'The light!' echoed Victoria bitterly. 'You have no idea, I see, of how many people there are who are bringing the light to women like me. There are various religious organisations who wish to rescue us and to house us comfortably under the patronage of the police, to keep us nicely and feed us on what is suitable for the fallen; they expect us to sew ten hours a day for these privileges, but that is by the way. There are also many kindly souls who offer little jobs as charwomen to those of us who are too worn out to pursue our calling; we are offered emigration as servants in exchange for the power of commanding a household; we are offered poverty for luxury, service for domination, slavery to women instead of slavery to men. How tempting it is! And now here is the light in another form: the right to drop a bit of paper into a box every four years or so and settle thereby whether the Home Secretary who administers the law of my trade shall live in fear of buff prejudice or blue.' The suffragist said nothing for a second. She felt shaken by Victoria's bitterness. 'Women will have no party,' she said lamely, 'they will vote as women.' 'Oh? I have heard somewhere that the danger of giving women the vote is that they will vote solid "as women," as you say and swamp the men. Is that so?' 'No, I'm afraid not,' said the suffragist unguardedly, 'of course women will split up into political parties.' 'Indeed? Then where is this woman vote which is going to remould the world? It is swamped in the ordinary parties.' The suffragist was in a dilemma. 'You forget,' she answered, wriggling on the horns, 'that women can always be aroused for a noble cause. . . .' 'Am I a noble cause?' asked Victoria, smiling. 'So far as I can see women, even the highest of them, despise us because we do illegally what they do legally, hate us because we attract, envy us because we shine. I have often thought that if Christ had said, "Let her who hath never sinned . . ." the woman would have been stoned. What do you think?' The suffragist hesitated, cleared her throat. 'That will all go when we have the vote, women will be a force, a nobler force; they will realise . . . they will sympathise more . . . then they will cast their vote for women.' Victoria shook her head. 'Miss Welkin,' she said, 'you are an idealist. Now, will you ask me to your next meeting if you are satisfied as to my views, announce me for what I am and introduce me to your committee?' 'I don't see . . . I don't think,' stammered the suffragist, 'you see some of our committee. . . .' Victoria laughed. 'You see. Never mind. I assure you I wouldn't go. But, tell me, supposing women get the vote, most of my class will be disfranchised on the present registration law. What will you women do for us?' The suffragist thought for a minute.