away, and in an interval of silence the voice of the hostess was
heard giving utterance to a tentative suggestion.

"But, my dear, it is inconceivable that the comfort and the
movement of society should depend on the humours of its servants.
I don't blame them for refusing to cook if they dislike cooking,
and can find other work as light and as well paid; but, things
being as they are, I would suggest that we set to work somehow to
make ourselves independent of cooks."

"That 'somehow' is the crux, my dear Livia," said Mrs. Sinclair.
"I have a plan of my own, but I dare not breathe it, for I'm sure
Mrs. Gradinger would call it 'anti-social,' whatever that may
mean."

"I should imagine that it is a term which might be applied to any
scheme which robs society of the ministrations of its cooks," said
Sir John.

"I have heard mathematicians declare that what is true of the whole
is true of its parts," said the Marchesa. "I daresay it is, but I
never stopped to inquire. I will amplify on my own account, and
lay down that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole.
I'm sure that sounds quite right. Now I, as a unit of society, am
independent of cooks because I can cook myself, and if all the
other units were independent, society itself would be independent--
ecco!"

"To speak in this tone of a serious science like Euclid seems
rather frivolous," said Mrs. Gradinger. "I may observe--" but here