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skipping。 He said it kept him warm。 Another of his tricks was to
let off fireworks from the roof of his house whenever he heard of
the death of anybody of importance。 The Returning Officer refused
his nominationwhich； so far as his nominators were concerned； was
intended only as a jokeon the grounds of his being by common
report a person of unsound mind。 And there； so far as South…west
Belfast was concerned； the matter ended。
PHOEBE Pity。
ST。 HERBERT But not so far as the Returning Officer was concerned。
McCaw appears to have been a lunatic possessed of means； imbued
with all an Irishman's love of litigation。 He at once brought an
action against the Returning Officer； his contention being that his
mental state was a private matter； of which the Returning Officer
was not the person to judge。
PHOEBE He wasn't a lunatic all over。
ST。 HERBERT We none of us are。 The case went from court to court。
In every instance the decision was in favour of the Returning
Officer。 Until it reached the House of Lords。 The decision was
given yesterday afternoonin favour of the man McCaw。
ELIZABETH Then lunatics； at all events； are not debarred from
going to the poll。
ST。 HERBERT The 〃mentally deficient〃 are no longer debarred from
going to the poll。
ELIZABETH What grounds were given for the decision？
ST。 HERBERT ＇He refers again to his notes。＇ A Returning Officer
can only deal with objections arising out of the nomination paper。
He has no jurisdiction to go behind a nomination paper and
constitute himself a court of inquiry as to the fitness or
unfitness of a candidate。
PHOEBE Good old House of Lords！
＇LADY MOGTON hammers。＇
ELIZABETH But I thought it was part of the Returning Officer's
duty to inquire into objections； that a special time was appointed
to deal with them。
ST。 HERBERT He will still be required to take cognisance of any
informality in the nomination paper or papers。 Beyond that； this
decision relieves him of all further responsibility。
JANET But this gives us everything。
ST。 HERBERT It depends upon what you call everything。 It gives a
woman the right to go to the polla right which； as a matter of
fact； she has always possessed。
PHOEBE Then why did the Returning Officer for Camberwell in 1885 …
ST。 HERBERT Because he did not know the law。 And Miss Helen
Taylor had not the means possessed by our friend McCaw to teach it
to him。
ANNYS ＇Rises。 She goes to the centre of the room。＇
LADY MOGTON Where are you going？
ANNYS ＇She turns； there are tears in her eyes。 The question seems
to recall her to herself。＇ Nowhere。 I am so sorry。 I can't help
it。 It seems to me to mean so much。 It gives us the right to go
before the peopleto plead to them； not for ourselves； for them。
＇Again she seems to lose consciousness of those at the table； of
the room。＇ To the men we will say： 〃Will you not trust us？ Is it
harm we have ever done you？ Have we not suffered for you and with
you？ Were we not sent into the world to be your helpmeet？ Are not
the children ours as well as yours？ Shall we not work together to
shape the world where they must dwell？ Is it only the mother…voice
that shall not be heard in your councils？ Is it only the mother…
hand that shall not help to guide？〃 To the women we will say：
〃Tell themtell them it is from no love of ourselves that we come
from our sheltered homes into the street。 It is to give； not to
getto mingle with the sterner judgments of men the deeper truths
that God； through pain； has taught to womento mingle with man's
justice woman's pity； till there shall arise the perfect lawnot
made of man nor woman； but of both； each bringing what the other
lacks。〃 And they will listen to us。 Till now it has seemed to
them that we were clamouring only for selfish ends。 They have not
understood。 We shall speak to them of common purposes； use the
language of fellow…citizens。 They will see that we are worthy of
the place we claim。 They will welcome us as helpers in a common
cause。 They …
＇She turnsthe present comes back to her。＇
LADY MOGTON ＇After a pause。＇ The business ＇she dwells severely on
the word＇ before the meeting …
ANNYS ＇She resents herself meekly。 Apologising generally。＇ I
must learn to control myself。
LADY MOGTON ＇Who has waited。＇is McCaw versus Potts。 Its bearing
upon the movement for the extension of the franchise to women。 My
own view I venture to submit in the form of a resolution。 ＇She
takes up a paper on which she has been writing。＇ As follows： That
