n she had finished somewhat breathlessly. It was
obvious that the brave Bluestocking so far lacked the courage of her
opinions as to be agonisingly embarrassed at this public expression of
them. The Gentle Lady, who is the most tactful creature in existence,
accordingly rose before anyone had time to speak, and the two women left
the room together.

A babble of talk arose from the men, under cover of which the Good
Stockbroker also slipped quietly away.

'Pass the port,' said the Wicked Stockbroker, briskly. 'She's a deuced
bright little woman, but how even the brainy ones can be so ignorant of
life beats me, and how you chaps can be such hypocrites. . . . !'

'Hypocrites! what d'you mean?' blustered the Family Egotist, who was by
now almost bursting with suppressed talk.

'Not you, old chap, but the Weary Roue and the Good Stockbroker, jawing
away as if they really thought monogamy was in the majority in this
country, and polygamy was something new! Of course one expects it from
the G. S., but you, W. R., really ought to know better--by the way,
where is the G. S?'

'I think he must have gone to propose to the Bluestocking--to save her
from polygamy and her own opinions,' drawled the Weary Roue, lighting
his cigarette.

'Stout fella! I believe he has!' cried the Ass, excitedly. 'I'll have a
shilling each way on it with any of you--I mean it, really!'

'Oh! what if he has?' said the Family Egotist, irritably. 'What does one
fool more in the world matter? Do stop rotting, you fellows, and pass
the port.'

V

IS LEGALISED POLYANDRY THE SOLUTION?

In Mr W. Somerset Maugham's very interesting psychological study, _Mrs
Craddock_, he makes one of his characters say: 'The fact is that few
women can be happy with only one husband. I believe that the only
solution of the marriage question is legalised polyandry.'

This is the kind of statement which it is only respectable to receive
with horror, but if the secrets of feminine hearts could be known it
might prove that a goodly amount of this horror is assumed. I decline to
commit my sex either way. Mr Maugham is evidently a gentleman very
deeply experienced in feminine hearts, and I daresay he knows what he is
talking of. He is, moreover, safely unmarried, but even he entrenches
himself behind one of the characters in his novel, and who am I that a
greater courage should be expected of me?

There is, of course, a marvellous virtue in the word 'legalised