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nning seals alive。 'I feel so sorry for the poor creatures；' she murmured； 'but they say it gives so much more depth of colour to the fur。' Her own jacket was certainly a very beautiful specimen。〃
〃When I was editing a paper；〃 I said； 〃I opened my columns to a correspondence on this very subject。 Many letters were sent to me most of them trite； many of them foolish。 One； a genuine document； I remember。 It came from a girl who for six years had been assistant to a fashionable dressmaker。 She was rather tired of the axiom that all women； at all times； are perfection。 She suggested that poets and novelists should take service for a year in any large drapery or millinery establishment where they would have an opportunity of studying woman in her natural state； so to speak。〃
〃It is unfair to judge us by what； I confess； is our chief weakness；〃 argued the Woman of the World。 〃Woman in pursuit of clothes ceases to be humanshe reverts to the original brute。 Besides； dressmakers can be very trying。 The fault is not entirely on one side。〃
〃I still fail to be convinced；〃 remarked the Girton Girl； 〃that woman is over…praised。 Not even the present conversation； so far as it has gone； altogether proves your point。〃
〃I am not saying it is the case among intelligent thinkers；〃 explained the Philosopher； 〃but in popular literature the convention still lingers。 To woman's face no man cares to protest against it； and woman； to her harm； has come to accept it as a truism。 'What are little girls made of？ Sugar and spice and all that's nice。' In more or less varied form the idea has entered into her blood； shutting out from her hope of improvement。 The girl is discouraged from asking herself the occasionally needful question： Am I on the way to becoming a sound； useful member of society？ Or am I in danger of degenerating into a vain； selfish； lazy piece of good…for… nothing rubbish？ She is quite content so long as she can detect in herself no tendency to male vices； forgetful that there are also feminine vices。 Woman is the spoilt child of the age。 No one tells her of her faults。 The World with its thousand voices flatters her。 Sulks； bad temper； and pig…headed obstinacy are translated as 'pretty Fanny's wilful ways。' Cowardice； contemptible in man or woman； she is encouraged to cultivate as a charm。 Incompetence to pack her own bag or find her own way across a square and round a corner is deemed an attraction。 Abnormal ignorance and dense stupidity entitle her to pose as the poetical ideal。 If she give a penny to a street beggar； selecting generally the fraud； or kiss a puppy's nose； we exhaust the language of eulogy； proclaiming her a saint。 The marvel to me is that； in spite of the folly upon which they are fed； so many of them grow to be sensible women。〃
〃Myself；〃 remarked the Minor Poet； 〃I find much comfort in the conviction that talk； as talk； is responsible for much less good and much less harm in the world than we who talk are apt to imagine。 Words to grow and bear fruit must fall upon the earth of fact。〃
〃But you hold it right to fight against folly？〃 demanded the Philosopher。
〃Heavens； yes！〃 cried the Minor Poet。 〃That is how one knows it is Follyif we can kill it。 Against the Truth our arrows rattle harmlessly。〃
CHAPTER VI
〃But what is her reason？〃 demanded the Old Maid。
〃Reason！ I don't believe any of them have any reason。〃 The Woman of the World showed sign of being short of temper； a condition of affairs startlingly unusual to her。 〃Says she hasn't enough work to do。〃
〃She must be an extraordinary woman；〃 commented the Old Maid。
〃The trouble I have put myself to in order to keep that woman； just because George likes her savouries； no one would believe；〃 continued indignantly the Woman of the World。 〃We have had a dinner party regularly once a week for the last six months； entirely for her benefit。 Now she wants me to give two。 I won't do it！〃
〃If I could be of any service？〃 offered the Minor Poet。 〃My digestion is not what it once was； but I could make up in qualitya recherche little banquet twice a week； say on Wednesdays and Saturdays； I would make a point of eating with you。 If you think that would content her！〃
〃It is really thoughtful of you；〃 replied the Woman of the World； 〃but I cannot permit it。 Why should you be dragged from the simple repast suitable to a poet merely to oblige my cook？ It is not reason。〃
〃I was thinking rather of you；〃 continued the Minor Poet。
〃I've half a mind；〃 said the Woman of the World； 〃to give up housekeeping altogether and go into an hotel。 I don't like the idea； but really servants are becoming impossible。〃
〃It is very interesting；〃 said the Minor Poet。
〃I am glad you find it so！〃 snapped the Woman of the World。
〃What is interesting？〃 I asked the Minor Poet。
〃That the tendency of the age；〃 he replied； 〃should be slowly but surely driving us into the practical adoption of a social state that for years we have been denouncing the Socialists for merely suggesting。 Everywhere the public…houses are multiplying； the private dwellings diminishing。〃
〃Can you wonder at it？〃 commented the Woman of the World。 〃You men talk about 'the joys of home。' Some of you write poetrygenerally speaking； one of you who lives in chambers； and spends two…thirds of his day at a club。〃 We were sitting in the garden。 The attention of the Minor Poet became riveted upon the sunset。 〃'Ethel and I by the fire。' Ethel never gets a chance of sitting by the fire。 So long as you are there； comfortable； you do not notice that she has left the room to demand explanation why the drawing…room scuttle is always filled with slack； and the best coal burnt in the kitchen range。 Home to us women is our place of business that we never get away from。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said the Girton Girlto my surprise she spoke with entire absence of indignation。 As a rule； the Girton Girl stands for what has been termed 〃divine discontent〃 with things in general。 In the course of time she will outlive her surprise at finding the world so much less satisfactory an abode than she had been led to supposealso her present firm conviction that； given a free hand； she could put the whole thing right in a quarter of an hour。 There are times even now when her tone suggests less certainty of her being the first person who has ever thought seriously about the matter。 〃I suppose；〃 said the Girton Girl； 〃it comes of education。 Our grandmothers were content to fill their lives with these small household duties。 They rose early； worked with their servants； saw to everything with their own eyes。 Nowadays we demand time for self…development； for reading； for thinking； for pleasure。 Household drudgery； instead of being the object of our life； has become an interference to it。 We resent it。〃
〃The present revolt of woman；〃 continued the Minor Poet； 〃will be looked back upon by the historian of the future as one of the chief factors in our social evolution。 The 'home'the praises of which we still sing； but with gathering misgivingdepended on her willingness to live a life of practical slavery。 When Adam delved and Eve spanAdam confining his delving to the space within his own fence； Eve staying her spinning…wheel the instant the family hosiery was completethen the home rested upon the solid basis of an actual fact。 Its foundations were shaken when the man became a citizen and his interests expanded beyond the domestic circle。 Since that moment woman alone has supported the institution。 Now she； in her turn； is claiming the right to enter the community； to escape from the solitary confinement of the lover's castle。 The 'mansions；' with common dining…rooms； reading…rooms； their system of common service； are springing up in every quarter； the house； the villa； is disappearing。 The story is the same in every country。 The separate dwelling； where it remains； is being absorbed into a system。 In America； the experimental laboratory of the future； the houses are warmed from a common furnace。 You do not light the fire； you turn on the hot air。 Your dinner is brought round to you in a travelling oven。 You subscribe for your valet or your lady's maid。 Very soo