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else。
GEOFFREY You are not afraid that the situation might bejust a
trifle comical？
ANNYS ＇Shakes her head。＇ No。 I think everybody will say it was
rather splendid of you。
GEOFFREY Well； if it will help women。
ANNYS ＇She holds out her hand。 She is still in exalted mood。＇ We
will show how man and woman may be drawn nearer to one another by
rivalry for noble ends。
ST。 HERBERT ＇He shakes GEOFFREY'S somewhat limp hand。＇ I envy
you。 The situation promises to be piquant。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS It will be a battle of roses。
LADY MOGTON I must go。 I shall see you both again to…morrow。
＇She kisses GEOFFREY。＇ This is an historic day。
GEOFFREY Yes。 I daresay we shall all remember it。
LADY MOGTON ＇To JANET。＇ I will get you to come to the station
with me。 I can give you your instructions in the cab。 ＇She kisses
ANNYS。＇ You have been called to a great work。 Be worthy of it。
＇They are all making ready to go。 ANNYS has rung the bell for
HAKE。＇
JANET ＇To ANNYS。＇ Are you glad？
ANNYS ＇Kisses her。＇ You showed me the whole thing in a new light。
You were splendid。 ＇She turns to ELIZABETH。＇ Didn't I tell you he
would convert you？
ELIZABETH I was wrong to judge all men guilty。 There are also
the innocent。
ANNYS ＇For a momentbut a moment onlyshe is pleased。 Then the
doubtful meaning of ELIZABETH'S words strikes her。＇
＇Enter HAKE。＇
ANNYS ＇She has to dismiss ELIZABETH。＇ Oh； Hake＇To LADY MOGTON。＇
You'll want a cab； won't you； mamma？
LADY MOGTON A taxi Goodbye； everybody。
＇She sails out。＇
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS I have my carriage。 ＇To ELIZABETH。＇ Can
I give you a lift？
ELIZABETH Thank you。 ＇To GEOFFREY。＇ We shall meet again。
GEOFFREY I feel sure of it。
＇MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS and ELIZABETH go out。＇
PHOEBE ＇To HAKE。＇ Are Miss Blake's things dry yet？
JANET They'll be quite all right； dear。 Please don't trouble。
＇She advances a timid hand to GEOFFREY。＇ Goodbye； Mr。 Chilvers。
GEOFFREY ＇He takes it smiling。＇ Goodbye。
＇She goes out； HAKE follows。＇
PHOEBE Goodbye； old boy。 ＇They shake hands。＇ Don't you let her
walk over you。 Make her fight。
ANNYS ＇Laughing。＇ Don't you worry about that。
ST。 HERBERT Would you care to look through McCaw v。 Potts？ ＇He
has the papers in his hand。＇
GEOFFREY I'll ask you for it when I want it。
PHOEBE ＇At door。＇ You'll be alone this evening？
ANNYS Yes。 Come in to dinner。
PHOEBE All right。 Goodbye。
ST。 HERBERT Goodbye。
＇GEOFFREY and ANNYS answer them。 They go out； closing the door。
GEOFFREY is by the fire。 ANNYS comes to him。＇
ANNYS ＇She puts her arms round him。＇ You don't mind？
GEOFFREY ＇He holds her at arms' lengthlooking into her eyes and
smiling。＇ I believe you are looking forward to it。
ANNYS Do you know how long we have been married？ Eight years。
And do you know； sir； that all that time we have never had a
difference？ Don't you think it will be good for you？
GEOFFREY Do you know WHY we have never had a difference？ Because
you have always had your own way。
ANNYS Oh！
GEOFFREY You have got so used to it； you don't notice it。
ANNYS Then it will be good for me。 I must learn to suffer
opposition。 ＇She laughs。＇
GEOFFREY You won't like it。
ANNYS Do you know； I'm not at all sure that I shan't。
＇Unconsciously they let loose of one another。＇ You see； I shall
have the right of hitting back。 ＇Again she laughs。＇
GEOFFREY ＇Also laughingly。＇ Is woman going to develop the
