As though she had just recalled the circumstances, 'Oh, yes,' Vida said, 'I remember I thought at the time, in my modest way, it was nothing short of heroic of them to go asking audience of their arch opponent.' 'It didn't come off!' He wagged his strange head. 'Oh,' she said innocently, 'I thought they insisted on bearding the lion in his den.' 'Of course I wasn't going to be bothered with a lot of----' 'You don't mean you refused to go out and face them!' He put on a comic look of terror. 'I wouldn't have done it for worlds! But a friend of mine went and had a look at 'em.' 'Well,' she laughed,'did he get back alive?' 'Yes, but he advised me not to go. "You're quite right," he said. "Don't you think of bothering," he said. "I've looked over the lot," he said, "and there isn't a week-ender among 'em."' Upon the general laugh that drew Hermione and Captain Beeching into the group, Jean precipitated herself gaily into the conversation. 'Have they told you about Mrs. Freddy's friend who came to tea here in the winter?' she asked Hermione. 'He was a member of Parliament, too--quite a little young one--he said women would never be respected till they had the vote!' Mr. Greatorex snorted, the other men smiled, and all the women, except Aunt Lydia, did the same. 'I remember telling him,' Mrs. Heriot said, with marked severity, 'that he was too young to know what he was talking about.' 'Yes, I'm afraid you all sat on the poor gentleman,' said Lord Borrodaile. 'It was such fun. He was flat as a pancake when we'd done with him. Aunt Ellen was here. She told him with her most distinguished air she didn't want to be respected.' 'Dear Lady John!' murmured Miss Levering. 'I can hear her!' 'Quite right,' said Captain Beeching. 'Awful idea to think you're _respected_.' 'Simply revolting,' agreed Miss Heriot. 'Poor little man!' laughed Jean, 'and he thought he was being _so_ agreeable!' 'Instead of which it was you.' Miss Levering said the curious words quite pleasantly, but so low that only Jean heard them. The girl looked up. 'Me?' 'You had the satisfaction of knowing you had made yourself immensely popular with all other men.' The girl flushed. 'I hope you don't think I did it for that reason.' The little passage was unnoticed by the rest of the company, who were listening to Lord Borrodaile's contented pronouncement: 'I'm afraid the new-fangled seed falls on barren ground in our old-fashioned gardens--_pace_ my charming sister-in-law.' Greatorex turned sharply. 'Mrs. Tunbridge! God bless my soul, you don't mean----' 'There is one thing I will say for her'--Mrs. Freddy's brother-in-law lazily defended the honour of the house--'she doesn't, as a rule, obtrude her opinions. There are people who have known her for years, and haven't a notion she's a light among the misguided.' But Greatorex was not to be reassured. 'Mrs. Tunbridge! Lord, the perils that beset the feet of man!' He got up with a half-comic ill humour.