the master of mrs. chilvers-第3节

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skipping。　　He　said　it　kept　him　warm。　　Another　of　his　tricks　was　to
let　off　fireworks　from　the　roof　of　his　house　whenever　he　heard　of
the　death　of　anybody　of　importance。　　The　Returning　Officer　refused
his　nominationwhich；　so　far　as　his　nominators　were　concerned；　was
intended　only　as　a　jokeon　the　grounds　of　his　being　by　common
report　a　person　of　unsound　mind。　　And　there；　so　far　as　South…west
Belfast　was　concerned；　the　matter　ended。

PHOEBE　　Pity。

ST。　HERBERT　　But　not　so　far　as　the　Returning　Officer　was　concerned。
McCaw　appears　to　have　been　a　lunatic　possessed　of　means；　imbued
with　all　an　Irishman's　love　of　litigation。　　He　at　once　brought　an
action　against　the　Returning　Officer；　his　contention　being　that　his
mental　state　was　a　private　matter；　of　which　the　Returning　Officer
was　not　the　person　to　judge。

PHOEBE　　He　wasn't　a　lunatic　all　over。

ST。　HERBERT　　We　none　of　us　are。　　The　case　went　from　court　to　court。
In　every　instance　the　decision　was　in　favour　of　the　Returning
Officer。　　Until　it　reached　the　House　of　Lords。　　The　decision　was
given　yesterday　afternoonin　favour　of　the　man　McCaw。

ELIZABETH　　Then　lunatics；　at　all　events；　are　not　debarred　from
going　to　the　poll。

ST。　HERBERT　　The　〃mentally　deficient〃　are　no　longer　debarred　from
going　to　the　poll。

ELIZABETH　　What　grounds　were　given　for　the　decision？

ST。　HERBERT　　＇He　refers　again　to　his　notes。＇　　A　Returning　Officer
can　only　deal　with　objections　arising　out　of　the　nomination　paper。
He　has　no　jurisdiction　to　go　behind　a　nomination　paper　and
constitute　himself　a　court　of　inquiry　as　to　the　fitness　or
unfitness　of　a　candidate。

PHOEBE　　Good　old　House　of　Lords！

＇LADY　MOGTON　hammers。＇

ELIZABETH　　But　I　thought　it　was　part　of　the　Returning　Officer's
duty　to　inquire　into　objections；　that　a　special　time　was　appointed
to　deal　with　them。

ST。　　HERBERT　　He　will　still　be　required　to　take　cognisance　of　any
informality　in　the　nomination　paper　or　papers。　　Beyond　that；　this
decision　relieves　him　of　all　further　responsibility。

JANET　　But　this　gives　us　everything。

ST。　HERBERT　　It　depends　upon　what　you　call　everything。　　It　gives　a
woman　the　right　to　go　to　the　polla　right　which；　as　a　matter　of
fact；　she　has　always　possessed。

PHOEBE　　Then　why　did　the　Returning　Officer　for　Camberwell　in　1885　…

ST。　HERBERT　　Because　he　did　not　know　the　law。　　And　Miss　Helen
Taylor　had　not　the　means　possessed　by　our　friend　McCaw　to　teach　it
to　him。