the Council of the Woman's Parliamentary Franchise League； having
regard to the decision of the House of Lords in McCaw v。 Potts …
ST。 HERBERT ＇Looking over。＇ Two t's。
LADY MOGTON resolves to bring forward a woman candidate to
contest the next bye…election。 ＇Suddenly to MRS。 MOUNTCALM…
VILLIERS； who is chattering。＇ Do you agree or disagree？
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS My dear！ How can you ask？ Of course we
all agree。 ＇To Elizabeth。＇ You agree； don't you？
ELIZABETH Of course； even if elected； she would not be allowed to
take her seat。
PHOEBE How do you know？ Nothing more full of surprises than
English law。
LADY MOGTON At the present stage I regard that point as
immaterial。 What I am thinking of is the advertisement。 A female
candidate upon the platform will concentrate the whole attention of
the country on our movement。
ST。 HERBERT It might even be prudentuntil you have got the vote…
…to keep it dark that you will soon be proceeding to the next
inevitable step。
ELIZABETH You think even man could be so easily deceived！
ST。 HERBERT Man has had so much practice in being deceived。 It
comes naturally to him。
ELIZABETH Poor devil！
LADY MOGTON The only question remaining to be discussed is the
candidate。
ANNYS Is there not danger that between now and the next bye…
election the Government may； having regard to this case； bring in a
bill to stop women candidates from going to the poll？
ST。 HERBERT I have thought of that。 Fortunately； the case seems
to have attracted very little attention。 If a bye…election
occurred soon there would hardly be time。
LADY MOGTON It must be the very next one that does occurwherever
it is。
JANET I am sure that in the East End we should have a chance。
PHOEBE Great Scott！ Just think。 If we were to win it！
ST。 HERBERT If you could get a straight fight against a Liberal I
believe you would。
ANNYS Why is the Government so unpopular？
ST。 HERBERT Well； take the weather alonetwelve degrees of frost
again last night。
JANET In St。 George's Road the sewer has burst。 The water is in
the rooms where the children are sleeping。 ＇She clenches her
hands。＇
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS ＇She shakes her head。＇ Something ought
really to be done。
LADY MOGTON Has anybody any suggestion to make？as regards the
candidate。 There's no advantage in going outside。 It will have to
be one of ourselves。
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS Won't you； dear？
LADY MOGTON I shall be better employed organising。 My own feeling
is that it ought to be Annys。 ＇To ST。 HERBERT。＇ What do you
think？
ST。 HERBERT Undoubtedly。
ANNYS I'd rather not。
LADY MOGTON It's not a question of liking。 It's a question of
duty。 For this occasion we shall be appealing to the male voter。
Our candidate must be a woman popular with men。 The choice is
somewhat limited。
ELIZABETH No one will put up so good a fight as you。
ANNYS Will you give me till this evening？
LADY MOGTON What for？
ANNYS I should like to consult Geoffrey。
LADY MOGTON You think he would object？
ANNYS ＇A little doubtfully。＇ No。 But we have always talked
everything over together。
LADY MOGTON Absurd！ He's one of our staunchest supporters。 Of
course he'll be delighted。
ELIZABETH I think the thing ought to be settled at once。
LADY MOGTON It must be。 I have to return to Manchester to…night。
We shall have to get to work immediately。
ST。 HERBERT Geoffrey will surely take it as a compliment。
JANET Don't you feel that woman； all over the world； is calling to
you？
ANNYS It isn't that。 I'm not trying to shirk it。 I merely
thought that if there had been timeof course； if you really think
…
LADY MOGTON You consent？
ANNYS Yes。 If it's everybody's wish。
LADY MOGTON That's settled。
PHOEBE ＇She springs up； waving a handkerchief。＇ Chilvers for
ever！
JANET ＇Rises。＇ God bless you！
MRS。 MOUNTCALM…VILLIERS ＇Clapping her hands。＇ Now we shan't be
long！
LADY MOGTON ＇Hammers。＇ Order； please！
＇The three subside。＇
This is serious business。 The next step is； of course …
＇The door opens； GEOFFREY enters。 He is a youngish…looking man of
three or four and thirty。 LADY MOGTON； at the sound of the door；
turns。 ST。 HERBERT rises。 There is a pause。＇
LADY MOGTON We've been talking about you。 We must apologise for
turning your drawing…room …
GEOFFREY My dear mother…in…law； it is Providence。 ＇He kisses
her。＇ There is no one I was more longing to see。
ANNYS ＇She has risen。＇ Hake told me you would be dining at the
House。
GEOFFREY ＇He comes to her； kisses