"Enunciate as briefly as possible, but clearly, what the views of your
party are," Mrs. Bundercombe bade me.
"I won't have him heckled!" Eve protested, coming over to my side.
I coughed.
"We are entirely in sympathy," I explained, "with the enfranchisement of
women up to a certain point. We think that unmarried women who own
property and pay taxes should have the vote."
"Rubbish!" Mrs. Bundercombe exclaimed firmly. "We want universal suffrage.
We want men and women placed on exactly the same footing, politically and
socially."
"That," I said, "I am afraid no political party would be prepared to grant
at present."
"Then, save as an opponent, I can attend no political meetings in this
country," Mrs. Bundercombe declared, rising to her feet with a fearsome
air of finality.
I sighed.
"In that case," I confessed, "I am afraid it is useless for me to appeal
to you for help. Perhaps you and your father----" I added, turning to Eve.
"Let them go down to you in the country by all means!" Mrs. Bundercombe
interrupted. "For my part, though my visit to Europe was wholly undesired
--was forced upon me, in fact, by dire circumstances," she added
emphatically, glaring at Mr. Bundercombe--"since I am here I find so much
work ready to my hand, so much appalling ignorance, so much prejudice,
that I conceive it to be my duty to take up during my stay the work which
presents itself here.
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