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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 cry。 He crosses in front of her and
seats himself at the table。 The flowers are lying there； he throws
them into the waste…paper basket。＇
ANNYS ＇She puts on her cloak； moves towards the door。 Half…way
she pauses； makes a movement towards him。 But he will not see。
Then a hard look comes into her eyes； and without another word she
goes out； leaving the door open。＇
＇SIGSBY is heard moving in the other room。＇
GEOFFREY ＇He is writing。＇ Sigsby。
SIGSBY Hallo！
GEOFFREY That poster I told young Gordon I wouldn't sanction； 〃The
Woman spouting politics； the Man returning to a slattern's home。〃
＇SIGSBY enters。＇
SIGSBY I have countermanded them。
GEOFFREY Countermand them again。 We shall want a thousand。
SIGSBY ＇Can hardly believe his ears。＇
GEOFFREY ＇With a gesture round the room。＇ All of them。 〃A Man
for Men！〃 〃Save the Children！〃 〃Guard your Homes！〃 All the
damned collection。 Order as many as you want。
SIGSBY ＇His excitement rising。＇ I can go ahead。 You mean it？
GEOFFREY ＇He looks at him。＇ It's got to be a fight！ ＇A moment。
He returns to his writing。＇ Telephone Hake that I shall be dining
at the Reform Club。
CURTAIN。
THE THIRD ACT
SCENE：… A room in the Town Hall； Poplar。 A high； bare； cold room；
unfurnished except for cane…bottomed chairs ranged against the
walls。 French windows right give on to a balcony overlooking the
street。 Door in back opens upon a stone passage。 A larger door
opens into another room； through which one passes to reach the room
in which the counting of the votes is taking place。 A fire burns
or rather tries to burn。 The room is lighted from the centre of
the ceiling by an electric sun。 A row of hat…pegs is on the wall
between the two doors。 The time is about 9 p。m。
＇People entering from the street wear coats or cloaks； &c。； the
season being early spring。 If passing through or staying in the
room； they take off their outdoor things and hang them up； putting
them on again before going out。＇
＇JAWBONES is coaxing the reluctant fire by using a newspaper as a
blower。 He curses steadily under his breath。 The door opens。
GINGER enters； she is dressed in cheap furs。＇
JAWBONES Shut the door； can't yer！
GINGER Don't yer want a draught？
JAWBONES No； I don't。 Not any more than I've got。
GINGER ＇She shuts the door。＇ 'Ave they begun counting the votes？
JAWBONES Been at it for the last three…quarters of an hour。
GINGER Who's going to win？
JAWBONES One of 'em。
＇LADY MOGTON has entered。 She has come from the room where they
are counting the votes。＇
Shut that door！ ＇He glances over his shoulder； sees his mistake。＇
Beg pardon！ ＇To himself。＇ Thought 'twas the other fool！
LADY MOGTON ＇She shuts the door。 To GINGER。＇ Have you seen Mrs。
Chilvers？
GINGER Not since the afternoon； your ladyship。
LADY MOGTON She is coming； I suppose？
GINGER I think so； your ladyship。
LADY MOGTON It's very cold in here； Gordon。
JAWBONES Yes； my lady。 Not what I call a cosy room。
LADY MOGTON ＇To GINGER。＇ Jump into a cab。 See if you can find
her。 Perhaps she has been detained at one of the committee…rooms。
Tell her she ought to be here。
GINGER Yes； your ladyship。 ＇She crosses； opens door。＇
JAWBONES Shut the door。
GINGER Oh； shut …
＇She finds herself face to face with a MESSENGER carrying a ballot…
box。＇
I beg yer pardon！ ＇She goes out； closes door。＇
LADY MOGTON ＇To the MESSENGER。＇ Is that the last？
MESSENGER Generally is。 Isle of Dogs！
＇He goes into the other room。＇
LADY MOGTON ＇To JAWBONES。＇ Do you know where Mr。 Chilvers is？
＇There comes a bloodthirsty yell from the crowd outside。＇
JAWBONES Not unless that's 'im。 ＇He finishes for the time being
with the fire。 Rises。＇
＇JANET enters。＇
LADY MOGTON Was that you they were yelling at？
JANET No； it's Mr。 Sigsby。
＇Another yell is heard。 Out of it a shrill female voice〃Mind 'is
fice； yer spoiling it！〃＇
The Woman's Laundry Union have t