the master of mrs. chilvers-第7节

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proof。　　＇He　is　searching　for　it　on　the　deskfinds　it。＇　　Yus；　'ere
'tis。　　＇To　GINGER。＇　　Catch　'old。

＇JAWBONES　and　GINGER　hold　it　displayed。＇　　That's　the　one；　sir。

ST。　HERBERT　　Why　is　the　working　man；　for　pictorial　purposes；　always
a　carpenter？

GINGER　　It's　the　skirt　we　object　to。

GEOFFREY　　The　skirt！　　What's　wrong　with　the　skirt？

GINGER　　Well；　it's　only　been　out　of　fashion　for　the　last　three
years；　that's　all。

GEOFFREY　　Oh！　　I　see。　　＇To　ST。　HERBERT。＇　　We've　been　hitting　them
below　the　belt。　　What　do　you　think　I　ought　to　do　about　it？

ST。　HERBERT　　What　would　you　have　thought　yourself；　three　weeks　ago？

GEOFFREY　　You　and　I　have　been　friends　ever　since　we　were　boys。　　You
rather　like　me；　don't　you？

ST。　HERBERT　　＇Puzzled。＇　　Yes。

GEOFFREY　　If　I　were　to　suddenly　hit　you　on　the　nose；　what　would
happen？

ST。　HERBERT　　I　understand。　　Woman　has　suddenly　started　hitting　man
on　the　nose。　　Her　excuse　being　that　she　really　couldn't　keep　her
hands　off　him　any　longer。

JAWBONES　　＇He　has　pinned　the　poster　to　the　wall。＇　　They　begun　it。
To　'ear　them　talk；　you'd　think　as　man　had　never　done　anything
right。

GEOFFREY　　He's　quite　right。　　Their　posters　are　on　every　hoarding：
〃Who's　made　all　the　Muddles？　　Man！〃　　〃Men's　Promises！　　Why；　it's
all　Froth！〃　　〃Woman　this　Time！〃　　I　suppose　it　will　have　to　go。

JAWBONES　　＇Hopefully。＇　　Up；　sir？

GEOFFREY　　No；　Jawbones。　　Into　the　dust…heap　with　the　rest。

＇JAWBONES　is　disgusted。　　GINGER　is　triumphant。＇

GEOFFREY　　I　must　talk　to　Sigsby。　　He's　taking　the　whole　thing　too
seriously。　　It　will　be　some　time　before　we　reach　that　stage。　　＇To
JAWBONES。＇　　Ask　Mrs。　Chinn　to　bring　me　a　cup　of　tea。

＇JAWBONES　goes　out。＇

＇He　seats　himself　at　table　and　takes　up　some　correspondence。　　To
GINGER。＇　　Are　you　waiting　for　any　one？

GINGER　　A　letter　from　her　ladyship。　　＇She　picks　up　from　the　desk
and　hands　him　the　letter　SIGSBY　had　thrown　there。＇　　Her　ladyship
thought　you　ought　to　be　consulted。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　reads　the　short　letter　with　a　gathering　frownhands
it　across　to　ST。　HERBERT。＇

ST。　HERBERT　　＇Having　read；　he　passes　it　back　in　silence。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇To　GINGER。＇　　Do　you　know　the　contents　of　this　letter？

GINGER　　The　matter　has　been　discussed　among　usinformally。

GEOFFREY　　Tell　Lady　Mogton　I'lltalk　to　her　myself　on　the　subject。

GINGER　　Thank　you。　　＇She　collects　her　etceteras。＇　　Good　afternoon。

GEOFFREY　　＇Shortly。＇　　Good　afternoon。

GINGER　　＇She　bows　graciously　to　ST。　HERBERT；　who　responds。　　Goes
out。＇

GEOFFREY　　The　devil　of　it　is　that　it's　the　truth。

ST。　HERBERT　　Somebody　was　bound　to　say　it；　sooner　or　later！

GEOFFREY　　Yes；　but　one's　own　wife！　　This　is　a　confoundedly　awkward
situation。

ST。　HERBERT　　＇He　comes　to　him；　stands　looking　down　at　him。＇　　Did　it
never　occur　to　you；　when　you　were　advocating　equal　political　rights
for　women；　that　awkward　situations　might　arise？

