When Julia and Tay arrived at the house in Tilney Street she was standing3 beside a table at the end of the drawing-room. One hand rested lightly upon it, the other held a slip of paper. On her left sat Mrs. Maundrell and Lady Dark, on her right Mrs. Flint, a working woman from the slums of Bloomsbury, and an eminent4 leader in the Militant5 ranks of her own class. The room was well filled with charmingly gowned women, some mildly but financially sympathetic with the cause of Suffrage6, others as mildly adverse7. All looked mildly expectant.
“Aunt Maria said nothing about this,” whispered Julia to Tay. “We’ll sit at the back until it’s over—that is, if you think you can stand it.”
“I’ll do my best. Like you, I can detach my mind.”
“Ladies,” began Mrs. Winstone, in a deep grave voice, and not seeing Julia, wondering who on earth the attractive-looking stranger could be, “we all know too much of the great cause which brings us together to-day for me to waste any words on its history. Suffice it to say that—a—” (she referred to the slip in her hand) “it is now a cause which no woman that respects herself can afford to ignore, a cause that for the first time in history has united all classes of women in one indissoluble bond. It originated in the great middle or manufacturing class, eloquently9 known as the backbone10 of England, and quickly spread to what is in our generation the most powerful of all, the working class. Thirty members of this great class sit in the House of Commons, but their better part is still clamoring at the gates. I refer, of course, to the thousands of working women now enrolled11 in the Militant army. One of these, the most—a—distinguished of its leaders, has kindly12 consented to talk to us to-day. She has her scars of battle. She has stormed the house of the Prime Minister, both when he lived in Cavendish Square, and after he was elevated to the more historic Downing Street. She has six times fought with the police guarding the House of Commons, and three times served a term in Holloway. Her recruits are numberless—Ladies, allow me to introduce Mrs. Flint.”
She sat down and spread out her train. Mrs. Flint rose amidst the pleasant impact of kid, and Julia murmured to Tay:?—
“A fine bluffer13, my aunt, if you like. But all Englishwomen seem to speak well, by instinct.”
Tay was groaning14 in spirit, but soon gave his ear to Mrs. Flint, who made a short pointed15 and effective speech. Her restraint and simplicity16 alone would have commanded attention. She began by remarking with grim humor that she had not been at all worried by the punching and kicking of the police, as her husband had beaten her every Saturday night for ten years until he disappeared, leaving her to support and bring up seven children as best she might. But although she had long since forgiven him for all this, it being quite in the nature of things, she had enjoyed kicking the policemen back and clawing when she got her chance, as they belonged to that sex which had ruined the lives of two of her girls: one had flung herself into the Thames, and the other come home with her child, shattered in body and mind. Then, dismissing her personal affairs, she went on to speak of the wrongs of working women in general, their miserable17 wages for men’s work, and the new hope that filled their lives at the prospect18 of women being able to force men to keep their election promises and command a fixed19 and adequate wage for women’s work, shorter hours, and improved social conditions; conditions at present beyond the efforts of women on the municipal boards or even of the Friendly Societies. There was no ranting20 against man. Mrs. Flint recognized that he couldn’t help himself, having been born that way, and incapable21 of understanding the limited endurance, and the needs, of women and children. She paid a just tribute to the few humane22 and enlightened men that had improved conditions in the past, but added that she saw no disciples23 among the present men in power. The only men that seemed to give any thought to the improvement of the poor were the Socialists24, and they did nothing but talk and write pamphlets. They showed nothing of the life and the fighting spirit of the women now engaged in a war which would cease only when they were either all dead or victorious25. When she had illustrated26 her address with a number of brief but terrible anecdotes27, she finished with an eloquent8 appeal to her hearers to take part in the next raid on the House of Commons, should the Government fail to keep its tacit promise; and sat down amid a lively applause, as sincere as her speech.
“By Jove!” said Tay. “A working woman! Wish you could see ours. But we have the scum of Europe. Mrs. Flint is the undiluted British article. After all, it doesn’t speak so badly for your men that such women have been allowed to breed in this country—also your own lot. Ever think of that?”
