nice to one, and I don't think it matters much what the others are." 

 "Rank individualism," said Eliza. And she said it without a moment's hesitation, which gave us a very high opinion indeed of her powers of speech.  "It is the fashion to say that each woman has only one man to manage, and she must be a very stupid woman if she cannot manage him; but there are thousands of women who, being weaker morally and physically than their particular man, can do nothing with him, and it is not fair to leave their wrongs unredressed because you are comfortable and happy." 

 "Still, you know," said Mrs. Fielden thoughtfully, "one cannot help wishing that they could get what they want without involving us in the question. You see, if they got their rights we should probably get ours too, and then I'm afraid we should lose our privileges." 

 "You are like the man," said I, "who could do quite well without the necessaries of life, but he could not do without its luxuries." 

 "What a nice man it must have been who said that!" exclaimed Mrs. Fielden.  "It would be quite easy to do without meat on one's table, but it would be impossible to dine without flowers and dessert." 

 It must be admitted that Eliza had the last word in the argument after all. 

 "Just so," she said; "and all life shows just this—that a woman has, with her usual perverseness, chosen a diet of flowers and dessert with intervals of starvation, instead of wholesome meat and pudding." 

 

 

 CHAPTER VI. 

 "We shall have to ask the engaged couple to dinner," I said to Palestrina one morning a few days later.  "And I suppose one or two more of the rest of The Family would like to be asked at the same time." 

 "I never know in what quantities one ought to ask the Jamiesons," said my sister, "nor how to make a proper selection. It seems invidious to suggest that Kate and Eliza and Margaret should come, and not Maud and Gracie; and yet what is one to do? The last time that you were away from home I wrote and said, 'Will a few of you come?'  And Mrs. Jamieson, the Pirate Boy, and four sisters came." 

 

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