the master of mrs. chilvers-第12节

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PHOEBE　　From　St。　Herbert。　　The　present　member　is　his　cousin。　　They
say　he　can't　live　more　than　a　week。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　It　really　seems　like　Providence。

ANNYS　　＇Has　taken　the　opportunity　of　giving　PHOEBE　a　grateful
squeeze　of　the　hand。＇。

LADY　MOGTON　　You　will　fight　Manchester？

ANNYS　　Yes。　　＇Laughs。＇　　And　make　myself　a　public　nuisance　if　I　win。

LADY　MOGTON　　Well；　must　be　content　with　that；　I　suppose。　　Better
not　come　in；　the　room's　rather　crowded。　　I'll　keep　you　informed　how
things　are　going。

＇She　goes　out；　followed　by　JANET。＇

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　I'll　stay　with　you；　dear。

PHOEBE　　I　want　you　to　come　and　be　photographed　for　the　Daily
Mirror。　　The　man's　waiting　downstairs。

ELIZABETH　　I'll　stop　with　Annys。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　I'm　not　quite　sure；　you　know；　that　I　take
well　by　flashlight。

PHOEBE　　You　wait　till　you've　seen　mamma！　　We　must　have　you。　　They
want　you　for　the　centre　of　the　page。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　Well；　if　it's　really　…

PHOEBE　　＇To　the　others。＇　　Shall　see　you　again。　　＇She　winks。　　Then
to　MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS。＇　　We　mustn't　keep　them　waiting。　　They
are　giving　us　a　whole　page。

＇PHOEBE　takes　MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　out。　　ELIZABETH　has　followed
to　the　door；　she　closes　it。　　ANNYS　has　reseated　herself；　facing　the
fire。＇

ELIZABETH　　When　did　you　see　your　husband　last？

ANNYS　　Not　sinceTuesday；　wasn't　it；　that　we　went　round　to　his
rooms。　　Why？

ELIZABETH　　I'm　thinking　about　Manchester。　　What　was　it　he　said　to
you？

ANNYS　　Oh；　we　were；　both　of　us；　a　little　over…excited；　I　suppose。
He　has＇she　hesitates；　finally　answers＇he　has　always　been　so
eager　for　children。

ELIZABETH　　Yes。　　So　many　men　are；　not　having　to　bear　the　pain　and
inconvenience　themselves。

ANNYS　　Oh；　well；　they　have　to　provide　for　them　when　they　do　come。
That's　fair　enough　division；　I　su…　　＇Suddenly　she　turns　fiercely。＇
Why　do　you　talk　like　that？　　As　if　we　women　were　cowards。　　Do　you
think　if　God　sent　me　a　child　I　should　grudge　Him　the　price！

ELIZABETH　　Do　you　want　Him　to？

ANNYS　　I　don't　know；　prayed　Him　to；　once。

ELIZABETH　　＇She　lays　her　hand　upon　her。＇　　It　isn't　a　few　more
mothers　that　the　world　has　need　of。　　It　is　the　women　whom　God　has
appointedto　whom　He　has　given　freedom；　that　they　may　champion　the
cause　of　the　mothers；　helpless　by　reason　of　their　motherhood。

＇A　moment。　　GEOFFREY　enters。＇

GEOFFREY　　Good　evening。

ANNYS　　＇Rises；　a　smile　struggles　for　possession。　　But　he　only
shakes　hands；　and　it　dies　away。＇

ELIZABETH　　Good　evening。

＇They　shake　hands。＇

GEOFFREY　　You　are　not　interested　in　the　counting？

ANNYS　　The　room　is　rather　crowded。　　Mamma　thought　I　would　be　better
out　here。　　How　have　you　been？

GEOFFREY　　Oh；　all　right。　　It's　going　to　be　a　very　near　thing；　they
tell　me。

ANNYS　　Yes；　I　shall　be　glad　when　it's　over。

GEOFFREY　　It's　always　a　trying　time。　　What　are　you　going　to　do；　if
you　win？

＇LADY　MOGTON　looks　in。＇

LADY　MOGTON　　＇Seeing　GEOFFREY。＇　　Oh；　good　evening。

GEOFFREY　　Good　evening。

LADY　MOGTON　　Chilvers；　2；960Annys　Chilvers；　2；874。

＇She　disappearscloses　door。＇

ANNYS　　Perhaps　I'm　not　going　to　win。　　＇She　goes　to　him；　smiling。＇
I　hope　you'll　win。　　I　would　so　much　rather　you　won。

GEOFFREY　　Very　kind　of　you。　　I'm　afraid　that　won't　make　it　a
certainty。

ANNYS　　＇His　answer　has　hardened　her　again。＇　　How　can　I？　　It　would
not　be　fair。　　Without　your　consent　I　should　never　have　entered　upon
it。　　It　was　understood　that　the　seat；　in　any　case；　would　be　yours。

GEOFFREY　　I　would　rather　you　considered　yourself　quite　free。　　In
warfare　it　doesn't　pay　to　be　〃fair〃　to　one's　enemy。

ANNYS　　＇Still　hardening。＇　　Besides；　there　is　no　need。　　There　will
be　other　opportunities。　　I　can　contest　some　other　constituency。　　If
I　win；　claim　the　seat　for　that。

＇A　moment。＇

GEOFFREY　　So　this　is　only　the　beginning？　　You　have　decided　to
devote　yourself　to　a　political　career？

ANNYS　　Why　not？

GEOFFREY　　If　I　were　to　ask　you　to　abandon　it；　to　come　back　to　your
place　at　my　sidehelping　me；　strengthening　me？

ANNYS　　You　mean　you　would　have　me　abandon　my　own　taskmerge　myself
in　you？

GEOFFREY　　Be　my　wife。

ANNYS　　It　would　not　be　right。　　I；　too；　have　my　work。

GEOFFREY　　If　it　takes　you　away　from　me？

ANNYS　　Why　need　it　take　me　away　from　you？　　Why　cannot　we　work
together　for　common　ends；　each　in　our　own　way？

GEOFFREY　　We　talked　like　that　before　we　tried　it。　　Marriage　is　not
a　partnership；　it　is　a　leadership。

ANNYS　　＇She　looks　at　him。＇　　You　meanan　ownership。

GEOFFREY　　Perhaps　you're　right。　　I　didn't　make　it。　　I'm　only
beginning　to　understand　it。

ANNYS　　And　I　too。　　It　is　not　what　I　want。

GEOFFREY　　You　mean　its　duties　have　become　irksome　to　you。

ANNYS　　I　mean　I　want　to　be　the　judge　myself　of　what　are　my　duties。

GEOFFREY　　I　no　longer　count。　　You　will　go　your　way　without　me？

ANNYS　　I　must　go　the　way　I　think　right。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　flings　away。＇　　If　you　win　to…night　you　will　do　well
to　make　the　most　of　it。　　Take　my　advice　and　claim　the　seat。

ANNYS　　＇Looks　at　him　puzzled。＇

ELIZABETH　　Why？

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；　yo