The Master of Mrs Chilvers | Page 4

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 him. You see, we're claiming equality. [Smiles.]
ELIZABETH And are being granted it--in every direction where it works to the convenience of man.
PHOEBE [Laughs.] Is she coming--the Villiers woman?
JANET Yes. I ran her down at last--at her dress-maker's. She made an awful fuss about it, but I wouldn't leave till she'd promised. Tell me, it's something quite important, isn't it?
PHOEBE I don't know anything, except that I had an urgent telegram from mamma this morning to call a meeting of the entire Council here at three o'clock. She's coming up from Manchester on purpose. [To HAKE.] Mrs. Chilvers hasn't returned yet, has she?
HAKE Not yet, miss. Shall I telephone -
PHOEBE [Shakes her head.] No; it's all right. I have seen her. Let her know we are here the moment she comes in.
HAKE Yes,