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