the master of mrs. chilvers-第8节

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＇She　turns　to　greet　the　others。＇

GEOFFREY　　Your　ruining　your　health　won't　do　it。　　You're　looking
fagged　to　death。

ANNYS　　＇She　shakes　hands　with　SIGSBY。＇　　How　are　you？　　＇To　LAMB。＇
I'm　so　glad　you're　helping　him。　　＇She　turns　again　to　GEOFFREY。＇
Pure　imagination；　dearest。　　I　never　felt　better　in　my　life。

GEOFFREY　　Umph！　　Look　at　all　those　lines　underneath　your　eyes。　　＇He
shakes　hands　with　ELIZABETH。＇　　How　do　you　do？　　＇To　PHOEBE。＇　　How
are　you？

ANNYS　　＇She　comes　back　to　himmakes　to　smooth　the　lines　from　his
forehead。＇　　Look　at　all　those；　there。　　We'll　run　away　together　for
a　holiday；　when　it's　all　over。　　What　are　you　doing　this　evening？

SIGSBY　　You　promised　to　speak　at　a　Smoker　to…night；　the　Bow　and
Bromley　Buffaloes。

ANNYS　　Oh；　bother　the　Buffaloes。　　Take　me　out　to　dinner。　　I　am　free
after　seven。

＇MRS。　CHINN　has　enteredis　arranging　the　table　for　tea。　　ANNYS
goes　to　her。＇

How　are　you；　Mrs。　Chinn？

MRS。　CHINN　　＇She　wipes　her　hand　on　her　apron　before　taking　ANNYS'S
proffered　hand。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇To　SIGSBY。＇　　I　can　turn　up　there　later　in　the　evening。
＇He　joins　the　others　for　a　momenttalks　with　them。＇

MRS。　CHINN　　＇Now　shaking　hands。＇　　Quite　well；　thank　you；　ma'am。
＇She　has　cast　a　keen；　motherly　glance　at　ANNYS。＇　　I　hope　you're
taking　care　of　yourself；　ma'am。

ANNYS　　Of　course　I　am。　　We　Politicians　owe　it　to　our　Party。
＇Laughs。＇　　How　are　they　getting　on　here；　without　me？

MRS。　CHINN　　Well；　ma'am；　from　what　I　can　see；　I　think　Mr。　Chilvers
is　trusting　a　little　too　much　to　his　merits。　　Shall　I　bring　some
more　cups　and　saucers；　sir？

GEOFFREY　　Ah！　yes！　　＇To　ANNYS。＇　　You'll　have　some　tea？

ANNYS　　Strong；　please；　Mrs。　Chinn。

＇MRS。　CHINN　goes　out。＇

＇Laughs。＇　　Yes；　I　know　it's　bad　for　me。　　＇She　puts　a　hand　over　his
mouth。＇

PHOEBE　　Old　Mother　Chinn　is　quite　right；　you　know；　Geoff。　　You're
not　putting　up　a　good　fight。

GEOFFREY　　＇A　slight　irritability　begins　to　show　itself。＇　　I　frankly
confess　that　I　am　not　used　to　fighting　women。

ELIZABETH　　Yes。　　It　was　easier；　no　doubt；　when　we　took　it　lying
down。

ANNYS　　You　promised；　if　I　brought　you；　that　you　would　be　good。

GEOFFREY　　I　wish　it　had　been　you。

PHOEBE　　Yes；　but　we　don't！

＇As　she　and　ELIZABETH　move　away。＇

Did　you　have　a　row　with　the　doctor　when　you　were　born？

＇To　which　ELIZABETH　replies；　though　the　words　reach　only　PHOEBE：
〃I　might　have；　if　I　had　known　that　my　mother　was　doing　all　the
work；　while　he　was　pocketing　the　fee！〃＇

LAMB　　You　see；　Mrs。　Chilvers；　our　difficulty　is　that　there　is
nothing　to　be　said　against　youexcept　one　thing。

ANNYS　　What's　that？

LAMB　　That　you're　a　woman。

ANNYS　　＇Smiling。＇　　Isn't　that　enough？

SIGSBY　　Quite　enough；　Mrs。　Chilvers；　if　the　guv'nor　would　only　say
it。

ANNYS　　＇To　GEOFFREY。＇　　Why　don't　you？　　I'll　promise　not　to　deny　it。

＇The　others　drift　apart。　　They　group　themselves　near　to　the　window。
They　talk　togethergrow　evidently　interested　and　excited。＇

