The New Woman.

by Sydney Grundy.

THE NEW WOMAN.

ACT I.

SCENE.--_GERALD CAZENOVE'S Chambers. A sitting-room, somewhat effeminately decorated. The furniture of the boudoir type, several antimaca.s.sars and a profusion of photographs and flowers. The main entrance, R. at back, in the flat. Doors, R. and L., window, L. of flat._

_A knock is heard off, as curtain rises. Enter WELLS, L., crosses stage and opens door in flat. Enter COLONEL CAZENOVE and SYLVESTER._

COLONEL.

Is my nephew at home?

WELLS.

No, Colonel; but I expect him every moment.

COLONEL.

Very well; I'll wait. [_Exit WELLS, door in flat._] Bah! what a stench of flowers! [_Opens window and throws out a bunch of lilies standing on the table below._] Sit down, Sylvester--if you can find a chair to carry twelve stone.

SYLVESTER.

Really, I feel a sort of trespa.s.ser.

COLONEL.

Sit down.

SYLVESTER [_sits_].

I don't know Cazenove very well----

COLONEL.

I'm much in the same case. Since he came up to town, I've only called upon him once before. By Jove, it was enough. Such a set as I met here!

SYLVESTER.

I understood that he was up the river.

COLONEL.

Came back yesterday. Hope it's done him good. After all, he's my nephew, and I mean to knock the nonsense out of him.

SYLVESTER.

Colonel, you're very proud of him; and you have every reason to be.

From all I hear, few men have won more distinction at Oxford.

COLONEL [_pleased_].

Proud of him? My dear Sylvester, that boy has more brains in his little finger than I have--gout. He takes after his aunt Caroline. You remember Caroline?

SYLVESTER.

Oh, I remember Lady Wargrave well.

COLONEL.

Wonderful woman, sir--a heart of gold--and a head--phew! Gerald takes after her. At Oxford, he carried everything before him.

SYLVESTER [_laughing_].

And now these women carry him behind them!

COLONEL.

But he's a Cazenove! He'll come right side up. We Cazenoves always do.

We may go under every now and then, but we come up again! It's in the blood.

SYLVESTER.

According to my wife--and Agnes is a clever woman in her way----

COLONEL.

Don't know her.

SYLVESTER.

His cultivated spirit and magnetic intellect are one of the brightest hopes for the social progress of our time--[_Laughs._] whatever that may mean!

COLONEL.

Does it mean anything? That is the sort of jargon Gerald was full of, when I saw him last. But he'll get over it. Intellectual measles.

Oxford's a fine place, but no mental drainage.

SYLVESTER.

I can form no opinion. I hadn't the advantage of a university training.

COLONEL.

I had. I was rusticated. We Cazenoves always were--till Gerald's time.

But he'll redeem himself. We Cazenoves have always been men, except one. That's my sister, Caroline; and, by Jove, she's the next best thing--a woman.