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great folding…doors are closed。 She stares in front of her；
thinking； then turns again to her work。＇
CURTAIN。
THE SECOND ACT
SCENE：… Liberal Central Committee Rooms； East India Dock Road；
Poplar。 A large； high room on the first floor of an old…fashioned
house。 Two high windows right。 A door at back is the main
entrance。 A door left leads to other rooms。 The walls are papered
with election literature。 Conspicuous among the posters displayed
is 〃A Man for Men。〃 〃No Petticoat Government。〃 〃Will you be
Henpecked？〃 A large； round table centre is littered with papers
and pamphlets。 A large desk stands between the windows。 A settee
is against the left wall。
＇When the curtain rises； ROSE MERTON （otherwise 〃GINGER〃） is
discovered seated； her left arm resting on the table。 She is a
young lady typical of the Cockney slavey type； dressed according to
the ideas of her class as regards the perfect lady。 Her hat is
characteristic。 Her gloves； her reticule； her umbrellathe latter
something rather 〃saucy〃are displayed around her。 She is feeling
comfortable and airing her views。 MRS。 CHINN is laying the cloth
over a portion of the table； with some tea…things。 MRS。 CHINN is a
thin； narrow…chested lady with thin hands and bony wrists。 No one
since her husband died has ever seen her without her bonnet。 Its
appearance suggests the possibility that she sleeps in it。 It is
black； like her dress。 The whole figure is decent； but dingy。＇
GINGER Wot I say about the question is …
MRS。 CHINN Do you mind moving your arm？
GINGER Beg pardon。 ＇She shifts。＇ Wot I say is； why not give us
the vote and end all the talking？
MRS。 CHINN You think it would have that effect？
GINGER Well！ we don't want to go on being a nuisancelonger than
we can possibly 'elp！
MRS。 CHINN Daresay you're right。 It's about the time most people
stop。
GINGER You've never thought much about the question yourself； 'ave
you； Mrs。 Chinn？
MRS。 CHINN I ain't fretted much about it。
GINGER Was a time when I didn't。 I used to be all foryou know
larking about。 I never thought much about anything。
MRS。 CHINN Ah！ it's a useful habit。
GINGER What is？
MRS。 CHINN Thinking。
GINGER It's what we women 'aven't done enough ofin the past； I
mean。 All that's going to be altered。 In the future there's going
to be no difference between men and women。
MRS。 CHINN ＇Slowly； quietly she turns upon GINGER her
expressionless eyes。＇
GINGER Mentally； I mean； o' course。
MRS。 CHINN ＇Takes back her eyes。＇
GINGER Do you know； Mrs。 Chinn； that once upon a time there was
only one sex？ ＇She spreads herself。＇ Hus！
MRS。 CHINN You ain't thinking of going back to it； are you？
GINGER Not if the men be'ave themselves。
MRS。 CHINN Perhaps they're doing their best； poor things！ It
don't do to be too impatient with them。
GINGER Was talking to old Dot…and…carry…one the other d'y。 You
know who I meanchap with the wooden leg as 'as 'is pitch outside
the 〃George。〃 〃Wot do you wimmen want worrying yourselves about
things outside the 'ome？〃 'e says to me。 〃You've got the
children；〃 'e says。 〃Oh；〃 I says； 〃and whose fault's that； I'd
like to know？ You wait till we've got the vote；〃 I says； 〃we'll
soon show you〃
＇SIGSBY enters。 SIGSBY is a dapper little man； very brisk and
bustlinghirsutelooks as if he wanted dusting； cleaning up
generally。＇
SIGSBY That young blackguard come back yet？
GINGER ＇At sound of SIGSBY'S voice she springs up。 At first is
