The Master of Mrs Chilvers | Page 4

class is concerned the
primaeval laws still run.
DORIAN ST. HERBERT [Hon. Sec. M.L.E.F.W.] He is interested in
all things, the Woman's Movement included.
BEN LAMB, M.P. As a student of woman, he admits to being in the
infants' class.
SIGSBY An Election Agent. He thinks the modern woman suffers
from over-indulgence. He would recommend to her the teachings of St.
Paul.
HAKE A butler. He does not see how to avoid his wife being
practically a domestic servant without wages.
A DEPUTATION It consists of two men and three women. Superior
people would call them Cranks. But Cranks have been of some service
to the world, and the use of superior people is still to be discovered.

THE FIRST ACT

SCENE:- Drawing-room, 91, Russell Square.
TIME:- Afternoon.
[MRS. ELIZABETH SPENDER sits near the fire, reading a book. She
is a tall, thin woman, with passionate eyes, set in an oval face of olive
complexion; the features are regular and severe; her massive dark hair
is almost primly arranged. She wears a tailor-made costume,
surmounted by a plain black hat. The door opens and PHOEBE enters,
shown in by HAKE, the butler, a thin, ascetic- looking man of about
thirty, with prematurely grey hair. PHOEBE MOGTON is of the Fluffy
Ruffles type, petite, with a retrousse nose, remarkably bright eyes, and
a quantity of fluffy light hair, somewhat untidily arranged. She is
fashionably dressed in the fussy, flyaway style. ELIZABETH looks up;
the two young women shake hands.]
PHOEBE Good woman. 'Tisn't three o'clock yet, is it?
ELIZABETH About five minutes to.
PHOEBE Annys is on her way. I just caught her in time. [To HAKE.]
Put a table and six chairs. Give mamma a hammer and a cushion at her
back.
HAKE A hammer, miss?
PHOEBE A chairman's hammer. Haven't you got one?
HAKE I'm afraid not, miss. Would a gravy spoon do?
PHOEBE [To ELIZABETH, after expression of disgust.] Fancy a
house without a chairman's hammer! [To HAKE.] See that there's
something. Did your wife go to the meeting last night?
HAKE [He is arranging furniture according to instructions.] I'm not
quite sure, miss. I gave her the evening out.
PHOEBE "Gave her the evening out"!

ELIZABETH We are speaking of your wife, man, not your servant.
HAKE Yes, miss. You see, we don't keep servants in our class.
Somebody's got to put the children to bed.
ELIZABETH Why not the man--occasionally?
HAKE Well, you see, miss, in my case, I rarely getting home much
before midnight, it would make it so late. Yesterday being my night off,
things fitted in, so to speak. Will there be any writing, miss?
PHOEBE Yes. See that there's plenty of blotting-paper. [To
ELIZABETH.] Mamma always splashes so.
HAKE Yes, miss. [He goes out.]
ELIZABETH Did you ever hear anything more delightfully naive? He
"gave" her the evening out. That's how they think of us--as their
servants. The gentleman hasn't the courage to be straightforward about
it. The butler blurts out the truth. Why are we meeting here instead of at
our own place?
PHOEBE For secrecy, I expect. Too many gasbags always about the
office. I fancy--I'm not quite sure--that mamma's got a new idea.
ELIZABETH Leading to Holloway?
PHOEBE Well, most roads lead there.
ELIZABETH And end there--so far as I can see.
PHOEBE You're too impatient.
ELIZABETH It's what our friends have been telling us--for the last
fifty years.
PHOEBE Look here, if it was only the usual sort of thing mamma
wouldn't want it kept secret. I'm inclined to think it's a new departure
altogether.

[The door opens. There enters JANET BLAKE, followed by HAKE,
who proceeds with his work. JANET BLAKE is a slight,
fragile-looking creature, her great dark eyes--the eyes of a
fanatic--emphasise the pallor of her childish face. She is shabbily
dressed; a plain, uninteresting girl until she smiles, and then her face
becomes quite beautiful. PHOEBE darts to meet her.] Good girl. Was
afraid--I say, you're wet through.
JANET It was only a shower. The 'buses were all full. I had to ride
outside.
PHOEBE Silly kid, why didn't you take a cab?
JANET I've been reckoning it up. I've been half over London chasing
Mrs. Mountcalm-Villiers. Cabs would have come, at the very least, to
twelve-and-six.
PHOEBE Well -
JANET [To ELIZABETH.] Well--I want you to put me down as a
contributor for twelve-and-six. [She smiles.] It's the only way I can
give.
PHOEBE [She is taking off JANET'S cloak; throws it to HAKE.] Have
this put somewhere to dry. [She pushes JANET to the fire.] Get near
the fire. You're as cold as ice.
ELIZABETH All the seats inside, I suppose, occupied by the
chivalrous sex.
JANET Oh, there was one young fellow offered to give me up his place,
but I wouldn't let