the master of mrs. chilvers-第6部分

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respect。　　The　rest　of　it　is　all　right。　　Becos　I've　got　yer　'ere
alone。　　You　wimmin；　you　think　it's　going　to　pay　you　to　chuck　law
and　order。　　You're　out　for　a　fight；　are　yer？

GINGER　　Yus；　and　we're　going　to　win。　　Brute　force　'as　'ad　its　d'y。
It's　brains　wot　are　going　to　rule　the　world。　　And　we've　got　'em。

＇She　has　become　quite　oratorical。＇

JAWBONES　　Glad　to　'ear　it。　　Take　my　tip：　　you'll　use　'em。
Meanwhile　I'll　'ave　another　cup　o'　tea。

GINGER　　＇She　takes　the　cupis　making　for　the　window。＇

JAWBONES　　＇Fierce　again。＇　　I　said　tea。

GINGER　　All　right；　I　was　only　going　to　throw　the　slops　out　of
window。　　There　ain't　no　basin。

JAWBONES　　I'll　tell　yer　when　I　want　yer　to　open　the　window　and　call
for　the　p'lice。　　You　can　throw　them　into　the　waste…paper　basket。

GINGER　　＇She　obeys。＇

JAWBONES　　Thank　you。　　Very　much　obliged。　　One　of　these　d'ys；　maybe；
you'll　marry。

GINGER　　When　I　do；　it　will　be　a　man；　not　a　monkey。

JAWBONES　　I'm　not　proposing。　　I'm　talking　to　you　for　your　good。

GINGER　　＇Snorts。＇

JAWBONES　　You've　been　listening　to　a　lot　of　toffs。　　Easy　enough　for
them　to　talk　about　wimmen　not　being　domestic　drudges。　　They　keep　a
cook　to　do　it。　　They　don't　pity　'e　for　being　a　down…trodden　slive；
spending　sixteen　hours　a　d'y　in　THEIR　kitchen　with　an　evening　out
once　a　week。　　When　you　marry　it　will　be　to　a　bloke　like　me；　a
working　man　。　。　。

GINGER　　Working！　　＇She　follows　it　with　a　shrill　laugh。＇

JAWBONES　　Yus。　　There's　always　a　class　as　laughs　when　you　mention
the　word　〃work。〃　　Them　as　knows　wot　it　is；　don't。　　I've　been　at　it
since　six　o'clock　this　morning；　carrying　a　ladder；　a　can　of　paste
weighing　twenty　pounds；　and　two　'undred　double　royal　posters。　　You
try　it！　　When　'e　comes　'ome；　'e'll　want　'is　victuals。　　If　you've
got　'em　ready　for　'im　and　are　looking　niceno　reason　why　you
shouldn'tand　feeling　amiable；　you'll　get　on　very　well　together。
If　you　are　going　to　argue　with　'im　about　woman's　sphere；　you'll　get
the　worst　of　it。

GINGER　　You　always　was　a　bully。

JAWBONES　　Not　always。　　Remember　last　Bank　'oliday？　　＇He　winks。＇

GINGER　　＇She　tries　not　to　give　in。＇

JAWBONES　　'Ave　a　cup　of　tea。　　＇He　pours　it　out　for　her。＇

GINGER　　＇The　natural　woman　steals　inshe　sits。＇

JAWBONES　　'Ow　are　they　doing　you；　fairly　well？

GINGER　　Oh！　　Well；　nothing　to　grumble　at。

JAWBONES　　You　can　do　a　bit　o'　dressing　on　it。

GINGER　　＇She　meets　his　admiring　eye。　　The　suffragette　departs。＇
Dressing　don't　cost　muchwhen　you've　got　tyste。

JAWBONES　　Wot！　　Not　that　'at？

GINGER　　Made　it　myself。

JAWBONES　　No！

GINGER　　Honour　bright！　　Tell　yer　…

＇GEOFFREY　and　ST。　HERBERT　enter。　　JAWBONES　and　GINGER　make　to　rise。
GINGER　succeeds。＇

GEOFFREY　　All　right；　all　right。　　Don't　let　me　disturb　the　party。
Where's　Mr。　Sigsby？

JAWBONES　　Gone　to　look　up　the　police；　I　think；　sir。　　＇Having
finished；　he　rises。＇　　Some　of　those　factory　girls　been　up　to　their
larks　again。

GEOFFREY　　Umph！　　What's　it　about　this　time？

JAWBONES　　They've　took　objection　to　one　of　our　posters。

GEOFFREY　　What；　another！　　＇To　ST。　HERBERT。＇　　Woman　has　disappointed
me　as　a　fighter。　　She's　willing　enough　to　strike。　　If　you　hit　back；
she's　surprised　and　grieved。

ST。　HERBERT　　She's　come　to　the　game　rather　late。

GEOFFREY　　She　might　have　learned　the　rules。　　＇To　JAWBONES。＇　　Which
particular　one　is　it　that　has　failed　to　meet　with　their　approval？

JAWBONES　　It's　rather　a　good　one；　sir；　from　our　point　of　view：
〃Why　she　left　her　'appy　'ome。〃

GEOFFREY　　I　don't　seem　to　remember　it。　　Have　I　seen　it？

JAWBONES　　I　don't　think　you　'ave；　sir。　　It　was　Mr。　Sigsby's　idea。
On　the　left；　the　ruined　'ome；　baby　crying　it's　little　'eart　out
eldest　child　lying　on　the　floor；　scaldedupset　the　tea…kettle　over
itselfyoungest　boy　in　flamesbeen　playing　with　the　matches；
nobody　there　to　stop　'im。　　At　the　open　door　the　father；　returning
from　work。　　Nothing　ready　for　'im。　　On　the　other　side'ER；　on　a
tub；　spouting　politics。

GEOFFREY　　＇To　ST。　HERBERT。＇　　Sounds　rather　good。

JAWBONES　　Wait　a　minute。　　There　was　a　copy　somewhere　abouta
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　enter