第17章 THE THIRD ACT(3)

JAWBONES To your appeal. Is she goin' to give 'em to yer ? You tike my tip: if yer in a 'urry, you get a bit on account--from Man. 'Ere. [He dives into his pocket, produces, wrapped up in tissue paper, a ring, which he exhibits to her.] That's a bit more in your line.

GINGER [Her eyes sparkle. She takes the ring in her hand. Then problems come to her.] Why do yer want me, William?

JAWBONES Because, in spite of all, I love yer.

GINGER [She looks into the future.] What will I be? A general servant, without wages.

JAWBONES The question, as it seems to me, is, which of us two is the biggest fool? Instead of thirty bob a week in my pocket to spend as I like--guess I'll 'ave to be content with three 'alf-crowns.

GINGER Seven an' six! Rather a lot, Bill, out o' thirty bob.

Don't leave much for me an' the children.

JAWBONES I shall 'ave to get my dinners.

GINGER I could mike yer somethin' tasty to tike with yer. Then with, say--three shillings -JAWBONES 'Ere--[He is on the point of snatching back the ring. He encounters her eyes. There is a moment's battle. The Eternal Feminine conquers.] Will yer always look as sweet as yer do now?

GINGER Always, Bill. So long as yer good to me!

[She slips the ring over her finger, still with her eyes drawing him. He catches her to him in fierce passion, kisses her.]

[A loud shrill female cheer comes from the crowd. The cheer is renewed and renewed.]

JAWBONES [He breaks away and goes to the window.] 'Ullo! What are they shoutin' about now? [He looks out.] It's the Donah!

GINGER Mrs. Chilvers?

JAWBONES Yus. Better not get wearin' it--may shock their feelings.

GINGER [She gazes rapturously at the ring as she draws it off.]

It is a beauty! I do love yer, Bill.

[There enter ANNYS and ELIZABETH. ANNYS is excited; she is laughing and talking.]

ANNYS [Laughing while she rearranges her hat and hair.] A little embarrassing. That red-haired girl--she carried me right up the steps. I was afraid she would -[JAWBONES has been quick enough to swing a chair into place just in time to receive her.]

[She recovers herself.] Thank you.

ELIZABETH [She hands ANNYS a smelling-bottle. To JAWBONES.] Open the window a few inches.

[He does so. Some woman, much interrupted, is making a speech.]

[JANET opens the door a little way and looks in.]

JANET Oh, it is you! I am glad!

[She goes out again.]

ELIZABETH Are the others all here?

GINGER 'Er ladyship is watching the counting. Miss Phoebe 'as just gone out -[PHOEBE enters.]

Oh, 'ere she is.

PHOEBE Hullo! [She is taking off her things.] Wherever have you been? We've been scouring the neighbourhood -[LADY MOGTON enters, followed by JANET.]

I say, you're looking jolly chippy.

ELIZABETH We had an extra enthusiastic meeting. She spoke for rather a long time. I made her come home with me and lie down. Ithink she is all right now.

LADY MOGTON Would you like to see a doctor?

PHOEBE There is a very good man close here. [She turns to JAWBONES, who is still near the window.] Gordon -ANNYS [Interrupting.] No. Please don't. I am quite all right.

I hate strange doctors.

PHOEBE Well, let me send for Whitby; he could be here in twenty minutes.

ANNYS I wish you would all leave me alone. There's absolutely nothing to fuss about whatever. We pampered women--we can't breathe the same air that ordinary mortals have to. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

PHOEBE [To herself.] Obstinate pig.

[She catches JAWBONES' eye; unnoticed by the others, she takes him aside. They whisper.]

ANNYS How is it going?

LADY MOGTON You must be prepared for winning. [She puts again the question that ANNYS has frequently been asked to answer during the last few days.] What are you going to do?

[MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS enters, as usual in a flutter of excitement.]

MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS Am I late?

[They brush her back into silence. ELIZABETH takes charge of her.]

ANNYS [She has risen.] You think it wise tactics, to make it impossible for Geoffrey to be anything else in the future but our enemy?

LADY MOGTON [Contemptuously.] You are thinking of him, and not of the cause.

ANNYS And if I were! Haven't I made sacrifice enough?--more than any of you will ever know. Ay--and 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.