nd interesting life for themselves, even
if that particular side of existence were denied them. I thought they
might forego it for the sake of other things."

"Not without regretting it."

"Yet I have met women who held different opinions."

"Probably rather inexperienced women," said Valeria.

"Young women, but----"

"Ah, young women. What do _they_ know? The element of real horror in a
woman's life does not betray itself, until the moment when the sense of
age approaches. Then, and not till then, she knows how much mere
superficial and transitory attractions have had to do with making her
life liveable and interesting. Then, and not till then, she realizes
that she has unconsciously held the position of adventuress in society,
getting what she could out of it, by means of personal charm; never
resting on established right, for she has none. As a wife, she acquires
a sort of reflected right. One must respect her over whom Mr. So-and-So
has rights of property. Well, is it not wise to take what one can
get--the little glory of being the property of Mr. So-and-So? I have
scorned this opportunism all my life, and now I regret having scorned
it. And I think, if you could get women to be sincere, they would tell
you the same tale."

"And what do you think of the scheme of life, which almost forces upon
our finest women, or tempts them to practise, this sort of opportunism?"

"I think it is simply savage," answered Valeria.

Again a silence fell on the little group. The spoken words seemed to
call up a host of words unspoken. There was to Hadria, a personal as
well as a general significance in each sentence, that made her listen
breathlessly for the next.

"How would you define a good woman?" she asked.

"Precisely as I would define a good man," replied the Professor.

"Oh, I think we ask more of the woman," said Valeria.

"We do indeed!" cried Hadria, with a laugh.

"One may find people with a fussy conscience, a nervous fear of
wrong-doing, who are without intelligence and imagination, but you never
meet the noblest, and serenest, and largest examples of goodness without
these attributes," said the Professor.

"This is not the current view of goodness in women," said Hadria.

"Naturally. The less intelligence and imagination the better, if our
current morality is to hold its own. We want our women to accept its
dogmas without question. We tell them how to be good, and if they don't
choose to be good in tha