Elizabeth. My dear Annys, the men who to-day are advocating votes for women are doing so in the hope of securing obedient supporters for their own political schemes. In New Zealand the working man brings his female relations in a van to the poll, and sees to it that they vote in accordance with his orders. When man once grasps the fact that woman is not going to be his henchman, but his rival, men and women will face one another as enemies.
(The door opens. Hake announces Lady Mogton and Dorian St. Herbert. Lady Mogton is a large, strong-featured woman, with a naturally loud voice. She is dressed with studied carelessness. Dorian St. Herbert, K.C., is a tall, thin man, about thirty. He is elegantly, almost dandily dressed.)
Annys. (Kissing her mother.) Have you had lunch?
Lady Mogton. In the train.
Phoebe. (Who has also kissed her mother and shaken hands with St. Herbert.) We are all here except Villiers. She’s coming. Did you have a good meeting?
Lady Mogton. Fairly. Some young fool had chained himself to a pillar and thrown the key out of window.
Phoebe. What did you do?
Lady Mogton. Tied a sack over his head and left him there.
(She turns aside for a moment to talk to St. Herbert, who has taken some papers from his despatch-box.)
Annys. (To Elizabeth.) We must finish out our talk some other time. You are quite wrong.