fighting instinct？
ANNYS I wonder。
＇A moment's silence。＇
GEOFFREY The difficulty in our case is there seems nothing to
fight about。
ANNYS We must think of something。 ＇Laughs。＇
GEOFFREY What line are you going to takewhat is your argument：
why they should vote for you in preference to me？
ANNYS Simply that I am a woman。
GEOFFREY My dear child； that won't be enough。 Why should they
vote for you merely because you're a woman？
ANNYS ＇Slightly astonished。＇ Becausebecause women are wanted in
public life。
GEOFFREY Who wants them？
ANNYS ＇More astonished。＇ Who？ Why＇it doesn't seem too clear。＇
Why； all of usyou； yourself！
GEOFFREY I'm not East Poplar。
ANNYS ＇Is puzzled a moment； then valiantly。＇ I shall ask them to
send me to Parliament to represent the interests of their women
and therefore of themselvesthe interests of their children。
GEOFFREY Children！ What do you know about children？
＇Another silence。＇
ANNYS Personallyno。 We have had no children of our own； of
course。 But ＇hopefully＇ it is a woman's instinct。
GEOFFREY Oh； Lord！ That's what the lady said who had buried
seven。
ANNYS ＇Her mouth is growing hard。＇ Don't you believe in the right
of women to share in the government of the country？
GEOFFREY Some women。 Yes。 I can see some capable …
ANNYS ＇Winces。＇
GEOFFREY elderly； motherly woman who has brought up a dozen
children of her ownwho knows the world； being of some real use。
ANNYS If it comes to that； there must beI don't say more
〃capable；〃 but more experienced； more fatherly men than yourself。
＇He turns； they look at one another。 His tone almost touched
contempthers was veiled anger。＇
GEOFFREY THAT'S the danger。 It may come to a real fight。
ANNYS ＇Upon her also the fear has fallen。＇ It must not。 ＇She
flings her arms around him。＇ We must show the world that man and
woman can meetcontend in public life without anger； without
scorn。
GEOFFREY ＇He folds her to him。＇ The very words sound ugly； don't
they？
ANNYS It would be hideous。 ＇She draws away。＇ How long will the
election last？
GEOFFREY Not long。 The writ will be issued on Wednesday。
Nomination on Mondaypolling； I expect； on Saturday。 Puts me in
mindI must prepare my election address。
ANNYS I ought to be getting on with mine； too； I suppose。
GEOFFREY It ought to be out by to…morrow。
ANNYS ＇With inspiration。＇ We'll do yours first。 ＇She wonders why
he hesitates。＇
GEOFFREY 〃We？〃 Shan't I have to do it alonethis time？
ANNYS Alone！ Nonsense！ How can you？
GEOFFREY I'm afraid I shall have to try。
ANNYS Um！ I suppose you're right。 What a nuisance！ ＇She turns
away。＇ I shan't like it。
GEOFFREY ＇He moves towards the folding…doors。＇ No。 It won't be
quite the same thing。 Goodbye。
ANNYS ＇She crosses to her desk by the window。 Not the same
instant but the next his 〃Goodbye〃 strikes her。 She turns。＇
You're not going out； are you？
GEOFFREY ＇He stops and turnspuzzled at her question。＇ No。 Only
into my study。
ANNYS You said 〃Goodbye。〃
GEOFFREY ＇Not remembering。＇ _I_ did！ Must have been thinking of
something else。 I shall be in here if you want me。 ＇He goes into
the other room。＇
ANNYS ＇She has crossed to her desk。 She is humming。 She seats
herself； takes paper and pen； writes。 Without turningstill
writingshe raises her voice。＇ Geoffrey！ How do you spell
〃experimental〃？ One 〃r〃 or two？
＇There is no answer。 Puzzled at the silence； she looks round。 The
great folding…doors are closed。 She stares in front of her；
thinking； then turns again to her work。＇
CURTAIN。
TH