GEOFFREY [He interposes. His voice is very low, almost a whisper.] My wife will not sign.
ANNYS[She also speaks low, but there is no yielding in her voice.] I am not only your wife. I have a duty also to others.
GEOFFREY It is for you to choose. [He leaves the way open to her.]
[The silence can almost be felt. She moves to the table, takes up the paper. It contains but a few lines of writing. Having read it, she holds out her hand for the pen. PEEKIN puts it in her hand. With a firm hand she signs, folds the paper, and returns it to him. She remains standing by the table. With the removal of the tension there comes a rustle, a breaking of the silence.]
MISS RICKETTS [She seizes ANNYS's hand, hanging listlessly by her side, and, stooping, kisses it.]
MISS BORLASSEThat is all, isn't it?
PEEKINWe thank you, Mrs. Chilvers.Good afternoon.
ANNYS [The natural reaction is asserting itself. She pulls herself together sufficiently to murmur her answer.] Good afternoon.
MRS. PEEKIN[The DEPUTATION is moving away; she takes fromher waist a small bunch of flowers, and, turning, places them in ANNYS'S hand.]
ANNYS[She smiles, remains standing silent, the flowers in her hand.]
["Good afternoons" are exchanged with some of the others. Finally:] PEEKINGood afternoon, Mr. Chilvers.
GEOFFREY[Who has moved away.]Good afternoon.
[The DEPUTATION joins SIGSBY by the door.He leads them out.] ELIZABETH[To PHOEBE.]Are you going my way?
PHOEBE[She glances round at ANNYS.]Yes, I'll come with you.
ST. HERBERT I will put you into a bus, if you will let me. We don't sport many cabs in East Poplar. [He is helping ELIZABETH with her cloak.]
ELIZABETHThank you.
LAMBI've got to go up West.[To GEOFFREY.]Will you be at the House this evening?
GEOFFREY[He is standing by the desk pretending to look at some papers].I shall look in about ten o'clock.
LAMBOne or two things I want to say to you.Goodbye for the present.
GEOFFREYGoodbye!
PHOEBEGoodbye, old man.[She stretches out her hand.]
GEOFFREYGoodbye.[She shakes hands with a smile, exchanges a casual "goodbye" with ELIZABETH.]
[They go towards the door.] [SIGSBY re-enters.]
SIGSBY[To LAMB.]Are you going?
LAMBYes.I'll see you to-morrow morning.About ten o'clock.
SIGSBYI shall be here.[He exchanges a "good afternoon" with the others.]
[They go out.SIGSBY crosses and goes into the other room.]
ANNYS[She has let fall the flowers on the table.She crosses to where GEOFFREY still stands by the desk, his back towards her.Shestretches out her hand, touches him.He does not move.]Geoffrey! [But still he takes no notice.]
I am so sorry.We must talk it over quietly--at home.
GEOFFREY [He turns.] Home! I have no home. I have neither children nor wife. I KEEP a political opponent.
[ANNYS starts back with a cry. He crosses in front of her and seats himself at the table. The flowers are lying there; he throws them into the waste-paper basket.]
ANNYS [She puts on her cloak, moves towards the door. Half-way she pauses, makes a movement towards him. But he will not see. Then a hard look comes into her eyes, and without another word she goes out, leaving the door open.]
[SIGSBY is heard moving in the other room.] GEOFFREY[He is writing.]Sigsby. SIGSBYHallo!
GEOFFREY That poster I told young Gordon I wouldn't sanction, "The Woman spouting politics, the Man returning to a slattern's home."[SIGSBY enters.]
SIGSBYI have countermanded them.
GEOFFREYCountermand them again.We shall want a thousand. SIGSBY[Can hardly believe his ears.]
GEOFFREY [With a gesture round the room.] All of them. "A Man for Men!" "Save the Children!" "Guard your Homes!" All the damned collection. Order as many as you want.
SIGSBY[His excitement rising.]I can go ahead.You mean it? GEOFFREY[He looks at him.]It's got to be a fight![A moment.
He returns to his writing.]Telephone Hake that I shall be dining at the Reform Club.
CURTAIN.
