women being equally so; but the notion of the instinct becoming
importunate in a girl revolted her; a state of mind that struggled to
justify itself without conscious entrenchment behind mere tradition.
Lady Engleton sincerely tried to shake off prejudice.

"You are in a mixed condition of feeling, I see," Hadria said. "I am not
surprised. Our whole scheme of things indeed is so mixed, that the
wonder only is we are not all in a state of chronic lunacy. I believe,
as a matter of fact, that we _are_; but as we are all lunatics together,
there is no one left to put us into asylums."

Lady Engleton laughed.

"The present age is truly a strange one," she exclaimed.

"Do you think so? It always seems to me that the present age is finding
out for the first time how very strange all the _other_ ages have been."

"However that may be, it seems to me, that a sort of shiver is going
through all Society, as if it had suddenly become very much aware of
things and couldn't make them out--nor itself."

"Like a creature beginning to struggle through a bad illness. I do think
it is all extremely remarkable, especially the bad illness."

"You are as strange as your epoch," cried Lady Engleton.

"It is a sorry sign when one remarks health instead of disease."

"Upon my word, you have a wholesome confidence in yourself!"

"I do not, in that respect, differ from my kind," Hadria returned
calmly.

"It is that which _was_ that seems to you astonishing, not that which is
to be," Lady Engleton commented, pensively. "For my part I confess I am
frightened, almost terrified at times, at that which is to be."

"I am frightened, terrified, so that the thought becomes unbearable, at
that which _is_," said Hadria.

There was a long silence. Lady Engleton appeared to be again plunged in
thought.

"The maternal instinct--yes; it seems to be round that unacknowledged
centre that the whole storm is raging."

"A desperate question that Society shrinks from in terror: whether women
shall be expected to conduct themselves as if the instinct had been
weighed out accurately, like weekly stores, and given to all alike, or
whether choice and individual feeling is to be held lawful in this
matter--_there_ is the red-hot heart of the battle."

"Remember men of science are against freedom in this respect. (I do wish
_our_ man of science would make haste.)"

"They rush to the rescue when they see the sentimental defences giving
way," said Hadri