Benham was, in fact, taking Prothero's word, and trying to impose
upon it his own solidifying and crystallizing opinion of life.

They were not as yet very large or well-formed crystals. The
proposition he struggled to develop was this, that True Democracy
did not mean an equal share in the government, it meant an equal
opportunity to share in the government. Men were by nature and in
the most various ways unequal. True Democracy aimed only at the
removal of artificial inequalities. . . .

It was on the truth of this statement, that men were by nature
unequal, that the debate had turned. Prothero was passionately
against the idea at that time. It was, he felt, separating himself
from Benham more and more. He spoke with a personal bitterness.
And he found his chief ally in a rigorous and voluble Frenchman
named Carnac, an aggressive Roman Catholic, who opened his speech by
saying that the first aristocrat was the devil, and shocked Prothero
by claiming him as probably the only other sound Christian in the
room. Several biologists were present, and one tall, fair youth
with a wearisome forefinger tried to pin Carnac with questions.

"But you must admit some men are taller than others?"

"Then the others are broader."

"Some are smaller altogether."

"Nimbler--it's notorious."

"Some of the smaller are less nimble than the others."