the master of mrs. chilvers-第2节

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downstairslooked　in　with　an　order　for　the　theatre。

PHOEBE　　Oh！

HAKE　　So　I　thought　it　best　to　ask　no　questions。

PHOEBE　　Thank　you。

HAKE　　Thank　you；　miss。　　＇He　goes　out。＇

ELIZABETH　　Can　nothing　be　done　to　rouse　the　working…class　woman　out
of　her　apathy？

PHOEBE　　Well；　if　you　ask　me；　I　think　a　good　deal　has　been　done。

ELIZABETH　　Oh；　what's　the　use　of　our　deceiving　ourselves？　　The
great　mass　are　utterly　indifferent。

JANET　　＇She　is　seated　in　an　easy…chair　near　the　fire。＇　　I　was
talking　to　a　woman　only　yesterdayin　Bethnal　Green。　　She　keeps　a
husband　and　three　children　by　taking　in　washing。　　〃Lord；　miss；〃　she
laughed；　〃what　would　we　do　with　the　vote　if　we　did　have　it？　　Only
one　thing　more　to　give　to　the　men。〃

PHOEBE　　That's　rather　good。

ELIZABETH　　The　curse　of　it　is　that　it's　true。　　Why　should　they　put
themselves　out　merely　that　one　man　instead　of　another　should
dictate　their　laws　to　them？

PHOEBE　　My　dear　girl；　precisely　the　same　argument　was　used　against
the　Second　Reform　Bill。　　What　earthly　difference　could　it　make　to
the　working　men　whether　Tory　Squire　or　Liberal　capitalist　ruled
over　them？　　That　was　in　1868。　　To…day；　fifty…four　Labour　Members
sit　in　Parliament。　　At　the　next　election　they　will　hold　the
balance。

ELIZABETH　　Ah；　if　we　could　only　hold　out　THAT　sort　of　hope　to　them！

＇ANNYS　enters。　　She　is　in　outdoor　costume。　　She　kisses　PHOEBE；
shakes　hands　with　the　other　two。　　ANNYS's　age　is　about　twenty…five。
She　is　a　beautiful；　spiritual…looking　creature；　tall　and　graceful；
with　a　manner　that　is　at　the　same　time　appealing　and　commanding。
Her　voice　is　soft　and　caressing；　but　capable　of　expressing　all　the
emotions。　　Her　likeness　to　her　younger　sister　PHOEBE　is　of　the
slightest：　　the　colouring　is　the　same；　and　the　eyes　that　can　flash；
but　there　the　similarity　ends。　　She　is　simply　but　well　dressed。
Her　soft　hair　makes　a　quiet　but　wonderfully　effective　frame　to　her
face。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　is　taking　off　her　outdoor　things。＇　　Hope　I'm　not　late。
I　had　to　look　in　at　Caxton　House。　　Why　are　we　holding　it　here？

PHOEBE　　Mamma's　instructions。　　Can't　tell　you　anything　more　except
that　I　gather　the　matter's　important；　and　is　to　be　kept　secret。

ANNYS　　Mamma　isn't　here；　is　she？

PHOEBE　　＇Shakes　her　head。＇　　Reaches　St。　Pancras　at　two…forty。
＇Looks　at　her　watch。＇　　Train's　late；　I　expect。

＇HAKE　has　entered。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　hands　HAKE　her　hat　and　coat。＇　　Have　something　ready　in
case　Lady　Mogton　hasn't　lunched。　　Is　your　master　in？

HAKE　　A　messenger　came　for　him　soon　after　you　left；　ma'am。　　I　was
to　tell　you　he　would　most　likely　be　dining　at　the　House。

ANNYS　　Thank　you。

＇HAKE　goes　out。＇

ANNYS　　＇To　ELIZABETH。＇　　I　so　want　you　to　meet　Geoffrey。　　He'll
alter　your　opinion　of　men。

ELIZABETH　　My　opinion　of　men　has　been　altered　once　or　twiceeach
time　for　the　worse。

ANNYS　　Why　do　you　dislike　men？

ELIZABETH　　＇With　a　short　laugh。＇　　Why　does　the　slave　dislike　the
slave…owner？

PHOEBE　　Oh；　come　off　the　perch。　　You　spend　five　thousand　a　year
provided　for　you　by　a　husband　that　you　only　see　on　Sundays。　　We'd
all　be　slaves　at　that　price。

