CHAPTER XIV

weretobewrittencertaineditorsapproached.Whatlinewasitadvisabletotake?ShefoundherselfstronglydisapprovingofwhatMr.Clactonwassaying.Shecommittedherselftotheopinionthatnowwasthetimetostrikehard.Directlyshehadsaidthis,shefeltthatshehadturneduponRalph’sghostandshebecamemoreandmoreinearnest,andanxioustobringtheothersroundtoherpointofview.Oncemore,sheknewexactlyandindisputablywhatisrightandwhatiswrong.Asifemergingfromamist,theoldfoesofthepublicgoodloomedaheadofher—capitalists,newspaperproprietors,anti-suffragists,and,insomewaysmostperniciousofall,themasseswhotakenointerestonewayoranother—amongwhom,forthetimebeing,shecertainlydiscernedthefeaturesofRalphDenham.Indeed,whenMissMarkhamaskedhertosuggestthenamesofafewfriendsofhers,sheexpressedherselfwithunusualbitterness: “Myfriendsthinkallthiskindofthinguseless.”ShefeltthatshewasreallysayingthattoRalphhimself. “Oh,they’rethatsort,arethey?”saidMissMarkham,withalittlelaughandwithrenewedvigortheirlegionschargedthefoe. Mary’sspiritshadbeenlowwhensheenteredthecommittee-roombutnowtheywereconsiderablyimproved.Sheknewthewaysofthisworlditwasashapely,orderlyplaceshefeltconvincedofitsrightanditswrongandthefeelingthatshewasfittodealaheavyblowagainstherenemieswarmedherheartandkindledhereye.Inoneofthoseflightsoffancy,notcharacteristicofherbuttiresomelyfrequentthisafternoon,sheenvisagedherselfbatteredwithrotteneggsuponaplatform,fromwhichRalphvainlybeggedhertodescend.But— “WhatdoImattercomparedwiththecause?”shesaid,andsoon.Muchtohercredit,howeverteasedbyfoolishfancies,shekeptthesurfaceofherbrainmoderateandvigilant,andsubduedMrs.Sealverytactfullymorethanoncewhenshedemanded,“Action!—everywhere!—atonce!”asbecameherfather’sdaughter. Theothermembersofthecommittee,whowereallratherelderlypeople,wereagooddealimpressedbyMary,andinclinedtosidewithherandagainsteachother,partly,perhaps,becauseofheryouth.ThefeelingthatshecontrolledthemallfilledMarywithasenseofpowerandshefeltthatnoworkcanequalinimportance,orbesoexcitingas,theworkofmakingotherpeopledowhatyouwantthemtodo.Indeed,whenshehadwonherpointshefeltaslightdegreeofcontemptforthepeoplewhohadyieldedtoher. Thecommitteenowrose,gatheredtogethertheirpapers,shookthemstraight,placedthemintheirattache-cases,snappedthelocksfirmlytogether,andhurriedaway,having,forthemostpart,tocatchtrains,inordertokeepotherappointmentswithothercommittees,fortheywereallbusypeople.Mary,Mrs.Seal,andMr.Clactonwereleftalonetheroomwashotanduntidy,thepiecesofpinkblotting-paperwerelyingatdifferentanglesuponthetable,andthetumblerwashalffullofwater,whichsomeonehadpouredoutandforgottentodrink. Mrs.Sealbeganpreparingthetea,whileMr.Clactonretiredtohisroomtofilethefreshaccumulationofdocuments.MarywastoomuchexcitedeventohelpMrs.Sealwiththecupsandsaucers.Sheflungupthewindowandstoodbyit,lookingout.Thestreetlampswerealreadylitandthroughthemistinthesquareonecouldseelittlefigureshurryingacrosstheroadandalongthepavement,onthefartherside.Inherabsurdmoodoflustfularrogance,Marylookedatthelittlefiguresandthought,“IfIlikedIcouldmakeyougointhereorstopshortIcouldmakeyouwalkinsinglefileorindoublefileIcoulddowhatIlikedwithyou.”ThenMrs.Sealcameandstoodbyher. “Oughtn’tyoutoputsomethingroundyourshoulders,Sally?”Maryasked,inratheracondescendingtoneofvoice,feelingasortofpityfortheenthusiasticineffectivelittlewoman.ButMrs.Sealpaidnoattentiontothesuggestion. “Well,didyouenjoyyourself?”Maryasked,withalittlelaugh. Mrs.Sealdrewadeepbreath,restrainedherself,andthenburstout,lookingout,too,uponRussellSquareandSouthamptonRow,andatthepassers-by,“Ah,ifonlyonecouldgeteveryoneofthosepeopleintothisroom,andmakethemunderstandforfiveminutes!Buttheymustseethetruthsomeday....Ifonlyonecouldmakethemseeit....” MaryknewherselftobeverymuchwiserthanMrs.Seal,andwhenMrs.Sealsaidanything,evenifitwaswhatMaryherselfwasfeeling,sheautomaticallythoughtofallthattherewastobesaidagainstit.Onthisoccasionherarrogantfeelingthatshecoulddirecteverybodydwindledaway. “Let’shaveourtea,”shesaid,turningbackfromthewindowandpullingdowntheblind.“Itwasagoodmeeting—didn’tyouthinkso,Sally?”sheletfall,casually,asshesatdo