Vivie:  “I do.  You see Christabel Pankhurst has been turned down as a barrister.  They won’t let her qualify for the Bar, because she’s a woman, so they certainly won’t let me with my pedigree; just as, merely because we are women, they won’t let us become Chartered Actuaries or Incorporated Accountants.  After we had that long talk last June I got a set of men’s clothes together, a regular man’s outfit.  The suit doesn’t fit over well but I am rectifying that by degrees.  I went to a general outfitter in Cornhill and told a cock-and-bull story—­as it was an affair of ready cash they didn’t stop to question me about it.  I said something about a sea-faring brother, just my height, a trifle stouter in build—­lost all his kit at sea—­been in hospital—­now in convalescent home—­how I wanted to save him all the fatigue possible—­wouldn’t want more than reach-me-downs at present, etc., etc.  They rather flummoxed me at first by offering a merchant service uniform, but somehow I got over that, though this serge suit has rather a sea-faring cut.  I got so unnecessarily explanatory with the shopman that he began to pay me compliments, said my brother must be a good-looking young chap if he was at all like me.  However, I got away with the things in a cab, and told the cab to drive to St. Paul’s station, and on the way re-directed him here.

“Last autumn I began practising at night-time after all our familiars had left these premises.  Purposely I did not tell you because I feared your greater caution and instinctive respectability might discourage me.  Otherwise, nobody’s spotted me, so far.  I’d intended breaking it to you any day now, because I’ve gone too far to draw back, for weal or woe.  But either we have been rushed with business, or you’ve been anxious about Lady Fraser—­How is she?” (Norie interpolates “Very poorly.”) “So truly sorry!—­I was generally just about to tell you when Rose or Lilian—­tiresome things!—­would begin most assiduously passing in and out with papers.  Even now I mustn’t keep you, with your mother so ill...”

Norie (looking at her wrist-watch):  “Violet has very kindly promised to stay with mother till ten....  I can give you an hour, though I must take a few minutes off that for the firm’s business as I haven’t been here much for three days...” (They talk business for twenty minutes, during which Norie says:  “It’s really rather odd, how those clothes change you!  I feel vaguely compromised with a handsome young man bending over me, his cheek almost touching mine!”—­and Vivie retorts “Oh, don’t be an ass!”)

Norie:  “So you really are going to take the plunge?”