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ANNYS And if I were！ Haven't I made sacrifice enough？more than
any of you will ever know。 Ayand would make more； if I felt it
was demanded of me。 I don't！ ＇Her burst of anger is finished。
She turns； smiling。＇ I'm much more cunning than you think。 There
will be other elections we shall want to fight。 With the Under…
Secretary for Home Affairs in sympathy with us； the Government will
find it difficult to interfere。 Don't you see how clever I am？
＇JAWBONES； having received his instructions from PHOEBE； has
slipped out unobserved。 He has beckoned to GINGER； she has
followed him。 PHOEBE has joined the group。＇
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS。 There's something in that。
JANET Is Mr。 Chilvers still in sympathy with us？
PHOEBE Of course he is。 A bit rubbed up the wrong way just at
present； that's our fault。 When Annys goes down； early next mouth；
to fight the Exchange Division of Manchester； we shall have him
with us。
＇A moment。＇
LADY MOGTON Where do you get that from？
PHOEBE From St。 Herbert。 The present member is his cousin。 They
say he can't live more than a week。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS It really seems like Providence。
ANNYS ＇Has taken the opportunity of giving PHOEBE a grateful
squeeze of the hand。＇。
LADY MOGTON You will fight Manchester？
ANNYS Yes。 ＇Laughs。＇ And make myself a public nuisance if I win。
LADY MOGTON Well； must be content with that； I suppose。 Better
not come in； the room's rather crowded。 I'll keep you informed how
things are going。
＇She goes out； followed by JANET。＇
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS I'll stay with you； dear。
PHOEBE I want you to come and be photographed for the Daily
Mirror。 The man's waiting downstairs。
ELIZABETH I'll stop with Annys。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS I'm not quite sure； you know； that I take
well by flashlight。
PHOEBE You wait till you've seen mamma！ We must have you。 They
want you for the centre of the page。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS Well； if it's really …
PHOEBE ＇To the others。＇ Shall see you again。 ＇She winks。 Then
to MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS。＇ We mustn't keep them waiting。 They
are giving us a whole page。
＇PHOEBE takes MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS out。 ELIZABETH has followed
to the door； she closes it。 ANNYS has reseated herself； facing the
fire。＇
ELIZABETH When did you see your husband last？
ANNYS Not sinceTuesday； wasn't it； that we went round to his
rooms。 Why？
ELIZABETH I'm thinking about Manchester。 What was it he said to
you？
ANNYS Oh； we were； both of us； a little over…excited； I suppose。
He has＇she hesitates； finally answers＇he has always been so
eager for children。
ELIZABETH Yes。 So many men are； not having to bear the pain and
inconvenience themselves。
ANNYS Oh； well； they have to provide for them when they do come。
That's fair enough division； I su… ＇Suddenly she turns fiercely。＇
Why do you talk like that？ As if we women were cowards。 Do you
think if God sent me a child I should grudge Him the price！
ELIZABETH Do you want Him to？
ANNYS I don't know； prayed Him to； once。
ELIZABETH ＇She lays her hand upon her。＇ It isn't a few more
mothers that the world has need of。 It is the women whom God has
appointedto whom He has given freedom； that they may champion the
cause of the mothers； helpless by reason of their motherhood。
＇A moment。 GEOFFREY enters。＇
GEOFFREY Good evening。
ANNYS ＇Rises； a smile struggles for possession。 But he only
shakes hands； and it dies away。＇
ELIZABETH Good evening。
＇They shake hands。＇
GEOFFREY You are not interested in the counting？
ANNYS The room is rather crowded。 Mamma thought I would be better
out here。 How have you been？
GEOFFREY Oh； all right。 It's going to be a very near thing； they
tell me。
ANNYS Yes； I shall be glad when it's over。
GEOFFREY It's always a trying time。 What are you going to do； if
you win？
＇LADY MOGTON looks in。＇
LADY MOGTON ＇Seeing GEOFFREY。＇ Oh； good evening。
GEOFFREY Good evening。
LADY MOGTON Chilvers； 2；960Annys Chilvers； 2；874。
＇She disappearscloses door。＇
ANNYS Perhaps I'm not going to win。 ＇She goes to him； smiling。＇
I hope you'll win。 I would so much rather you won。
GEOFFREY Very kind of you。 I'm afraid that won't make it a
certainty。
ANNYS ＇His answer has hardened her again。＇ How can I？ It would
not be fair。 Without your consent I should never have entered upon
it。 It was understood that the seat； in any case； would be yours。
GEOFFREY I would rather you considered yourself quite free。 In
warfare it doesn't pay to be 〃fair〃 to one's enemy。
ANNYS ＇Still hardening。＇ Besides； there is no need。 There will
be other opportunities。 I can contest some other constituency。 If
I win； claim the seat for that。
＇A moment。＇
GEOFFREY So this is only the beginning？ You have decided to
devote yourself to a political career？
ANNYS Why not？
GEOFFREY If I were to ask you to abandon it； to come back to your
place at my sidehelping me； strengthening me？
ANNYS You mean you would have me abandon my own taskmerge myself
in you？
GEOFFREY Be my wife。
ANNYS It would not be right。 I； too； have my work。
GEOFFREY If it takes you away from me？
ANNYS Why need it take me away from you？ Why cannot we work
together for common ends； each in our own way？
GEOFFREY We talked like that before we tried it。 Marriage is not
a partnership； it is a leadership。
ANNYS ＇She looks at him。＇ You meanan ownership。
GEOFFREY Perhaps you're right。 I didn't make it。 I'm only
beginning to understand it。
ANNYS And I too。 It is not what I want。
GEOFFREY You mean its duties have become irksome to you。
ANNYS I mean I want to be the judge myself of what are my duties。
GEOFFREY I no longer count。 You will go your way without me？
ANNYS I must go the way I think right。
GEOFFREY ＇He flings away。＇ If you win to…night you will do well
to make the most of it。 Take my advice and claim the seat。
ANNYS ＇Looks at him puzzled。＇
ELIZABETH Why？
GEOFFREY Because ＇with a short； ugly laugh＇ the Lord only knows
when you'll get another opportunity。
ELIZABETH You are going to stop us？
GEOFFREY To stop women from going to the poll。 The Bill will be
introduced on Monday。 Carried through all its stages the same
week。
ELIZABETH You think it will pass？
GEOFFREY The Whips assure me that it will。
ANNYS But they cannot； they dare not； without your assent。 The
＇The light breaks in upon her。＇ Who is bringing it in？
GEOFFREY I am。
ANNYS ＇Is going to speak。＇
GEOFFREY ＇He stops her。＇ Oh； I'm prepared for all thatridicule；
abuse。 〃Chilvers's Bill for the Better Regulation of Mrs。
Chilvers；〃 they'll call it。 I can hear their laughter。 Yours
won't be among it。
ANNYS But； Geoffrey！ What is the meaning？ Merely to spite me；
are you going to betray a cause that you have professed belief in
that you have fought for？
GEOFFREY Yesif it is going to take you away from me。 I want
you。 No； I don't want a friend〃a fellow…worker〃some
interesting rival in well doing。 I can get all that outside my
home。 I want a wi