GEOFFREY　　I　have　just　had　a　letter　from　yourElection　Agent；
expressing　indignation　with　one　of　my　supporters　for　merely　having
hinted　at　the　fact。

ANNYS　　I　don't　understand。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　takes　from　the　table　the　letter　and　hands　it　to　her
in　silence。　　He　seats　himself　on　the　settee　and　watches　her。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　seats　herself　on　a　chair　just　opposite　to　him；　reads
the　letter　through　in　silence。＇　　In　my　case　it　does　not　apply。

GEOFFREY　　How　do　you　know？

ANNYS　　＇The　atmosphere　has　grown　suddenly　oppressive。＇　　Oh；　II
think　we　might　find　some　other　reason　than　that。　　＇She　hands　him
back　the　letter。＇

GEOFFREY　　It's　the　only　one　of　any　importance。　　It　embraces　all　the
others。　　Shall　woman　be　motheror　politician？　　＇He　puts　the　letter
in　his　pocket。＇

ANNYS　　Why　cannot　she　be　both？

GEOFFREY　　＇He　is　looking　at　her　searchingly。＇　　Because　if　she　is
the　one；　she　doesn't　want　to　be　the　other。

＇A　silence。＇

ANNYS　　You　are　wrong。　　It　is　the　mother　instinct　that　makes　us
politicians。　　We　want　to　take　care　of　the　world。

GEOFFREY　　Exactly。　　You　think　man's　job　more　interesting　than　your
own。

ANNYS　　＇After　a　moment。＇　　Who　told　you　that　it　was　a　man's　job？

GEOFFREY　　Well。　　＇He　shrugs　his　shoulders。＇　　We　can't　do　yours。

ANNYS　　Can't　we　help　each　other？

GEOFFREY　　As；　for　instance；　in　this　election！　　＇He　gives　a　short
laugh。＇

ANNYS　　Of　course；　this　is　an　exceptional　case。

GEOFFREY　　It's　an　epitome　of　the　whole　question。　　You　are　trying　to
take　my　job　away　from　me。　　To　the　neglect　of　your　own。

ANNYS　　＇After　another　moment's　silence。＇　　Haven't　I　always　tried　to
do　my　duty？

GEOFFREY　　I　have　thought　so。

ANNYS　　Oh；　my　dear；　we　mustn't　quarrel。　　You　will　win　this
election。　　I　want　you　to　win　it。　　Next　time　we　must　fight　side　by
side　again。

GEOFFREY　　Don't　you　see？　　Fighting　you　means　fighting　the　whole
movement。　　＇He　indicates　the　posters　pinned　to　the　walls。＇　　That
sort　of　thing。

ANNYS　　＇After　a　brief　inspection。＇　　Not　that　way。　　＇Shaking　her
head。＇　　It　would　break　my　heart　for　you　to　turn　against　us。　　Win
because　you　are　the　better　man。　　＇Smiling。＇　　I　want　you　to　be　the
better　man。

GEOFFREY　　I　would　rather　be　your　husband。

ANNYS　　＇Smiling。＇　　Isn't　that　the　same　thing？

GEOFFREY　　No。　　I　want　a　wife。

ANNYS　　What　precisely　do　you　mean　by　〃wife〃？

GEOFFREY　　It's　an　old…established　word。

＇MRS。　CHINN　has　entered　to　complete　the　tea　arrangements。　　She　is
arranging　the　table。＇

MRS。　CHINN　　There's　a　deputation　downstairs；　sir；　just　come　for
you。

GEOFFREY　　What　are　they？

MRS。　CHINN　　It's　one　of　those　societies　for　the　reform　of
something。　　They　said　you　were　expecting　them。

SIGSBY　　＇Breaking　away　from　the　group　by　the　window。＇　　Quite　right。
＇Looks　at　his　watch。＇　　Five　o'clock；　I'll　bring　them　up。

GEOFFREY　　Happen　to　know　what　it　is　they　want　to　reform？

SIGSBY　　＇By　door。＇　　Laws　relating　to　the　physical　relationship
between　the　sexes；　I　think。

GEOFFREY　　Oh；　only　that！

SIGSBY　　Something　of　the　sort。

＇He　goes　out。　　MRS。　CHINN　also　by　the　other　door。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇Rising。＇　　Will　you　pour　out？

ANNYS　　＇She　has　been　thinking。　　She　comes　back　to　the　present。＇　　We
shan't　be　in　your　way？

