acy--the smallest and most rigid in the world. This thing that
you're just opening your eyes to, is the rage against restraint that
goes with decadence. But the phlegmatic Englishman won't lead in that
degringolade.'

'You mean we won't be among the first of the great nations to give women
the Suffrage?'

'_England?_' The slow head-shake and the smile airily relegated the
Woman's Movement to the limbo of the infinitely distant.

'Just because the men won't have it?' and for the second time she said,
'I wonder. For myself, I rather think the women are going to win.'

'Not in my time. Not even in yours.'

'Why?'

'Oh, the men will never let it come to the point.'

'It's interesting to hear you say that. You justify the militant women,
you know.'

'That is perhaps _not_ to hit the bull's eye!' he said, a little grimly.
Then dropping his unaccustomed air of chill disapproval, he appealed to
his friend's better taste. A confession of sheer physical loathing crept
into his face as he let fall two or three little sentences about these
women's offence against public decorum. 'Why, it is as hideous as war!'
he wound up, dismissing it.

'Perhaps it _is_ war.' Her phrase drew the cloud of menace down again;
it closed about them. It seemed to trouble her that he would not meet
her gaze. 'Don't think----' she prayed, and stumbling against the new
hardness in his face, broke off, withdrew her eyes and changed the form
of what she had meant to say. 'I think I like good manners, too, but I
see it would be a mistake to put them first. What if we have to earn the
right to be gentle and gracious without shame?'

'You seriously defend these people!'

'I'm not sure they haven't taken the only way.' She looked at her
friend with a fresh appeal in her eyes. But his were wearing their new
cold look. She seemed to nerve herself to meet some numbing danger of
cowardice. 'The old rule used to be patience--with no matter what wrong.
The new feeling is: shame on any one who weakly suffers wrong! Isn't it
too cheap an idea of morals that women should take credit for the
enduring that keeps the wrong alive? You won't say women have no stake
in morals. Have we any right to let the world go wrong while we get
compliments for our forbearance and for pretty manners?'

'You began,' said Borrodaile, 'by explaining other women's notions. You
have ended by seeming to adopt them as your own. But you are a person of
some intelligence. You will o