things to her, especially when the
explanation is meant to influence her action. I am particularly unfitted
for the task when I am in a state of convalescence. I interrupted
Titherington.

"Nurse," I said, "have you got that thermometer? I'm nearly sure my
temperature is up again."

Titherington scowled, but he knew he was helpless. As he left the room
he stopped for a moment and turned to me. "What beats me about the
whole performance," he said, "is that she never said a single word
about woman's suffrage from start to finish. I never met one of that lot
before who could keep off the subject for as much as ten minutes at a
time even in private conversation."

CHAPTER XIII

I entered next day on what proved to be the most disagreeable stage
of my illness. McMeekin called on me in the morning. He performed some
silly tricks with a stethoscope and felt my pulse with an air of rapt
attention which did not in the least deceive me. Then he intimated that
I might sit up for an hour or two after luncheon. The way he made this
announcement was irritating enough. Instead of saying straightforwardly,
"You can get out of bed if you like," or words to that effect, he
smirked at the nurse and said to her, "I think we may be allowed to sit
up in a nice comfortable armchair for our afternoon tea to-day." But the
permission itself was far worse than the manner in which it was given. I
did not in the least want to get up. Bed was beginning to feel tolerably
comfortable. I hated the thought of an armchair. I hated still more
bitterly the idea of having to walk across the floor. I suppose McMeekin
saw by my face that I did not want to get up. He tried, after his own
foolish fashion, to cheer and encourage me.

"Poor Vittie's got it too," he said. "I was called in to see him last
night."

"Influenza?"

"Yes. It's becoming a perfect epidemic in the district. I have forty
cases on my list."

"If Vittie's got it," I said, "there's no reason in the world why I
should get up."

McMeekin is a singularly stupid man. He did not see what I meant. I had
to explain myself.

"The only object I should have in getting up," I said, speaking very
slowly and distinctly, "would be to prevent Vittie going round the
constituency when I couldn't be after him. Now that he's down himself
he can't do anything more than I can; so I may just as well stay where I
am."

Even then McMeekin failed to catch my point.

"You'll have to get up some