ANNYS　　＇Rises。　　She　goes　to　the　centre　of　the　room。＇

LADY　MOGTON　　Where　are　you　going？

ANNYS　　＇She　turns；　there　are　tears　in　her　eyes。　　The　question　seems
to　recall　her　to　herself。＇　　Nowhere。　　I　am　so　sorry。　　I　can't　help
it。　　It　seems　to　me　to　mean　so　much。　　It　gives　us　the　right　to　go
before　the　peopleto　plead　to　them；　not　for　ourselves；　for　them。
＇Again　she　seems　to　lose　consciousness　of　those　at　the　table；　of
the　room。＇　　To　the　men　we　will　say：　　〃Will　you　not　trust　us？　　Is　it
harm　we　have　ever　done　you？　　Have　we　not　suffered　for　you　and　with
you？　　Were　we　not　sent　into　the　world　to　be　your　helpmeet？　　Are　not
the　children　ours　as　well　as　yours？　　Shall　we　not　work　together　to
shape　the　world　where　they　must　dwell？　　Is　it　only　the　mother…voice
that　shall　not　be　heard　in　your　councils？　　Is　it　only　the　mother…
hand　that　shall　not　help　to　guide？〃　　To　the　women　we　will　say：
〃Tell　themtell　them　it　is　from　no　love　of　ourselves　that　we　come
from　our　sheltered　homes　into　the　street。　　It　is　to　give；　not　to
getto　mingle　with　the　sterner　judgments　of　men　the　deeper　truths
that　God；　through　pain；　has　taught　to　womento　mingle　with　man's
justice　woman's　pity；　till　there　shall　arise　the　perfect　lawnot
made　of　man　nor　woman；　but　of　both；　each　bringing　what　the　other
lacks。〃　　And　they　will　listen　to　us。　　Till　now　it　has　seemed　to
them　that　we　were　clamouring　only　for　selfish　ends。　　They　have　not
understood。　　We　shall　speak　to　them　of　common　purposes；　use　the
language　of　fellow…citizens。　　They　will　see　that　we　are　worthy　of
the　place　we　claim。　　They　will　welcome　us　as　helpers　in　a　common
cause。　　They　…

＇She　turnsthe　present　comes　back　to　her。＇

LADY　MOGTON　　＇After　a　pause。＇　　The　business　＇she　dwells　severely　on
the　word＇　before　the　meeting　…

ANNYS　　＇She　resents　herself　meekly。　　Apologising　generally。＇　　I
must　learn　to　control　myself。

LADY　MOGTON　　＇Who　has　waited。＇is　McCaw　versus　Potts。　　Its　bearing
upon　the　movement　for　the　extension　of　the　franchise　to　women。　　My
own　view　I　venture　to　submit　in　the　form　of　a　resolution。　　＇She
takes　up　a　paper　on　which　she　has　been　writing。＇　　As　follows：　　That
the　Council　of　the　Woman's　Parliamentary　Franchise　League；　having
regard　to　the　decision　of　the　House　of　Lords　in　McCaw　v。　Potts　…

ST。　HERBERT　　＇Looking　over。＇　　Two　t's。

LADY　MOGTON　resolves　to　bring　forward　a　woman　candidate　to
contest　the　next　bye…election。　　＇Suddenly　to　MRS。　MOUNTCALM…
VILLIERS；　who　is　chattering。＇　　Do　you　agree　or　disagree？

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　My　dear！　　How　can　you　ask？　　Of　course　we
all　agree。　　＇To　Elizabeth。＇　You　agree；　don't　you？

ELIZABETH　　Of　course；　even　if　elected；　she　would　not　be　allowed　to
take　her　seat。

PHOEBE　　How　do　you　know？　　Nothing　more　full　of　surprises　than
English　law。

LADY　MOGTON　　At　the　present　stage　I　regard　that　point　as
immaterial。　　What　I　am　thinking　of　is　the　advertisement。　　A　female
candidate　upon　the　platform　will　concentrate　the　whole　attention　of
the　country　on　our　movement。

ST。　HERBERT　　It　might　even　be　prudentuntil　you　have　got　the　vote…
…to　keep　it　dark　that　you　will　soon　be　proceeding　to　the　next
inevitable　step。

ELIZABETH　　You　think　even　man　could　be　so　easily　deceived！

ST。　HERBERT　　Man　has　had　so　much　practice　in　being　deceived。　　It
comes　naturally　to　him。

ELIZABETH　　Poor　devil！

LADY　MOGTON　　The　only　question　remaining　to　be　discussed　is　the
candidate。

ANNYS　　Is　there　not　danger　that　between　now　and　the　next　bye…
election　the　Government　may；　having　regard　to　this　case；　bring　in　a
bill　to　stop　women　candidates　from　going　to　the　poll？

ST。　HERBERT　　I　have　thought　of　that。　　Fortunately；　the　case　seems
to　have　attracted　very　little　attention。　　If　a　bye…election
occurred　soon　there　would　hardly　be　time。

