statement of the case. She is simply the victim of her own vanity,
and against that, against the belief in her own fascinations,
against the very part of herself that gives all the colour
to her life, who shall expect a woman to take up arms?"

"Are you so vain, Elizabeth?" inquired Irais with a shocked face,
"and had you lent a willing ear to the blandishments of ninety-nine
before you reached your final destiny?"

"I am one of the sensible ones, I suppose," I replied,
"for nobody ever wanted me to listen to blandishments."

Minora sighed.

"I like to hear you talk together about the position of women,"
he went on, "and wonder when you will realise that they hold exactly
the position they are fitted for. As soon as they are fit to occupy a better,
no power on earth will be able to keep them out of it. Meanwhile, let me
warn you that, as things now are, only strong-minded women wish to see
you the equals of men, and the strong-minded are invariably plain.
The pretty ones would rather see men their slaves than their equals."

"You know," said Irais, frowning, "that I consider myself strong-minded."

"And never rise till lunch-time?"

Irais blushed. Although I don't approve of such conduct,
it is very convenient in more ways than one;
I get through my housekeeping undisturbed, and whenever she
is disposed to lecture me, I begin about this habit of hers.