about to offer excuses for being found seated； but recollects
herself。＇
MRS。 CHINN Which one； sir？
SIGSBY Young Jawboneswhat's he call himself？Gordon。
MRS。 CHINN Not yet； sir。
SIGSBY ＇Grunts。＇ My chop ready？
MRS。 CHINN I expect it's about done。 I'll see。
＇She goes out。＇
SIGSBY ＇He turns to GINGER。＇ What can _I_ do for you？
GINGER ＇She produces a letter。＇ I was to wait for an answer。
SIGSBY ＇He opens and reads it。＇ What do they expect me to do？
GINGER 'Er ladyship thought as perhaps you would consult Mr。
Chilvers 'imself on the subject。
SIGSBY Look here。 What I want to know is this： am I being asked
to regard Lady Mogton as my opponent's election agent； or as my
principal's mother…in…law？ That point's got to be settled。 ＇His
vehemence deepens。＇ Look at all these posters。 Not to be used；
for fear the other side mayn't like them。 Now Lady Mogton writes
me that my candidate's supporters are not to employ a certain
argument she disapproves of： because； if they do； she'll tell his
wife。 Is this an election； or is it a family jar？
＇JAWBONES enters。 JAWBONESotherwise WILLIAM GORDONis a clean…
shaven young hooligan。 He wears a bicycle cap on the back of his
head； allowing a picturesque tuft of hair to fall over his
forehead。 Evidently he is suffering from controlled indignation。＇
SIGSBY ＇Seeing him。＇ Oh； so you've come back； have you？
JAWBONES I 'ave； wot's left of me。
SIGSBY What have you been doing？
JAWBONES Clinging to a roof for the last three hours。
SIGSBY Clinging to a roof！ What for？
JAWBONES ＇He boils over。＇ Wot for？ 'Cos I didn't want to fall
off！ Wot do you think： 'cos I was fond of it？
SIGSBY I don't understand …
JAWBONES You find yourself 'alf way up a ladder； posting bills as
the other side 'as took objection towith a crowd of girls from
Pink's jam factory waiting for you at the bottom with a barrel of
treacle； and you WILL understand。 Nothing else for me to do； o'
course； but to go up。 Then they took the ladder away。
SIGSBY Where are the bills？
JAWBONES Last I see of them was their being put into a 'earse on
its way to Ilford Cemetery。
SIGSBY This has got to be seen into。 This sort of thing can't be
allowed to go on。 ＇He snatches up his hat。＇
JAWBONES There's another suggestion I'd like to make。
SIGSBY ＇Pauses。＇
JAWBONES That is； if this election is going to be fought fairly；
that our side should be provided with 'at…pins。
SIGSBY ＇Grunts。＇ Tell Mrs。 Chinn to keep that chop warm。 ＇He
goes out。＇
GINGER ＇She begins to giggle。 It grows into a shrill hee…haw。＇
JAWBONES ＇He looks at her fixedly。＇
GINGER ＇Her laugh； under the stern eye of JAWBONES； dies away。＇
JAWBONES Ain't no crowd of you 'ere； you know。 Nothing but my
inborn chivalry to prevent my pulling your nose。
GINGER ＇Cowed； but simmering。＇ Chivalry！ ＇A shrill snort。＇
JAWBONES Yus。 And don't you put a strain upon it neither。
Because I tell you straight； it's weakening。
GINGER ＇His sudden fierceness has completely cowed her。＇
JAWBONES You wimmin …
＇There re…enters Mrs。 CHINN with a tray。 He is between them。＇
That's old Sigsby's chop？
MRS。 CHINN Yes。 He hasn't gone out again； has he？
JAWBONES I'll 'ave it。 Get 'im another。 Guess 'e won't be back
for 'alf an hour。
MRS。 CHINN He's nasty when his food ain't ready。
JAWBONES ＇He takes the tray from her。＇ Not your fault。 Tell 'im
I took it from you by brute force。
MRS。 CHINN ＇She acquiesces with her usual even absence of all
emotion。＇
JAWBONES You needn't stop。 Miss Rose Merton will do the w