GEOFFREY　　＇He　leans　back　in　his　chair。＇　　Do　you　remember　Tommy　the
Terrier；　as　they　used　to　call　him　in　the　Housewas　always
preaching　Socialism？

ST。　HERBERT　　Quite　the　most　amusing　man　I　ever　met！

GEOFFREY　　And　not　afraid　of　being　honest。　　Do　you　remember　his
answer　when　somebody　asked　him　what　he　would　do　if　Socialism；　by
any　chance；　really　became　established　in　England？　　He　had　just
married　an　American　heiress。　　He　said　he　should　emigrate。　　I　am
still　convinced　that　woman　is　entitled　to　equal　political　rights
with　man。　　I　didn't　think　it　was　coming　in　my　time。　　There　are
points　in　the　problem　remaining　to　be　settled　before　we　can　arrive
at　a　working　solution。　　This　is　one　of　them。　　＇He　takes　up　the
letter　and　reads。＇　　〃Are　you　prepared　to　have　as　your
representative　a　person　who　for　six　months　out　of　every　year　may　be
incapacitated　from　serving　you？〃　　It's　easy　enough　to　say　I
oughtn't　to　allow　my　supporters　to　drag　in　the　personal　element。　　I
like　it　even　less　myself。　　But　what's　the　answer？

＇JAWBONES　enters　with　a　tray。＇

JAWBONES　　＇Places　tray　on　table。＇　　Tea's　coming　in　a　minute；　sir。
＇He　is　clearing　away。＇

GEOFFREY　　Never　mind　all　that。　　＇He　hands　him　a　slip。＇　　Take　this
to　the　printers。　　Tell　them　I　must　have　a　proof　to…night。

JAWBONES　　Yes；　sir。　　＇Finds　his　cap　and　goes　out。＇

ST。　HERBERT　　The　answer；　I　should　say；　would　be　that　the　majority
of　women　will　continue　to　find　something　better　to　do。　　The　women
who　will　throw　themselves　into　politics　will　be　the　unattached
women；　the　childless　women。　　＇In　an　instant　he　sees　his　mistake；
but　it　is　too　late。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇He　rises；　crosses　to　the　desk；　throws　into　a　waste…
paper…basket　a　piece　of　crumpled　paper　that　was　in　his　hand；　then
turns。　　The　personal　note　has　entered　into　the　discussion。＇　　The
women　who　WANT　to　be　childlesswhat　about　them？

ST。　HERBERT　　＇He　shrugs　his　shoulders。＇　　Are　there　any　such？

GEOFFREY　　There　are　women　who　talk　openly　of　woman's　share　in　the
general　scheme　being　a　〃burden〃　on　heran　〃incubus。〃

ST。　HERBERT　　A　handful　of　cranks。　　To　the　normal　woman　motherhood
has　always　been　the　one　supreme　desire。

GEOFFREY　　Because　children　crowned　her　with　honour。　　The　barren
woman　was　despised。　　All　that　is　changing。　　This　movement　is　adding
impulse　to　it。

ST。　HERBERT　　Movements　do　not　alter　instincts。

GEOFFREY　　But　they　do。　　Ever　since　man　emerged　from　the　jungle　he
has　been　shedding　his　instinctsshaping　them　to　new　desires。
Where　do　you　find　this　all…prevailing　instinct　towards　maternity？
Among　the　women　of　society；　who　sacrifice　it　without　a　moment's
hesitation　to　their　vanityto　their　mere　pleasures？　　The　middle…
class　womanshe；　too；　is　demanding　〃freedom。〃　　Children；　servants；
the　home！they　are　too　much　for　her　〃nerves。〃　　And　now　there　comes
this　new　development；　appealing　to　the　intellectual　woman。　　Is
there　not　danger　of　her　preferring　political　ambition；　the
excitement　of　public　life；　to　what　has　come　to　be　regarded　as　the
〃drudgery〃　of　turning　four　walls　into　a　home；　of　peopling　the
silence　with　the　voices　of　the　children？　　＇He　crosses　to　the　table…
…lays　his　hand　again　upon　the　open　letter。＇　　How　do　you　know　that
this　may　not　be　her　answer〃I　have　no　children。　　I　never　mean　to
have　children〃？