ELIZABETH　　The　chains　have　always　been　stretched　for　the　few。　　My
sympathies　are　with　my　class。

ANNYS　　But　men　like　Geoffreymen　who　are　devoting　their　whole　time
and　energy　to　furthering　our　cause；　what　can　you　have　to　say
against　them？

ELIZABETH　　Simply　that　they　don't　know　what　they're　doing。　　The
French　Revolution　was　nursed　in　the　salons　of　the　French　nobility。
When　the　true　meaning　of　the　woman's　movement　is　understood　we
shall　have　to　get　on　without　the　male　sympathiser。

＇A　pause。＇

ANNYS　　What　do　you　understand　is　the　true　meaning　of　the　woman's
movement？

ELIZABETH　　The　dragging　down　of　man　from　his　position　of　supremacy。
What　else　can　it　mean？

ANNYS　　Something　much　better。　　The　lifting　up　of　woman　to　be　his
partner。

ELIZABETH　　My　dear　Annys；　the　men　who　to…day　are　advocating　votes
for　women　are　doing　so　in　the　hope　of　securing　obedient　supporters
for　their　own　political　schemes。　　In　New　Zealand　the　working　man
brings　his　female　relations　in　a　van　to　the　poll；　and　sees　to　it
that　they　vote　in　accordance　with　his　orders。　　When　man　once　grasps
the　fact　that　woman　is　not　going　to　be　his　henchman；　but　his　rival；
men　and　women　will　face　one　another　as　enemies。

＇The　door　opens。　　HAKE　announces　LADY　MOGTON　and　DORIAN　ST。
HERBERT。　　LADY　MOGTON　is　a　large；　strong…featured　woman；　with　a
naturally　loud　voice。　　She　is　dressed　with　studied　carelessness。
DORIAN　ST。　HERBERT；　K。C。；　is　a　tall；　thin　man；　about　thirty。　　He　is
elegantly；　almost　dandily　dressed。＇

ANNYS　　＇Kissing　her　mother。＇　　Have　you　had　lunch？

LADY　MOGTON　　In　the　train。

PHOEBE　　＇Who　has　also　kissed　her　mother　and　shaken　hands　with　ST。
HERBERT。＇　　We　are　all　here　except　Villiers。　　She's　coming。　　Did　you
have　a　good　meeting？

LADY　MOGTON　　Fairly。　　Some　young　fool　had　chained　himself　to　a
pillar　and　thrown　the　key　out　of　window。

PHOEBE　　What　did　you　do？

LADY　MOGTON　　Tied　a　sack　over　his　head　and　left　him　there。

＇She　turns　aside　for　a　moment　to　talk　to　ST。　HERBERT；　who　has　taken
some　papers　from　his　despatch…box。＇

ANNYS　　＇To　ELIZABETH。＇　　We　must　finish　out　our　talk　some　other
time。　　You　are　quite　wrong。

ELIZABETH　　Perhaps。

LADY　MOGTON　　We　had　better　begin。　　I　have　only　got　half　an　hour。

JANET　　I　saw　Mrs。　Villiers。　　She　promised　she'd　come。

LADY　MOGTON　　You　should　have　told　her　we　were　going　to　be
photographed。　　Then　she'd　have　been　punctual。　　＇She　has　taken　her
seat　at　the　table。　　ST。　HERBERT　at　her　right。＇　　Better　put　another
chair　in　case　she　does　turn　up。

JANET　　＇Does　so。＇　　Shall　I　take　any　notes？

LADY　MOGTON　　No。　　＇To　ANNYS。＇　　Give　instructions　that　we　are　not　to
be　interrupted　for　anything。　　＇ANNYS　rings　bell。＇

ST。　HERBERT　　＇He　turns　to　PHOEBE；　on　his　right。＇　　Have　you　heard
the　latest？

There　was　an　old　man　of　Hong　Kong；
Whose　language　was　terribly　strong。

＇Enter　HAKE。　　He　brings　a　bottle　and　glass；　which　he　places。＇

ANNYS　　Oh；　Hake；　please；　don't　let　us　be　interrupted　for　anything。
If　Mrs。　Mountcalm…Villiers　comes；　show　her　up。　　But　nobody　else。

