the master of mrs. chilvers-第8部分

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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　public…house；　cajoled；　tricked；　deceived　by　false
promisesthe　half…starved　shop…girl　in　the　hands　of　the　practised
libertineis　she　an　accomplice？

MRS。　PEEKIN　　＇A　dowdily…dressed；　untidy　woman；　but　the　face　is
sweet　and　tender。＇　　Ah；　Mr。　Chilvers；　if　you　could　only　hear　the
stories　that　I　have　heard　from　dying　lips。

GEOFFREY　　Very　pitiful；　my　dear　lady。　　And；　alas；　only　too　old。
But　there　are　others。　　It　would　not　be　fair　to　blame　always　the
man。

ANNYS　　＇Unnoticed；　drawn　by　the　subject；　she　has　risen　and　come
down。＇　　Perhaps　not。　　But　the　punishment　always　falls　on　the　woman。
Is　THAT　quite　fair？

GEOFFREY　　＇He　is　irritated　at　ANNYS'S　incursion　into　the
discussion。＇　　My　dear　Annys；　that　is　Nature's　law；　not　man's。　　All
man　can　do　is　to　mitigate　it。

PEEKIN　　That　is　all　we　ask。　　The　suffering；　the　shame；　must　always
be　the　woman's。　　Surely　that　is　sufficient。

GEOFFREY　　What　do　you　propose？

MISS　BORLASSE　　＇In　her　deep；　fierce　tones。＇　　That　all　children　born
out　of　wedlock　should　be　a　charge　upon　the　rates。

MISS　RICKETTS　　＇A　slight；　fair；　middle…aged　woman；　with　a　nervous
hesitating　manner。＇　　Of　course；　only　if　the　mother　wishes　it。

GEOFFREY　　＇The　proposal　staggers　him。　　But　the　next　moment　it
inspires　him　with　mingled　anger　and　amusement。＇　　My　dear；　good
people；　have　you　stopped　for　one　moment　to　consider　what　the　result
of　your　proposal　would　be？

PEEKIN　　For　one　thing；　Mr。　Chilvers；　the　adding　to　the　populace　of
healthy　children　in　place　of　the　stunted　and　diseased　abortions
that　is　all　that　these　poor　women；　out　of　their　scanty　earnings；
can　afford　to　present　to　the　State。

GEOFFREY　　Humph！　　That　incidentally　it　would　undermine　the　whole
institution　of　marriage；　let　loose　the　flood…gates　that　at　present
hold　immorality　in　check；　doesn't　appear　to　trouble　you。　　That　the
law　must　be　altered　to　press　less　heavily　upon　the　womanthat　the
man　must　be　made　an　equal　sharer　in　the　penaltyall　that　goes
without　saying。　　The　remedy　you　propose　would　be　a　thousand　times
worse　than　the　disease。

ANNYS　　And　meanwhile？　　Until　you　have　devised　this　scheme　＇there　is
a　note　of　contempt　in　her　voice＇　under　which　escape　for　the　man
will　be　impossible？

GEOFFREY　　The　evil　must　continue。　　As　other　evils　have　to　until　the
true　remedy　is　found。

PEEKIN　　＇He　has　hurriedly　consulted　with　the　others。　　All　have
risenhe　turns　to　GEOFFREY。＇　　You　will　not　support　our　demand？

GEOFFREY　　Support　it！　　Do　you　mean　that　you　cannot　yourselves　see
that　you　are　holding　out　an　indemnity　to　every　profligate；　male　and
female；　throughout　the　landthat　you　would　be　handicapping；　in　the
struggle　for　existence；　every　honest　man　and　woman　desirous　of
bringing　up　their　children　in　honour　and　in　love？　　Your　suggestion
is　monstrous！

PEEKIN　　＇The　little　man　is　not　without　his　dignity。＇　　We　apologise；
Mr。　Chilvers；　for　having　taken　up　your　time。

GEOFFREY　　I　am　sorry　the　matter　was　one　offering　so　little　chance
of　agreement。

PEEKIN　　We　will　make　only　one　slight　further　trespass　on　your
kindness。　　Mrs。　Chilvers；　if　one　may　judge；　would　seem　to　be　more
in　sympathy　with　our　views。　　Might　weit　would　be　a　saving　of　time
and　shoe　leather　＇he　smiles＇might　we　take　this　opportunity　of
laying　our　case　before　her？

GEOFFREY　　It　would　be　useless。

＇A　short　silence。　　ANNYS；　with　ELIZABETH　and　PHOEBE　a　little　behind
her；　stands　right。　　LAMB；　SIGSBY；　and　ST。　HERBERT　are　behind
GEOFFREY　centre。　　The　DEPUTATION　is　left。＇

HOPPER　　Do　we　gather　that　in　this　election　you　speak　for　both
candidates？

GEOFFREY　　In　matters　of　common　decency；　yes。　　My　wife　does　not
associate　herself　with　movements　for　the　encouragement　of　vice。

＇There　is　another　moment's　silence。＇

ANNYS　　But；　Geoffrey；　dearwe　should　not　be　encouraging　the　evil。
We　should　still　seek　to　find　the　man；　to　punish　him。　　The　woman
would　still　suffer　…

GEOFFREY　　My　dear　Annys；　this　is　neither　the　time　nor　place　for　you
and　me　to　argue　out　the　matter。　　I　must　ask　you　to　trust　to　my
judgment。

ANNYS　　I　can　understand　your　refusing；　but　why　do　you　object　to　my
…

GEOFFREY　　Because　I　do　not　choose　for　my　wife's　name　to　be　linked
with　a　movement　that　I　regard　as　criminal。　　I　forbid　it。

