“I much desired to see you,” Madame Piriac answered very smoothly, “in order to apologise to you for my indiscreet question on the night when we first met.  Your fairy tale about your late husband was a very proper reply to the attitude of Madame Rosamund—­as you all call her.  It was very clever—­so clever that I myself did not appreciate it until after I had spoken.  Ever since that moment I have wanted to explain, to know you more.  Also your pretence of going to sleep in the automobile showed what in a woman I call distinguished talent.”

“But, Madame, I assure you that I really was asleep.”

“So much the better.  The fact proves that your instinct for the right thing is quite exceptional.  It is not that I would criticise Madame Rosamund, who has genius.  Nevertheless her genius causes her to commit errors of which others would be incapable....  So she has captured you, too.”

“Captured me!” Audrey protested—­and she was made stronger by the flattering reference to her distinguished talent.  “I’ve never seen her from that day to this!”

“No.  But she has captured you.  You are going.”

“Going where?”

“To London, to take part in these riots.”

“I shan’t have anything to do with riots.”

“Within a month you will have been in a riot, Madame ... and I shall regret it.”

“And even if I am, Madame!  You are a friend of Rosamund’s.  You must be in sympathy.”

“In sympathy with what?”

“With—­with all this suffragism, feminism.  I am anyway!” Audrey sat up straight.  “It’s horrible that women don’t have the Vote.  And it’s horrible the things they have to suffer in order to get it.  But they will get it!”

“Why do you say ’they’?”

“I mean ‘we.’”

“Supposing you meant ‘they,’ after all?  And you did, Madame.  Let me tell you.  You ask me if I sympathise with suffragism.  You might as well ask me if I sympathise with a storm or with an earthquake, or with a river running to the sea.  Perhaps I do.  But perhaps I do not.  That has no importance.  Feminism is a natural phenomenon; it was unavoidable.  You Englishwomen will get your vote.  Even we in France will get it one day.  It cannot be denied....  Sympathy is not required.  But let us suppose that all women joined the struggle.  What would happen to women?  What would happen to the world?  Just as nunneries were a necessity of other ages, so even in this age women must meditate.  Far more than men they need to understand themselves.  Until they understand themselves how can they understand men?  The function of women is to understand.  Their function is also to preserve.  All the beautiful and luxurious things in the world are in the custody of women.  Men would never of themselves keep a tradition.  If there is anything on earth worth keeping, women must keep it.  And the tradition will be lost if every woman listens to Madame Rosamund.  That