“After sixty, perhaps,” interrupted Ernesta. “But where sex is involved it is inevitable that each through the instinct of jealousy and possession will always seek to limit the liberty of the other. You can never change the essential quality of marriage. What we must look forward to is the shifting of authorities. Man-made marriage is a failure. The salvation of society is in the future of woman.” “The salvation of _civilization_, of all economic and political reform is in the true development of woman,” corrected my mother-in-law in her coldly treble voice. “Yes, Mamma,” said Ernesta. “I was coming to that.” “Mrs. Billings is right, quite right,” broke in a guttural Scandinavian voice. “Society has gone as far as it can go under the man era. All men understand is the instinct they were born with, to wrestle and claw and fight down one another.” I yawned again and peeped into the pages of “Marriage and Morals.” I knew the arguments by heart.... “But how can we do without them?” said Mrs. Zanzigger faintly. “What becomes of men is unimportant,” said Ernesta parading the floor. “They will return to their clubs probably. The woman’s movement has only just begun. Suffrage is the first step. What are we going to do with marriage, with the home, with the children? Is woman to remain an adjunct or free herself as a completed individuality? We must destroy all traditional inhibitions; the fear complexes that are holding her back. We must make her look on herself not as man’s equal but as man’s superior.” “If the children are to be kept in the home,” said the guttural voice, “what then?” “Then the man must look after them,” said Ernesta to the accompaniment of a ripple of laughter. “The age of physical force is over. The age of intellect is coming. Only physical force has kept woman as the mistress of man and the nurse of his children. When machinery has neutralized muscle, a woman will be able to run the machinery as well as man.” “Our program should be political action, to enlarge our economic progress,” said Mrs. Billings. “We should always have in view, as Ernesta has correctly expressed my views, that ahead of us is the dawn of a higher civilization, freed from old superstitions and based on logic and scientific readjustments. Only women have the imagination and courage to bring that about.” After this I heard only confusedly, my head must have begun to nod, for sounds and forms became confused and my book slid to the floor. All at once--a brilliant light seemed to play about me. I started up and found myself on a stretcher in the laboratory of my friend Dr. Sachaloff, with two white clad nurses bending over me. My friend came over. “Well, John, if you still wish to back out, this is your last chance. Everything is ready. You’ve stood the preliminary tests astonishingly well. Heart action, liver, blood and respiration, perfect. Do you feel any discomfort?” “Not the slightest.”