＇It　was　the　moment　that　was　bound　to　come。　　The　man's　instincts；
training；　have　involuntarily　asserted　themselves。　　Shall　the　woman
yield？　　If　so；　then　down　goes　the　whole　movementher　claim　to
freedom　of　judgment；　of　action；　in　all　things。　　All　watch　the
struggle　with　breathless　interest。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　speaks　very　slowly；　very　quietly；　but　with　a　new　note
in　her　voice。＇　　I　am　sorry；　but　I　have　given　much　thought　to　this
matter；　andI　do　not　agree　with　you。

MRS。　PEEKIN　　You　will　help　us？

ANNYS　　I　will　do　what　I　can。

PEEKIN　　＇He　takes　from　his　pocket　a　folded　paper。＇　　It　is　always　so
much　more　satisfactory　when　these　things　are　in　writing。
Candidates；　with　the　best　intentions　in　the　world；　are　apt　to
forget。　　＇He　has　spread　the　paper　on　a　corner　of　the　table。　　He　has
in　his　hand　his　fountain…pen。＇

ANNYS　　＇With　a　smile。＇　　I　am　not　likely　to　forget；　but　if　you　wish
it＇She　approaches　the　table。＇

GEOFFREY　　＇He　interposes。　　His　voice　is　very　low；　almost　a
whisper。＇　　My　wife　will　not　sign。

ANNYS　　＇She　also　speaks　low；　but　there　is　no　yielding　in　her
voice。＇　　I　am　not　only　your　wife。　　I　have　a　duty　also　to　others。

GEOFFREY　　It　is　for　you　to　choose。　　＇He　leaves　the　way　open　to
her。＇

＇The　silence　can　almost　be　felt。　　She　moves　to　the　table；　takes　up
the　paper。　　It　contains　but　a　few　lines　of　writing。　　Having　read
it；　she　holds　out　her　hand　for　the　pen。　　PEEKIN　puts　it　in　her
hand。　　With　a　firm　hand　she　signs；　folds　the　paper；　and　returns　it
to　him。　　She　remains　standing　by　the　table。　　With　the　removal　of
the　tension　there　comes　a　rustle；　a　breaking　of　the　silence。＇

MISS　RICKETTS　　＇She　seizes　ANNYS's　hand；　hanging　listlessly　by　her
side；　and；　stooping；　kisses　it。＇

MISS　BORLASSE　　That　is　all；　isn't　it？

PEEKIN　　We　thank　you；　Mrs。　Chilvers。　　Good　afternoon。

ANNYS　　＇The　natural　reaction　is　asserting　itself。　　She　pulls
herself　together　sufficiently　to　murmur　her　answer。＇　　Good
afternoon。

MRS。　PEEKIN　　＇The　DEPUTATION　is　moving　away；　she　takes　from　her
waist　a　small　bunch　of　flowers；　and；　turning；　places　them　in
ANNYS'S　hand。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　smiles；　remains　standing　silent；　the　flowers　in　her
hand。＇

＇〃Good　afternoons〃　are　exchanged　with　some　of　the　others。
Finally：＇

PEEKIN　　Good　afternoon；　Mr。　Chilvers。

GEOFFREY　　＇Who　has　moved　away。＇　　Good　afternoon。

＇The　DEPUTATION　joins　SIGSBY　by　the　door。　　He　leads　them　out。＇

ELIZABETH　　＇To　PHOEBE。＇　　Are　you　going　my　way？

PHOEBE　　＇She　glances　round　at　ANNYS。＇　　Yes；　I'll　come　with　you。

ST。　HERBERT　　I　will　put　you　into　a　bus；　if　you　will　let　me。　　We
don't　sport　many　cabs　in　East　Poplar。　　＇He　is　helping　ELIZABETH
with　her　cloak。＇

ELIZABETH　　Thank　you。

LAMB　　I've　got　to　go　up　West。　　＇To　GEOFFREY。＇　　Will　you　be　at　the
House　this　evening？

GEOFFREY　　＇He　is　standing　by　the　desk　pretending　to　look　at　some
papers＇。　　I　shall　look　in　about　ten　o'clock。

LAMB　　One　or　two　things　I　want　to　say　to　you。　　Goodbye　for　the
present。

GEOFFREY　　Goodbye！

PHOEBE　　Goodbye；　old　man。　　＇She　stretches　out　her　hand。＇

GEOFFREY　　Goodbye。　　＇She　shakes　hands　with　a　smile；　exchanges　a
casual　〃goodbye〃　with　ELIZABETH。＇

＇They　go　towards　the　door。＇

＇SIGSBY　re…enters。＇

SIGSBY　　＇To　LAMB。＇　　Are　you　going？

LAMB　　Yes。　　I'll　see　you　to…morrow　morning。　　About　ten　o'clock。

SIGSBY　　I　shall　be　here。　　＇He　exchanges　a　〃good　afternoon〃　with　the
others。＇

＇They　go　out。　　SIGSBY　crosses　and　goes　into　the　other　room。＇

ANNYS　　＇She　has　let　fall　the　flowers　on　the　table。　　She　crosses　to
where　GEOFFREY　still　stands　by　the　desk；　his　back　towards　her。　　She
stretches　out　her　hand；　touches　him。　　He　does　not　move。＇　　Geoffrey！

＇But　still　he　takes　no　notice。＇

I　am　so　sorry。　　We　must　talk　it　over　quietlyat　home。

GEOFFREY　　＇He　turns。＇　　Home！　　I　have　no　home。　　I　have　neither
children　nor　wife。　　I　KEEP　a　political　opponent。

＇ANNYS　starts　back　with　a　cr