ong the circle, to politely disagree with Henriette.
Her ideas respecting various burning topics were at variance with the
trend of opinion at Dunaghee, and Miss Temperley was expected to take
this opportunity of enlightening the family. The family was equally
resolved not to be enlightened.

"I have chosen for my subject to-night," said the lecturer, "one that is
beginning to occupy public attention very largely: I mean the sphere of
woman in society."

The audience, among whom Hubert had been admitted at his sister's
earnest request, drew themselves together, and a little murmur of battle
ran along the line. Henriette's figure, in her well-fitting Parisian
gown, looked singularly out of place in the garret, with the crazy old
candle-holder beside her, the yellow flame of the candle flinging
fantastic shadows on the vaulted roof, preposterously distorting her
neat form, as if in wicked mockery. The moonlight streamed in, as usual
on the nights chosen by the Society for their meetings.

Henriette's paper was neatly expressed, and its sentiments were
admirable. She maintained a perfect balance between the bigotry of the
past and the violence of the present. Her phrases seemed to rock, like
a pair of scales, from excess to excess, on either side. She came to
rest in the exact middle. This led to the Johnsonian structure, or, as
Hadria afterwards said, to the style of a _Times_ leading article:
"While we remember on the one hand, we must not forget on the other----"

At the end of the lecture, the audience found themselves invited to
sympathize cautiously and circumspectly with the advancement of women,
but led, at the same time, to conclude that good taste and good feeling
forbade any really nice woman from moving a little finger to attain, or
to help others to attain, the smallest fraction more of freedom, or an
inch more of spiritual territory, than was now enjoyed by her sex. When,
at some future time, wider privileges should have been conquered by the
exertions of someone else, then the really nice woman could saunter in
and enjoy the booty. But till then, let her leave boisterous agitation
to others, and endear herself to all around her by her patience and her
loving self-sacrifice.

"That pays better for the present," Hadria was heard to mutter to an
adjacent member.

The lecturer, in her concluding remarks, gave a smile of ineffable
sweetness, sadly marred, however, by the grotesque effect of the
flickering