y destroy them. But civilization
is at war with nature, and as civilized beings we _have_ rights. Every
man is justified in claiming food and shelter and repose. As things
are, many thousands of people in every English county either lack these
necessaries altogether, or get them only in return for the accursed
badge of pauperdom. I, for one, am against this state of things, and I
sympathize with the men who think that nothing can go right until the
fundamental injustice is done away with."

Glazzard listened with an inscrutable smile, content to throw in a word
of acquiescence from time to time. But when the necessity of appeasing
his robust appetite held Quarrier silent for a few minutes, the guest
turned to Lilian and asked her if she made a study of political
questions.

"I have been trying to follow them lately," she replied, with simple
directness.

"Do you feel it a grievance that you have no vote and no chance of
representing a borough?"

"No, I really don't."

"I defy any one to find a dozen women who sincerely do," broke in
Denzil. "That's all humbug! Such twaddle only serves to obscure the
great questions at issue. What we have to do is to clear away the
obvious lies and superstitions that hold a great part of the people in
a degrading bondage. Our need is of statesmen who are bold enough and
strong enough to cast off the restraints of party, of imbecile fears,
of words that answer to no reality, and legislate with honest zeal for
the general good. How many men are there in Parliament who represent
anything more respectable than the interest of a trade, or a faction,
or their own bloated person?"

"This would rouse the echoes in an East-end club," interposed Glazzard,
with an air of good-humoured jesting.

"The difference is, my dear fellow, that it is given as an honest
opinion in a private dining-room. There's Welwyn-Baker
now--thick-headed old jackass!--what right has _he_ to be sitting in a
national assembly? Call himself what he may, it's clearly our business
to get rid of _him_. There's something infuriating in the thought that
such a man can give his hee-haw for or against a proposal that concerns
the nation. His mere existence is a lie!"

"He has hardly progressed with the times," assented Glazzard.

Lilian was listening so attentively that she forgot her dinner.

"I didn't think you cared so much about politics," she remarked,
gravely.

"Oh, it comes out now and then. I suppose Glazzard