Tubes did not show so indecently. With surprising clearness the rhythmic
whispering of the trains and the scanty traffic could be heard, and once
even the shrill characteristic voice of an ambulance. Somehow space did
not seem disturbed by these sounds; its quietness pressed upon the
listeners' minds like a heavy dream, and there was no real believing in
anything but space. Our witch felt she could have smudged London off the
face of space with her finger, and the thought of seven million lives
involved in the fate of that sliding chart carried no conviction to her.
She forced into her mind the realisation of humanity, and of little
lives lived in little rooms.

"As one Crusader to another," she said, "do you find it does much good
in the war against Evil to drop bombs on people in their homes? After
all, every baby is good in bed, and even soldiers when on leave are
anti-militarist."

"It always does good to exterminate vermin in their lair," said the
German, trying restlessly to raise herself more to the level of her
lighter companion, who was still perched on the surface of the cloud.
"It is at home that Evil is originated, it is at home that English women
conceive and bear a new generation of enemies of the Right, it is at
home that English children are bred up in their marauding ways. It is
on the home, the vital place of Evil, that the scourge should fall."

"Oh, but surely not," said our witch eagerly. "It is at home that people
are kindly and think what they will have for supper, and bathe their
babies. Men come home when they are hurt or hungry, and women when they
are lonely or tired. Nobody is taught anything stupid or international
at home. You can bring death to a home, but never a righteous scourge.
Nobody feels scourged or instructed by a bomb in their parlour, they