Stonor (laughing). This chap's rather amusing!
Mr. P. We men 'ave seen it 'appen over and over. But the women can tyke a 'int quicker'n what we can. They won't stand the nonsense men do. Only they 'aven't got a fair chawnce even to agitate fur their rights. As I wus comin' up 'ere I 'eard a man sayin', "Look at this big crowd. W'y, we're all men! If the women want the vote w'y ain't they 'ere to s'y so?" Well, I'll tell you w'y. It's because they've 'ad to get the dinner fur you and me, and now they're washin' up the dishes.
A Voice. D'you think we ought to st'y 'ome and wash the dishes?
Mr. P. (laughs good-naturedly). If they'd leave it to us once or twice per'aps we'd understand a little more about the Woman Question. I know w'y my wife isn't here. It's because she knows I ain't much use round the 'ouse, and she's 'opin' I can talk to some purpose. Maybe she's mistaken. Any'ow, here I am to vote for her and all the other women.
("Hear! hear!" "Oh-h!")
And to tell you men what improvements you can expect to see when women 'as the share in public affairs they ought to 'ave!
Voice. What do you know about it? You can't even talk grammar.
Mr. P. (is dashed a fraction of a moment, for the first and only time). I'm not 'ere to talk grammar but to talk Reform. I ain't defendin' my grammar—but I'll say in pawssing that if my mother 'ad 'ad 'er rights, maybe my grammar would have been better.
(Stonor and Jean exchange smiles. He takes her arm again and bends his head to whisper something in her ear. She listens with lowered eyes and happy face. The discreet love-making goes on during the next few sentences. Interruption. One voice insistent but not clear. The speaker waits only a second and then resumes. "Yes, if the women" but he cannot instantly make himself heard. The boyish Chairman looks harassed and anxious. Miss Ernestine Blunt alert, watchful.)
Mr. P. Wait a bit—'arf a minute, my man!