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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 sm