“Ought to be in the United States Senate,” smiled Elizabeth.

“I wish I could make up my mind as to whether he is outrageously handsome or desperately ugly,” remarked Helen of Troy.  “He fascinates me, but whether it is the fascination of liking or of horror I can’t tell, and it’s quite important.”

“Ladies,” resumed the captain, his uneasiness increasing as he came to the point, “I am but the agent of your respective husbands, fiances, and other masculine guardians.  The gentlemen who were previously the tenants of this club-house have delegated to me the important, and I may add highly agreeable, task of showing you the world.  They have noted of late years the growth of that feeling of unrest which is becoming every day more and more conspicuous in feminine circles in all parts of the universe—­on the earth, where women are clamoring to vote, and to be allowed to go out late at night without an escort; in Hades, where, as you are no doubt aware, the management of the government has fallen almost wholly into the hands of the Furies; and even in the halls of Jupiter himself, where, I am credibly informed, Juno has been taking private lessons in the art of hurling thunderbolts—­information which the extraordinary quality of recent electrical storms on the earth would seem to confirm.  Thunderbolts of late years have been cast hither and yon in a most erratic fashion, striking where they were least expected, as those of you who keep in touch with the outer world must be fully aware.  Now, actuated by their usual broad and liberal motives, the men of Hades wish to meet the views of you ladies to just that extent that your views are based upon a wise selection, in turn based upon experience, and they have come to me and in so many words have said, ’Mr. Kidd, we wish the women of Hades to see the world.  We want them to be satisfied.  We do not like this constantly increasing spirit of unrest.  We, who have seen all the life that we care to see, do not ourselves feel equal to the task of showing them about.  We will pay you liberally if you will take our House-boat, which they have always been anxious to enter, and personally conduct our beloved ones to Paris, London, and elsewhere.  Let them see as much of life as they can stand.  Accord them every privilege.  Spare no expense; only bring them back again to us safe and sound.’  These were their words, ladies.  I asked them why they didn’t come along themselves, saying that even if they were tired of it all, they should make some personal sacrifice to your comfort; and they answered, reasonably and well, that they would be only too glad to do so, but that they feared they might unconsciously seem to exert a repressing influence upon you.  ’We want them to feel absolutely free, Captain Kidd,’ said they, ’and if we are along they may not feel so.’  The answer was convincing, ladies, and I accepted the commission.”

“But we knew nothing of all this,” interposed Elizabeth.  “The subject was not broached to us by our husbands, brothers, fiances, or fathers.  My brother, Sir Walter Raleigh—­”