'And what did you think of the United States?' Mrs. Frampton inquired. 'Will they come in, do you think, or won't the President let them, whatever occurs? You met the President, didn't you? How did he strike you?' 'Oh, delightful. Like most governments; they're nearly all charming personally, I believe. So much stronger, as a rule, in the heart than in the head. They mean so much good and do much harm, poor dears. A curse seems to dog them. They're the victims of an iniquitous and insane system; and they lack fore-sight and sound judgment so terribly, for all their good intentions.' 'You would scarcely say the Kaiser had good intentions,' Mrs. Frampton suggested dubiously. Daphne said, 'I don't know him, but I'm told he has all sorts, good and bad, like other mischievous people.' 'We all know, anyhow, where good intentions pave the way to,' said Kate, more epigrammatic than usual, so that Mrs. Frampton said, 'Hush, dear,' and added, 'He'll have to face the consequences of his actions some day, when he's called to give account of his life. Perhaps we oughtn't to forestall his condemnation, poor man.' Daphne said, 'Indeed, I'm quite sure we ought. Condemnation will be singularly little use at the moment you refer to,' and then, because that moment would be a fruitless, and indeed most unsuitable, topic of conversation between her and Mrs. Frampton, she left it, and talked about flats in town, a subject which she and Violette regarded from standpoints very nearly as far sundered as those from which they contemplated the last judgment. After tea, Mrs. Frampton said she and Kate and Evie would now go away and leave Daphne and Alix alone together, which they did. The door shut behind them, and Daphne passed her long, capable hand over her forehead and shut her eyes for a moment. 'My dear child--what you have been through! It must end at once. So kind, and so unthinkably trying! No wonder--oh well, never mind, you'll soon be all right now.... Do they know _anything_ about anything that matters? No, quite obviously not.' 'I'd rather they didn't, mother. I don't like the things that matter. I've been quite comfortable.'