'  It  is  wrong  that  we  should  not  have  a  vote  if  we
are  reasonable  beings ;  we  can  be  teachers,  doctors,
chemists,  factory  inspectors,  business  managere,
writers ;  we  can  sit  on  local  authorities,  and  we  can't
cast  a  vot«  for  a  member  of  Parliament.  It's  pre-
posterous, it's  .  .  .'


A  BED  OF  ROSES  321

'Yes,  I  nnderstand,  but  what  will  the  vote  do  for
us  ?     Will  it  raise  wages  ?  '

*  It  must  raise  wages.  Men's  wages  have  risen  a
lot  since  they  got  the  vote.'

*  Do  you  think  that's  because  they  got  the  vote  ?  '

*  Yes.  Well,  partly.  At  any  rate  there  are  things
above  wages,'  said  the  suffragist  excitedly.  '  And
you  know,  we  know  that  the  vote  is  wanted  especially
because  it  is  an  education ;  by  inducing  women  to
take  an  interest  in  politics  we  will  broaden  their
minds,  teach  them  to  combine  and  then  automatically
their  wages  will  rise.'

'  Oh,  yes.'  Victoria  was  rather  struck  by  the
argument.  *  Then,'  she  said,  '  you  admit  men  are
superior  to  women  ?  '

'  Well,  yes  at  any  rate  at  present,'  said  the  suffragist
rather  sulkily.  '  But  you  must  remember  that  men
have  had  nearly  eighty  years  training  in  political
affairs.  That's  why  we  want  the  vote ;  to  wake  women
up.  Oh,  you  have  no  idea  what  it  will  mean  when
we  get  it.  We  shall  have  fresh  minds  bearing  on
political  problems,  we  shall  have  more  adequate  pro-
tection for  women  and  children,  compulsory  feeding,
endowment  of  mothers,  more  education,  shorter  hours,
more  sanitary  inspection.  We  shall  not  be  enslaved  by
parties ;  a  nobler  influence,  the  influence  of  pure
women  will  breathe  an  atmosphere  of  virtue  into  this
terrible  world.'

The  woman's  eyes  were  wrapt  now,  her  hands  tightly
clenched,  her  lips  parted,  her  cheeks  a  little  flushed.
