…morrow　morning　with　fresh　hearts。　　You
will　be　Member　for　East　Poplar。　　And　then　you　shall　help　me　to　win
Manchester。　　＇She　puts　her　hands　upon　his　breast：　　she　would　have
him　take　her　in　his　arms。＇　　I　am　not　strong　enough　to　fight　alone。

GEOFFREY　　I　want　you。　　Let　Manchester　find　some　one　else。

ANNYS　　＇She　draws　away　from　him。＇　　And　if　I　cannotwill　not？

GEOFFREY　　I　bring　in　my　Bill　on　Monday。　　We'll　be　quite　frank　about
it。　　That　is　my　priceyou。　　I　want　you！

ANNYS　　You　mean　it　comes　to　that：　　a　whole　cause　dependent　on　a　man
and　a　woman！

GEOFFREY　　Yes；　that　is　how　the　world　is　built。　　On　each　man　and
woman。　　〃How　does　it　shape　my　life；　my　hopes？〃　　So　will　each　make
answer。

＇LADY　MOGTON　enters。　　She　stands　silent。＇

ELIZABETH　　Is　it　over？

LADY　MOGTON　　Annys　Chilvers；　3；604Geoffrey　Chilvers；　3；590。

＇JANET　enters。＇

JANET　　＇She　rushes　to　ANNYS；　embraces　her。＇　　You've　won；　you've
won！　　＇She　flies　to　the　window；　opens　it；　and　goes　out　on　to　the
balcony。＇

＇PHOEBE　enters；　followed　by　MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS。＇

PHOEBE　　Is　it　true？

LADY　MOGTON　　Pretty　close。　　Majority　of　14。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　For　us？

LADY　MOGTON　　For　us。

＇JANET　by　this　time　has　announced　the　figures。　　There　is　heard　a
great　burst　of　cheering；　renewed　again　and　again。＇

JANET　　＇Re…entering。＇　　They　want　you！　　They　want　you！

＇Mingled　with　the　cheering　come　cries　of　〃Speech！　　Speech！〃＇

LADY　MOGTON　　You　must　say　something。

＇The　band　strikes　up　〃The　Conquering　Hero。〃　　The　women　crowd　round
ANNYS；　congratulating　her。　　GEOFFREY　stands　apart。＇

PHOEBE　　＇Screaming　above　the　din。＇　　Put　on　your　cloak。

JANET　　＇Rushes　and　gets　it。＇

＇They　wrap　it　round　her。＇

＇ANNYS　goes　out　on　to　the　balcony；　followed　by　the　other　women。
ELIZABETH；　going　last；　fires　a　parting　smile　of　triumph　at
GEOFFREY。＇

＇A　renewed　burst　of　cheering　announces　their　arrival　on　the
balcony。　　The　crowd　bursts　into　〃For　She's　a　Jolly　Good　Fellow〃
the　band；　making　a　quick　change；　joins　in。　　GEOFFREY　remains
centre。＇

＇JAWBONES　enters　unobserved。　　The　singing　ends　with　three　cheers。
ANNYS　is　speaking。　　GEOFFREY　turns　and　sees　JAWBONES。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇With　a　smile。＇　　Give　me　down　my　coat；　will　you？

JAWBONES　　＇He　is　sympathetic。　　He　helps　him　on　with　it。＇　　Shall　I
get　you　a　cab；　sir？

GEOFFREY　　No；　thanks。　　I'll　pick　one　up。　　＇He　goes　towards　the
door；　then　stops。＇　　Is　there　any　other　way　outnot　through　the
main　entrance？

JAWBONES　　Yes；　sir。　　There's　a　side　door　opening　on　Woodstock　Road。
I'll　show　it　you。

GEOFFREY　　Thanks。　　＇He　follows　JAWBONES　out。＇

＇A　burst　of　cheering　comes　from　the　crowd。＇

CURTAIN。



THE　FOURTH　ACT



SCENE：…　Russell　Square。　　The　morning…room　＇on　the　ground　floor＇。　　A
small；　cheerful　room；　furnished　in　Chippendale；　white　panelled；
with　Adams　fireplace　in　which　a　bright　fire　is　burning。　　Two　deep
easy…chairs　are　before　the　fire。　　The　window…curtains　of　red　damask
are　drawn。　　An　oval　table　occupies　the　centre　of　the　room。　　The
door　at　back　opens　upon　the　hall。　　Only　one　light　burns；　an
electric　lamp　on　a　table　just　above　the　fire。

TIME：…　Midnight。

＇The　door　opens。　　GEOFFREY　enters。　　He　has　left　his　out…door　things
in　the　hall。　　He　crosses　and　rings　the　bell。　　A　moment。＇

＇HAKE　enters。＇

GEOFFREY　　Oh；　you；　Hake！　　There　wasn't　any　need　for　you　to　have
stopped。

HAKE　　I　was　not　sure　of　your　arrangements。　　I　thought　perhaps　I
might　be　wanted。

GEOFFREY　　Sorry。　　I　ought　to　have　told　you。

HAKE　　It's　been　no　inconvenience；　sir。　　I　told　Mrs。　Hake　not　to　sit
up。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　is　opening　and　reading　his　letters　left　for　him　on
the　table。＇　　Does　she　generally　sit　up　for　you？

HAKE　　As　a　rule；　sir。　　We