s we approve of that brand us as bad. The woman whose principles
are formed out of a knowledge of good and evil is better, is more to
be relied upon, than the woman who does not know enough to choose
between them. It is not what the body does, but what the mind thinks
that corrupts us."

"But from certain deeds evil thoughts are inseparable," Beth sighed;
"and surely toleration of evil comes from undue familiarity with it?"

"Yes, if you do not keep your condemnation side by side with your
knowledge of it," Lady Fulda agreed.

The night before she returned to Slane, Beth attended a meeting of the
new order which Ideala had founded. It was the first thing of the kind
she had been to, and she was much interested in the proceedings. Only
women were present. Beth was one of a semicircle of ladies who sat on
the platform behind the chair. There were subjects of grave social
importance under discussion, and most of the speaking was exceedingly
good, wise, temperate, and certainly not wanting in humour.

Towards the end of the evening there was an awkward pause because a
lady who was to have spoken had not arrived. Mrs. Kilroy, who was in
the chair, looked round for some one to fill the gap, and caught
Beth's eye.

"May I speak?" Beth whispered eagerly, leaning over to her. "I have
something to say."

Angelica nodded, gave the audience Beth's name, and then leant back in
her chair. The shorthand writers looked up indifferently, not
expecting to hear anything worth recording.

Beth went forward to the edge of the platform with a look of
intentness on her delicate face, and utterly oblivious of herself, or
anything else but her subject. She never thought of asking herself if
she could speak. All she considered was what she was going to say. She
clasped her slender hands in front of her, and began, slowly, with the
formula she had heard the other speakers use: "Madam Chairman,
ladies--" She paused, then suddenly spoke out on _The Desecration of
Marriage_.

At the first resonant notes of her clear, dispassionate voice, there
was a movement of interest, a kind of awakening, in the hall, and the
ladies on the platform behind her, who had been whispering to each
other, writing notes and passing them about, and paying more attention
to the business of the meeting generally than to the speakers, paused
and looked up.

Suddenly Ideala, with kindling eyes, leant over to Mrs. Orton Beg,
grasped her arm, and said something eage