LADY　MOGTON　　It　must　be　the　very　next　one　that　does　occurwherever
it　is。

JANET　　I　am　sure　that　in　the　East　End　we　should　have　a　chance。

PHOEBE　　Great　Scott！　　Just　think。　　If　we　were　to　win　it！

ST。　HERBERT　　If　you　could　get　a　straight　fight　against　a　Liberal　I
believe　you　would。

ANNYS　　Why　is　the　Government　so　unpopular？

ST。　HERBERT　　Well；　take　the　weather　alonetwelve　degrees　of　frost
again　last　night。

JANET　　In　St。　George's　Road　the　sewer　has　burst。　　The　water　is　in
the　rooms　where　the　children　are　sleeping。　　＇She　clenches　her
hands。＇

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　＇She　shakes　her　head。＇　　Something　ought
really　to　be　done。

LADY　MOGTON　　Has　anybody　any　suggestion　to　make？as　regards　the
candidate。　　There's　no　advantage　in　going　outside。　　It　will　have　to
be　one　of　ourselves。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　Won't　you；　dear？

LADY　MOGTON　　I　shall　be　better　employed　organising。　　My　own　feeling
is　that　it　ought　to　be　Annys。　　＇To　ST。　HERBERT。＇　　What　do　you
think？

ST。　HERBERT　　Undoubtedly。

ANNYS　　I'd　rather　not。

LADY　MOGTON　　It's　not　a　question　of　liking。　　It's　a　question　of
duty。　　For　this　occasion　we　shall　be　appealing　to　the　male　voter。
Our　candidate　must　be　a　woman　popular　with　men。　　The　choice　is
somewhat　limited。

ELIZABETH　　No　one　will　put　up　so　good　a　fight　as　you。

ANNYS　　Will　you　give　me　till　this　evening？

LADY　MOGTON　　What　for？

ANNYS　　I　should　like　to　consult　Geoffrey。

LADY　MOGTON　　You　think　he　would　object？

ANNYS　　＇A　little　doubtfully。＇　　No。　　But　we　have　always　talked
everything　over　together。

LADY　MOGTON　　Absurd！　　He's　one　of　our　staunchest　supporters。　　Of
course　he'll　be　delighted。

ELIZABETH　　I　think　the　thing　ought　to　be　settled　at　once。

LADY　MOGTON　　It　must　be。　　I　have　to　return　to　Manchester　to…night。
We　shall　have　to　get　to　work　immediately。

ST。　HERBERT　　Geoffrey　will　surely　take　it　as　a　compliment。

JANET　　Don't　you　feel　that　woman；　all　over　the　world；　is　calling　to
you？

ANNYS　　It　isn't　that。　　I'm　not　trying　to　shirk　it。　　I　merely
thought　that　if　there　had　been　timeof　course；　if　you　really　think
…

LADY　MOGTON　　You　consent？

ANNYS　　Yes。　　If　it's　everybody's　wish。

LADY　MOGTON　　That's　settled。

PHOEBE　　＇She　springs　up；　waving　a　handkerchief。＇　　Chilvers　for
ever！

JANET　　＇Rises。＇　　God　bless　you！

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　＇Clapping　her　hands。＇　　Now　we　shan't　be
long！

LADY　MOGTON　　＇Hammers。＇　　Order；　please！

＇The　three　subside。＇

This　is　serious　business。　　The　next　step　is；　of　course　…

＇The　door　opens；　GEOFFREY　enters。　　He　is　a　youngish…looking　man　of
three　or　four　and　thirty。　　LADY　MOGTON；　at　the　sound　of　the　door；
turns。　　ST。　HERBERT　rises。　　There　is　a　pause。＇

LADY　MOGTON　　We've　been　talking　about　you。　　We　must　apologise　for
turning　your　drawing…room　…

GEOFFREY　　My　dear　mother…in…law；　it　is　Providence。　　＇He　kisses
her。＇　　There　is　no　one　I　was　more　longing　to　see。

ANNYS　　＇She　has　risen。＇　　Hake　told　me　you　would　be　dining　at　the
House。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　comes　to　her；　kisses