omance?

MITCHENER (making a movement toward her). I tell you--

LADY CORINTHIA. Stop. No nearer. No vulgar sensuousness. If you must
adore, adore at a distance.

MITCHENER. This is worse than Mrs. Banger. I shall ask that estimable
woman to come back.

LADY CORINTHIA. Poor Mrs. Banger! Do not for a moment suppose, General
Mitchener, that Mrs. Banger represents my views on the suffrage
question. Mrs. Banger is a man in petticoats. I am every inch a woman;
but I find it convenient to work with her.

MITCHENER. Do you find the combination comfortable?

LADY CORINTHIA. I do not wear combinations, General: (with dignity) they
are unwomanly.

MITCHENER (throwing himself despairingly into the chair next the
hearthrug). I shall go mad. I never for a moment dreamt of alluding to
anything of the sort.

LADY CORINTHIA. There is no need to blush and become self-conscious at
the mention of underclothing. You are extremely vulgar, General.

MITCHENER. Lady Corinthia: you have my pistol. Will you have the
goodness to blow my brains out. I should prefer it to any further effort
to follow the gyrations of the weathercock you no doubt call your mind.
If you refuse, then I warn you that youll not get another word out of
me--not if we sit here until doomsday.

LADY CORINTHIA. I dont want you to talk. I want you to listen. You do
not yet understand my views on the question of the Suffrage. (She rises
to make a speech.) I must preface my remarks by reminding you that the
Suffraget movement is essentially a dowdy movement. The suffragets are
not all dowdies; but they are mainly supported by dowdies. Now I am not
a dowdy. Oh, no compliments--

MITCHENER. I did not utter a sound.

LADY CORINTHIA (smiling). It is easy to read your thoughts. I am one
of those women who are accustomed to rule the world through men. Man is
ruled by beauty, by charm. The men who are not have no influence. The
Salic Law, which forbade women to occupy a throne, is founded on the
fact that when a woman is on the throne the country is ruled by men, and
therefore ruled badly; whereas when a man is on the throne, the country
is ruled by women, and therefore ruled well. The suffragets would
degrade women from being rulers to being voters, mere politicians,
the drudges of the caucus and the polling booth. We should lose our
influence completely under such a state of affairs. The New Zealand
women have the vote. What is the result? No poet ever makes a New
Z