“Ever spent a day at the Home for Destitute Gentlewomen at East Sheen?” demanded Madge. He would not put up again for Parliament. He was thinking of going back to his old work upon the union. “Parliament is played out,” he had written her. “Kings and Aristocracies have served their purpose and have gone, and now the Ruling Classes, as they call themselves, must be content to hear the bell toll for them also. Parliament was never anything more than an instrument in their hands, and never can be. What happens? Once in every five years you wake the people up: tell them the time has come for them to exercise their Heaven-ordained privilege of putting a cross against the names of some seven hundred gentlemen who have kindly expressed their willingness to rule over them. After that, you send the people back to sleep; and for the next five years these seven hundred gentlemen, consulting no one but themselves, rule over the country as absolutely as ever a Caesar ruled over Rome. What sort of Democracy is that? Even a Labour Government—supposing that in spite of the Press it did win through—what would be its fate? Separated from its base, imprisoned within those tradition-haunted walls, it would lose touch with the people, would become in its turn a mere oligarchy. If the people are ever to govern they must keep their hand firmly upon the machine; not remain content with pulling a lever and then being shown the door.”!

“Thank you,” she answered. “He would think it kind of you, I know.” Instinctively she held out her hand and he grasped it.

Flossie, who had been hovering impatient, broke in. “So you’re like all the rest of them, lad,” she said. “It’s for King and country. Good luck to you.” Joan stopped. “Why, it’s the house you are always talking about,” she said. “Are you thinking of taking it?”