UNA. Now don't say a word until you hear the whole story. You read that
article by Shaw in the Metropolitan, didn't you? I did. You remember
what he wrote? "The best eugenic guide is the sex attraction--the Voice
of Nature." He thinks the trouble is at present that we dare not marry
out of our own sphere. But I'll show you exactly what he says. [She
fusses in her handbag and pulls out a sheet of a magazine which she
unfolds as she says:] I always carry the article with me. It's so
stimulating.
BRAITHEWAITE [protesting]. You're not going to read me a whole Shaw
article, are you? It's five o'clock now and we've a dinner date at
eight, dear.
UNA. It's a Shaw article, not a Shaw preface. However, I'll only read
the passage I've marked. Listen. [She reads.] "I do not believe you will
ever have any improvement in the human race until you greatly widen
the area of possible sexual selection; until you make it as wide as
the numbers of the community make it. Just consider what occurs at the
present time. I walk down Oxford Street, let me say, as a young man." He
might just as well have said, "young woman," you know.
BRAITHEWAITE. And?
UNA [continues reading], "I see a woman who takes my fancy." With me it
would be a man, of course.
BRAITHEWAITE. For your purpose, of course.
UNA [continuing again]. "I fall in love with her. It would seem very
sensible in an intelligent community that I should take off my hat and
say to this lady: 'Will you excuse me; but you attract me strongly,
and if you are not already engaged, would you mind taking my name
and address and considering whether you would care to marry me?'
[BRAITHEWAITE looks uncomfortably at GEORGE who looks uncomfortable,
though amused, himself.] Now I have no such chance at present."
BRAITHEWAITE. Exactly. You see, he admits it.
UNA. Yes, but why shouldn't I have the chance? That set me thinking. I
decided he was right. I am intelligent, am I not?
BRAITHEWAITE. I refuse to commit myself, dear, until I hear all your
story.
UNA. Well, I decided I'd make the chance. You see, I--I've been led to
think recently that I ought to be getting married.
BRAITHEWAITE. May I ask why?
UNA. Yes, dear, but I'd rather not answer.
BRAITHEWAITE. I beg pardon.
UNA. And when I looked about me for the possibilities in my own set,
I--[she makes a face]--well, I wasn't attracted.
BRAITHEWAITE. I admit, in society, as a rule, the women grow stronger
and the men weaker.
UNA. Exactly. And I knew you wanted to be a proud grandfather.
BRAITHEWAITE. You're mistaken, dear. I hadn't given the subject any
thought; so I had no desires.
UNA. Well, I have... [BRAITHEWAITE slightly shows that he is perhaps
shocked. UNA notices this and continues in explanation] given the
subject a good deal of thought. I've spent days buying second-hand
clothing to give away at the missions and lodging houses in order to
have a look.
BRAITHEWAITE. At least there was charity in that.
UNA. Yes. You see I didn't want charity to have to begin at my home.
Self-preservation is the first law of Nature.
BRAITHEWAITE. And self-propagation, I suppose, the second.
UNA. Well--the missions were no good. They were all so starved and
pinched-looking there I couldn't tell what they'd be like if they got
proper nourishment. And I didn't want to take a chance. So I went to
some coal yards.
BRAITHEWAITE. To find the devil not so black as painted?
UNA [with a grimace]. Blacker! I couldn't see what they looked like. Of
course if I could have asked them to wash their faces.
BRAITHEWAITE [looking at GEORGE]. Considering what you have done, I
don't see----
UNA. I did ask one, but he made some vulgar remark about black dirt and
red paint. So I left him.
BRAITHEWAITE. And then?
UNA. I spent all to-day riding up and down town in street cars. It's
very fascinating, Dad. All you can see for a nickel! I never realized
what a public benefactor you were.
BRAITHEWAITE [modestly]. Oh, I am amply repaid.
UNA [in explanation to GEORGE]. Dad's the president of your traction
company, you know. [GEORGE rises in fright.] Oh, that's all right. I've
lost you your job, but I'll get you a better one as I promised. Don't be
afraid of Dad--in the parlor. Sit down.
BRAITHEWAITE [to GEORGE]. You might as well make yourself physically
comfortable, you know. There's no telling how my daughter may make us
feel in other ways.
[GEORGE sits down again, regaining his composure a little.]
BRAITHEWAITE [to UNA]. And so to-day you investigated travelling in
street cars?
UNA. Yes. "Joy-riding," you know. Then I saw him--and decided. I knew he
wouldn't dare to propose to me--under existing conditions.
BRAITHEWAITE. So you asked him to marry you?
UNA. Certainly not. I've too much consideration for you, dear.
BRAITHEWAITE. But I thought you said----?
UNA. I decided to bring him home to get your consent first.
[BRAITHEWAITE starts to say something.] I knew you'd approve when you
saw him. But I wanted to be sure I hadn't overlooked anything. And if
I had, I didn't want to have raised his hopes for nothing. [To GEORGE.]
Would you mind standing a moment, now, until Dad looks you over?
[GEORGE fidgets a little in embarrassment.]
BRAITHEWAITE. My dear, do you think the gentleman----?
UNA. "Gentleman!" Oh, yes, I forgot. I needn't have been so clumsy.
[She rises. GEORGE rises automatically. She continues to GEORGE.] I
apologize.
BRAITHEWAITE [also rising and moving his chair aside]. I fear you have
been too rude.
UNA. So do I. I've never even introduced you. Father, this is--this
is---- [To GEORGE.] By the way--I forgot to ask--what is your name?
GEORGE. Coxey, Miss.
UNA [sounding it]. Coxey. What's the first name? I can't call my husband
"Coxey," you know.
GEORGE. George, Miss.
UNA [triumphantly]. George! There's a fine virile name for you. George
Coxey! How strong that sounds! One of those names that would go equally
well in the blue book or the police blotter.