“Rather, and they must take the consequences. We prove ourselves the more logical sex inasmuch as we demand the logical result. Now! Bridgit!”
Mrs. Maundrell spoke28 like a fiery29 torrent30, re?nforcing Mrs. Flint’s personal experiences with several of her own, garnered31 when she had worked in the slums; and impressing her audience with their duty to go out and fight to mitigate32 the lot of the poor, even if they had not sufficient self-respect to demand the ballot33 because it was their right on general principles.
Ishbel followed, speaking with her usual calm practical sense, and her appeal was to the immediate34 pocket. The funds of the unions must constantly be replenished35, and she asked all present, in the soft accents of one unaccustomed to denial, and with her most enchanting36 smile, to subscribe37 liberally to the union represented by Mrs. Flint. She herself would distribute the promise cards.
“When I go back,” said Tay, “I’ll drum up all the useless beauties I know and start a class for their education in public speaking, and in thinking of something besides themselves. No wonder these women hit the bull’s-eye every time.”
And he cheerfully parted with five pounds when the distracting Ishbel told him how she had longed to meet this old friend of her own dear friend, and begged him to dine with her on the following evening.
“And you really must take advantage of this truce38, dear,” she said to Julia, “and see a bit of the lighter39 side of life once more. We’ll be just a family party—like old times!”
“Nigel? Is he in town?” asked Julia, in alarm.
“No, he’s in Syria; writes from some hotel on Mount Carmel. I believe you suggested?—”
“Ah! At last! I feared he never really would care for the idea.” But the relief in her voice was not in the cause of the Bahai religion.
Here Mrs. Maundrell bore down on them, and her eyes flashed from Tay’s face to Julia’s with an expression of angry misgiving40. But Julia was cool and smiling, and Tay shook her hand heartily41 and protested that he had long thought of her as another old friend. Mrs. Maundrell liked him so spontaneously that she was more alarmed than ever.
“Come and meet my aunt,” said Julia, hastily, and bore him off.
Mrs. Winstone, who knew nothing of the correspondence, almost betrayed her surprise as the two approached her, and wondered if Julia really were going to turn out a woman. At all events she had shown taste in her sudden departure from sixteen years of inhuman42 indifference43. The hostess greeted the one man present with warmth.
“So glad you could come, and so sorry I’m goin’ away. It would have been too jolly to know Charlotte’s brother. But I’m startin’ for my old home in the West Indies on Wednesday.”
“What?” cried Julia. “You never told me.”
“How very odd. But my nerves need a rest. Hannah and Pirie are goin’ with me.”
“To visit my mother?” gasped44 Julia.
“Rather not. Bath House has been rebuilt, in part. They are goin’ to take the baths for their gout. Any message for your mother?”
“Give her my love, of course.”
“Why not come along?”
“Well, you see, Aunt Maria, I am not quite casual enough, if I am English, to leave my party on a day’s notice.”
“So glad I’m not a leader. I always do what I want, without botherin’ about anybody else. Makes life so simple. How do, Hannah? Have you survived it?”
Tay had been swept off into a vortex of suffragists and antis, all arguing with determination. Julia sought out Ishbel and had a talk in a corner with that ever soothing45 friend.
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1
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
banishing
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的现在分词 ) | |
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3
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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6
suffrage
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| n.投票，选举权，参政权 | |
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7
adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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8
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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10
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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11
enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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12
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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13
bluffer
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| n.用假像骗人的人 | |
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14
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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15
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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16
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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17
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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18
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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19
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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20
ranting
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| v.夸夸其谈( rant的现在分词 )；大叫大嚷地以…说教；气愤地)大叫大嚷；不停地大声抱怨 | |
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21
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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23
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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24
socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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25
victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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26
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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27
anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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28
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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29
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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30
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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31
garnered
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| v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
mitigate
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| vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和 | |
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33
ballot
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| n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票 | |
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34
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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35
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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36
enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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37
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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38
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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39
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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40
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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41
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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42
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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43
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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44
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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45
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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