he government should
be closed to them, that they should be set apart and distinguished
from the managers of affairs."

"And so do we say it!" broke in the leader. "With all my heart, I
say it."

The tall man bowed, "It was the idea of Napoleon that woman should
be distinguished always by a veil and gown, a uniform of
unworthiness and of danger. True, Napoleon based his ideas on his
studies in the Orient. Us he accused of treating woman much too
well. He declared woman, by virtue of her birth, to be made as
man's inferior and his slave, and would tolerate no other
construction of the relation of the sexes. According to Napoleon,
women tyrannize over us Americans, whereas we should tyrannize over
them. It was plain, in his conception, that the main province of
woman is in making fools of men."

"In some ways, Napoleon was a thoughtful man," remarked, a voice to
the left; and once more a half subdued smile went around.

"I yield to no man in my admiration for the fair sex--" began the
tall, dark man. The smile broke into open laughter. The leader
rapped sharply on the table edge, frowning. The tall man bowed
once more, as he resumed.

"--but, viewed from the standpoint, of our diplomacy, the matter here
is simple. Last week, at the reception where the representatives of
Austria were present this woman appeared, properly introduced,
properly invited, it is true, but wholly unwelcome socially, in
certain quarters. The attache and his wife left the roof, and made
plain to their host their reasons for doing so."

"Yes, and it was public shame that they should take such action.
The woman had the right of her host's protection, for she was there
by invitation!" Thus the bony man in the shadows.

Again the leader rapped on the table. "Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he
began, not wholly humorously. "Let us have a care. Let us at
least not divide into factions here. We all of us, I trust, can
remember the case of Peggy O'Neil, who split Washington asunder not
so long ago. She was the wife of one of President Jackson's
cabinet members, yet when she appeared upon a ball-room floor, all
the ladies left it. It was Jackson and Eaton against the world.
That same situation to-day, granted certain conditions, might mean
a war which would disrupt this Union. In fact, I consider
Josephine St. Auban to-day more dangerous than Mrs. Eaton at her
worst."

"But we have just heard what rights we have before the law, sir,"
v