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And then you would have been so disappointed。
ANNYS ＇There are tears in her eyes。 She still clings to him。＇ I
am so glad。 Oh； I am so glad！
GEOFFREY It is all your doing。 You have been such a splendid
help。 ＇He breaks gently away from her。 Turns to ST。 HERBERT； with
a lighter tone。＇ Haven't you anything to say to a fellow？ You're
not usually dumb。
ST。 HERBERT It has all been so suddenas the early Victorian
heroine was fond of remarking！
GEOFFREY ＇Laughs。＇ It has been sudden。 We had； none of us； any
idea till yesterday that old Bullock was thinking of resigning。
ELIZABETH ＇She has risen and moved towards the fire。＇ Won't it
necessitate a bye…election？
＇LADY MOGTON and ST。 HERBERT have been thinking it out。 On the
others the word falls like a bombshell。＇
GEOFFREY ＇He turns to her。 He does not see their faces。＇ Yes。
But I don't anticipate a contest。 The Conservatives are without a
candidate； and I am on good terms with the Labour Party。 Perhaps
Mr。 Hunnable＇He laughs； then； turning； catches sight of his
wife's face。 From ANNYS he looks to the others。＇
LADY MOGTON ＇She has risen。＇ You haven't heard； then； of McCaw
versus Potts？
GEOFFREY 〃McCaw versus Potts！〃 What the …
ST。 HERBERT Was decided in the House of Lords late yesterday
afternoon。 Briefly stated； it confers upon women the right of
becoming Parliamentary candidates。
GEOFFREY ＇He is staggered。＇ You mean …
LADY MOGTON Having regard to which； we have decided to bring
forward a woman candidate to contest the next bye…election。
GEOFFREY Um！ I see。
ANNYS But we never thoughtwe never anticipated it would be
Geoffrey's。
LADY MOGTON I really cannot admit that that alters the case。
Geoffrey himself would never dream； I am sure； of asking us to
sacrifice our cause to his convenience。
GEOFFREY No。 Of course not。 Certainly not。
LADY MOGTON It is perhaps unfortunate that the candidate selected
…
ANNYS It is quite impossible。 Such a dilemma was never dreamed
of。
LADY MOGTON And if not？ Is the solidarity of woman …
GEOFFREY ＇Beginning to guess。＇ Forgive my impatience； but whom
HAVE you selected？
ELIZABETH ＇When she likes she can be quite sweet。＇ Your wife。
＇He expected it。＇ We rather assumed ＇she appeals to the others
with a gesture＇； I think； that the president of the Man's League
for the Extension of the Franchise to Women would regard it as a
compliment。
GEOFFREY ＇His dislike of her is already in existence。＇ Yes。 Very
thoughtful。
ANNYS You must choose some one else。
PHOEBE But there IS no one else。
ANNYS There's mamma。
PHOEBE Mamma's too heavy。
ANNYS Well； then； there's Elizabeththere's you！
GEOFFREY Yes。 Why not you？ You and I could have a jolly little
fight。
LADY MOGTON This is not a laughing matter。 If I could think of
any one to take Annys's place I should not insist。 I cannot。
PHOEBE You see； it mustn't be a crank。
GEOFFREY ＇He is losing his temper。＇ Yes； I suppose that does
limit you。
ELIZABETH And thenthanks to youMrs。 Chilvers has had such
excellent training in politics。 It was that； I think； that decided
us。
GEOFFREY ＇Convention forbids his strangling her。＇ Will somebody
kindly introduce me to this lady？
ST。 HERBERT Ah； yes； of course。 You don't know each other； do
you？ Mr。 Geoffrey ChilversMrs。 Joseph Spender。 Mrs。 Spender
Mr。 Chilvers； M。P。
ELIZABETH ＇Sweetly。＇ Delighted！
GEOFFREY ＇Not。＇ Charmed。
LADY MOGTON ＇To ANNYS。＇ I am not indifferent to your difficulty。
But the history of woman； my dear Annys； is a history of sacrifice。
We give our sonsif necessary； our husbands。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS ＇Affected。＇ How true！
ANNYS But you are not asking me to give him。 You are asking me to
fight him。 I can't。
LADY MOGTON You mean you won't。
ANNYS You can put it that way if you like。 I won't。
＇A pause。＇
JANET I thought Mrs。 Chilvers had pledged her word。
ELIZABETH Yes。 But without her husband's consent。 So； of course；
it doesn't count。
GEOFFREY ＇He turns on her。＇ Why not youif there must be a
fight？ Or would it be against your principles？
ELIZABETH Not in the least。
GEOFFREY Ah！
ELIZABETH I would offer myself as a substitute。 Only it might
seem like coming between husband and wife。
GEOFFREY ＇He turns away with a grunt of disgust。＇
PHOEBE It's awfully rough on you； Geoffrey。 I can see it from
your point of view。 But one can't help remembering the things that
you yourself have said。
GEOFFREY I know； I know。 I've been going up and down the country；
excusing even your excesses on the ground that no movement can
force its way to the front without treading on innumerable toes。
For me； now； to cry halt merely because it happens to be my own
toes that are in the way would beridiculousabsurdwould be
monstrous。 ＇Nobody contradicts him。＇ You are perfectly justified…
…if this case means what you say it doesin putting up a candidate
against me for East Poplar。 Only； naturally； it cannot be Annys。
＇He reaches out his hand to where ANNYS stands a little behind him；
takes her hand。＇ Annys and I have fought more than one election。
It has been side by side。
ELIZABETH The lady a little behind。
GEOFFREY ＇He moves away with an expression of deep annoyance。＇
JANET ＇She comes forward。 She holds forth her hands with a half…
appealing； half…commanding gesture。 She almost seems inspired。＇
Would it not be so much better if； in this first political contest
between man and woman； the opponents were two people honouring one
another； loving one another？ Would it not show to all the world
that man and woman may meetcontend in public life without anger；
without scorn？ ＇There is a pause。 They stand listening。＇ I do
not know； but it seems to me that if Mr。 Chilvers could bring
himself to do this it would be such a big thingperhaps the most
chivalrous thing that a man has ever done to help women。 If he
would put aside； quite voluntarily； all the man's privilegejust
say to the people； 〃Now chooseone of us two to serve you。 We
stand before you； equal； my wife and I。〃 I don't know how to put
it； but I feel that by merely doing that one thing Mr。 Chilvers
would solve the whole problem。 It would prove that good men are
ready to give us of their free accord all that we claim。 We should
gain our rights； not by warfare； but through love and
understanding。 Wouldn't that beso much better？ ＇She looksher
hands still appealingfrom one to the other。＇
＇Another silence。 They have all been carried a little off their
feet by JANET'S earnestness。＇
ANNYS ＇She touches him。＇ What do you think； dear？
GEOFFREY Yes； there's a good deal； of course； in what Miss Blake
says。
ANNYS It WOULD be a big thing for you to do。
PHOEBE You see； whatever happened； the seat would be yours。 This
case only gives us the right to go to the poll。 We are keen upon
Annys because she's our best card； that's all。
GEOFFREY Do you wish it？
ANNYS ＇She smiles up at him。＇ I'd rather fight you than any one
else。
GEOFFREY You are not afraid that the situation might bejust a
trifle comic