＇SIGSBY　enters　in　company　with　BEN　LAMB；　M。P。　　LAMB　is　a　short；
thick…set；　good…tempered　man。＇

Ah；　Lamb；　how　are　you？

LAMB　　＇They　greet　one　another。＇　　How　are　things　going？

SIGSBY　　They're　not　going　at　all　well。

GEOFFREY　　Sigsby　was　ever　the　child　of　despondency。

SIGSBY　　Yes；　and　so　will　you　be　when　you　find　yourself　at　the
bottom　of　the　poll。

GEOFFREY　　＇The　notion　takes　him　by　surprise。＇

LAMB　　It's　going　to　be　a　closer　affair　than　any　of　us　thought。
It's　the　joke　of　the　thing　that　appears　to　have　got　hold　of　them。
They　want　to　see　what　will　happen。

GEOFFREY　　Man's　fatal　curiosity　concerning　the　eternal　feminine！

SIGSBY　　Yes；　and　they　won't　have　to　pay　for　it。　　That　will　be　our
department。

ST。　HERBERT　　＇To　SIGSBY。＇　　What　do　you　think　they'll　do；　supposing
by　any　chance　Mrs。　Chilvers　should　head　the　poll？

SIGSBY　　How　do　you　mean〃what'll　they　do？〃

ST。　HERBERT　　Do　you　think　they'll　claim　the　seat？

SIGSBY　　Claim　the　seat！　　What　do　you　think　they're　out　fortheir
health？　　Get　another　six　months'　advertisement；　if　they　don't　get
anything　else。　　Meanwhile　what's　our　positionjust　at　the
beginning　of　our　ministerial　career？

GEOFFREY　　They　will　not　claim　the　seat。

SIGSBY　　How　do　you　know？

GEOFFREY　　I　know　my　wife。

LAMB　　＇After　a　moment's　silence。＇　　Quite　sure　you　do？

GEOFFREY　　＇Turns。＇

LAMB　　Ever　seen　a　sheep　fighting　mad？　　I　have。　　Damned　sight　worse
than　the　old　ram。

GEOFFREY　　She　doesn't　fight　the　ram。

LAMB　　＇He　makes　a　sweeping　movement　that　takes　in　the　room；　the
electionall　things。＇　　What's　all　this？　　We　thought　woman　hadn't
got　the　fighting　instinctthat　we　〃knew　her。〃　　My　boy；　we're　in
the　infants'　class。

SIGSBY　　If　you　want　to　be　his　Majesty's　Under…Secretary　for　Home
Affairs；　you　take　my　tip；　guv'nor；　you'll　win　this　election。

GEOFFREY　　What　more　can　I　do　than　I'm　doing？　　How　can　I　countenance
this　sort　of　thing？　　＇He　indicates　the　posters。＇　　Declare　myself
dead　against　the　whole　movement？

LAMB　　You'll　do　it　later。　　May　as　well　do　it　soon。

GEOFFREY　　Why　must　I　do　it？

LAMB　　Because　you're　beginning　to　find　out　what　it　means。

＇A　pause。　　The　door　is　open。　　ANNYS　is　standing　there。＇

ANNYS　　Dare　we　venture　into　the　enemy's　camp？

＇She　enters；　laughing；　followed　by　ELIZABETH　and　PHOEBE。　ANNYS　is
somewhat　changed　from　the　grave；　dreamy　ANNYS　of　a　short　week　ago。
She　is　brimming　over　with　vitalityexcitement。　　There　is　a
decisiveness；　an　egoism；　about　her　that　seems　new　to　her。　　The
women's　skirts　make　a　flutter。　　A　breeze　seems　to　have　entered。
ANNYS　runs　to　her　husband。　　For　the　moment　the　election　fades　away。
They　are　all　smiles；　tenderness　for　one　another。＇

ANNYS　　Don't　tell；　will　you？　　Mamma　would　be　so　shocked。　　Do　you
know　you　haven't　been　near　me　for　three　days？

GEOFFREY　　Umph！　　I　like　that。　　Where　were　you　last　night？

ANNYS　　Last　night？　　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Leicester　Square　till
three　o'clock。　　Oh；　Geoff；　there's　such　a　lot　wants　altering！

＇She　turns　to　greet　the　others。＇

GEOFFREY　　Your　ruining　your　health　won't　do