GEOFFREY　　Oh；　no。　　It　will　make　it　easier　to　get　rid　of　them。

＇ANNYS　changes　her　chair。　　The　others　gather　round。　　The　service
and　drinking　of　tea　proceeds　in　the　usual　course。＇

＇To　ELIZABETH。＇　　You'll　take　some　tea？

ELIZABETH　　Thank　you。

GEOFFREY　　You　must　be　enjoying　yourself　just　now。

ELIZABETH　　＇Makes　a　moue。＇　　They　insist　on　my　being　agreeable。

ANNYS　　It's　so　good　for　her。　　Teaches　her　self…control。

LAMB　　I　gather　from　Mrs。　Spender；　that　in　the　perfect　world　there
will　be　no　men　at　all。

ELIZABETH　　Oh；　yes；　they　will　be　there。　　But　in　their　proper　place。

ST。　HERBERT　　That's　why　you　didn't　notice　them。

＇The　DEPUTATION　reaches　the　door。　　The　sound　of　voices　is　heard。＇

PHOEBE　　She's　getting　on　very　well。　　If　she　isn't　careful；　she'll
end　up　by　being　a　flirt。

＇The　DEPUTATION　enters；　guided　by　SIGSBY。　　Its　number　is　five；　two
men　and　three　women。　　Eventually　they　group　themselvessome
standing；　some　sittingeach　side　of　GEOFFREY。　　The　others　gather
round　ANNYS；　who　keeps　her　seat　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　table。＇

SIGSBY　　＇Talking　as　he　enters。＇　　Exactly　what　I've　always
maintained。

HOPPER　　It　would　make　the　husband　quite　an　interesting　person。

SIGSBY　　＇Cheerfully。＇　　That's　the　idea。　　Here　we　are；　guv'nor。
This　is　Mr。　Chilvers。

＇GEOFFREY　bows；　the　DEPUTATION　also。　　SIGSBY　introduces　a
remarkably　boyish…looking　man；　dressed　in　knickerbockers。＇

SIGSBY　　This　is　Mr。　Peekin；　who　has　kindly　consented　to　act　as
spokesman。　　＇To　the　DEPUTATION；　generally。＇　　Will　you　have　some
tea？

MISS　BORLASSE　　＇A　thick…set；　masculine…featured　lady；　with　short
hair　and　heavy　eyebrows。　　Her　deep；　decisive　tone　settles　the
question。＇　　Thank　you。　　We　have　so　little　time。

MR。　PEEKIN　　We　propose；　Mr。　Chilvers；　to　come　to　the　point　at　once。
＇He　is　all　smiles；　caressing　gestures。＇

GEOFFREY　　Excellent。

PEEKIN　　If　I　left　a　baby　at　your　door；　what　would　you　do　with　it？

GEOFFREY　　＇For　a　moment　he　is　taken　aback；　recovers　himself。＇　　Are
you　thinking　of　doing　so？

PEEKIN　　It's　not　impossible。

GEOFFREY　　Well；　it　sounds　perhaps　inhospitable；　but　do　you　know　I
really　think　I　should　ask　you　to　take　it　away　again。

PEEKIN　　Yes；　but　by　the　time　you　find　it　there；　I　shall　have
disappearedskedaddled。

HOPPER　　Good。　　＇He　rubs　his　hands。　　Smiles　at　the　others。＇

GEOFFREY　　In　that　case　I　warn　you　that　I　shall　hand　it　over　to　the
police。

PEEKIN　　＇He　turns　to　the　others。＇　　I　don't　myself　see　what　else　Mr。
Chilvers　could　be　expected　to　do。

MISS　BORLASSE　　He'd　be　a　fool　not　to。

GEOFFREY　　Thank　you。　　So　far　we　seem　to　be　in　agreement。　　And　now
may　I　ask　to　what　all　this　is　leading？

PEEKIN　　＇He　changes　from　the　debonnair　to　the　dramatic。＇　　How　many
men；　Mr。　Chilvers；　leave　their　babies　every　year　at　the　door　of
poverty…stricken　women？　　What　are　they　expected　to　do　with　them？

＇A　moment。　　The　DEPUTATION　murmur　approval。＇

GEOFFREY　　I　see。　　But　is　there　no　difference　between　the　two　doors？
I　am　not　an　accomplice。

PEEKIN　　An　accomplice！　　Is　the　ignorant　servant…girlfirst　lured
into　the