HAKE　　Yes；　ma'am。

ST。　HERBERT　　＇Continuing。＇

It　wasn't　the　words
That　frightened　the　birds；
'Twas　the　'orrible　double…entendre。

LADY　MOGTON　　＇Who　has　sat　waiting　in　grim　silence。＇　　Have　you
finished？

ST。　HERBERT　　Quite　finished。

LADY　MOGTON　　Thank　you。　　＇She　raps　for　silence。＇　　You　will
understand；　please；　all；　that　this　is　a　private　meeting　of　the
Council。　　Nothing　that　transpires　is　to　be　allowed　to　leak　out。
＇There　is　a　murmur。＇　　Silence；　please；　for　Mr。　St。　Herbert。

ST。　HERBERT　　Before　we　begin；　I　should　like　to　remind　you；　ladies；
that　you　are；　all　of　you；　persons　mentally　deficient　…

＇The　door　opens。　　MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　enters；　announced　by
HAKE。　　She　is　a　showily…dressed；　flamboyant　lady。＇

＇HAKE　goes　out。＇

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　I　AM　so　sorry。　　I　have　only　just　this
minute＇She　catches　sight　of　ST。　HERBERT。＇　　You　naughty　creature；
why　weren't　you　at　my　meeting　last　night？　　The　Rajah　came　with　both
his　wives。　　We've　elected　them；　all　three；　honorary　members。

LADY　MOGTON　　Do　you　mind　sitting　down？

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　Here；　dear？　　＇She　takes　the　vacant　chair。＇
So　nice　of　you。　　I　read　about　your　meeting。　　What　a　clever　idea！

LADY　MOGTON　　＇Cuts　her　short。＇　　Yes。　　We　are　here　to　consider　a
very　important　matter。　　By　way　of　commencement　Mr。　St。　Herbert　has
just　reminded　us　that　in　the　eye　of　the　law　all　women　are
imbeciles。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　I　know；　dear。　　Isn't　it　shocking？

ST。　HERBERT　　Deplorable；　but　of　course　not　your　fault。　　I　mention
it　because　of　its　importance　to　the　present　matter。　　Under　Clause　A
of　the　Act　for　the　Better　Regulation；　&c。；　&c。；　all　persons
〃mentally　deficient〃　are　debarred　from　becoming　members　of
Parliament。　　The　classification　has　been　held　to　include　idiots；
infants；　and　women。

＇An　interruption。　　LADY　MOGTON　hammers。＇

Bearing　this　carefully　in　mind；　we　proceed。　　＇He　refers　to　his
notes。＇　　Two　years　ago　a　bye…election　took　place　for　the　South…west
division　of　Belfast。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　My　dear；　may　I？　　It　has　just　occurred　to
me。　　Why　do　we　never　go　to　Ireland？

LADY　MOGTON　　For　various　sufficient　reasons。

MRS。　MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS　　So　many　of　the　Irish　members　have
expressed　themselves　quite　sympathetically。

LADY　MOGTON　　We　wish　them　to　continue　to　do　so。　　＇Turns　to　ST。
HERBERT。＇　　I'm　sorry。

ST。　HERBERT　　A　leader　of　the　Orange　Party　was　opposed　by　a
Nationalist；　and　the　proceedings　promised　to　be　lively。　　They
promised　for　a　while　to　be　still　livelier；　owing　to　the　nomination
at　the　last　moment　of　the　local　lunatic。

PHOEBE　　＇To　ANNYS。＇　　This　is　where　we　come　in。

ST。　HERBERT　　There　is　always　a　local　lunatic；　who；　if　harmless；　is
generally　a　popular　character。　　James　Washington　McCaw　appears　to
have　been　a　particularly　cheerful　specimen。　　One　of　his
eccentricities　was　to　always　have　a　skipping…rope　in　his　pocket；
wherever　the　traffic　allowed　it；　he　would　go　through　the　streets
skipping。　　He　said　it　kept　him　warm。　　Another　of　his　tricks　was　to
let　off　fireworks　from　the　roof　of　his　house　wheneve