"My husband is now chief of the Cabinet of the Foreign Minister," said Madame Piriac with modest pride. "They kill themselves, you know, in that office--especially in these times. But I watch. And I tell Monsieur Gilman to watch.... How nice you are when you sit in a chair like that! Only Englishwomen know how to use an easy chair.... To say nothing of the frock." "Madame Piriac," Audrey brusquely demanded with an expression of ingenuous curiosity. "Why did you bring me here?" It was the cry of an animal at once rash and rather desperate, determined to unmask all the secret dangers that might be threatening. "I much desired to see you," Madame Piriac answered very smoothly, "in order to apologise to you for my indiscreet question on the night when we first met. Your fairy tale about your late husband was a very proper reply to the attitude of Madame Rosamund--as you all call her. It was very clever--so clever that I myself did not appreciate it until after I had spoken. Ever since that moment I have wanted to explain, to know you more. Also your pretence of going to sleep in the automobile showed what in a woman I call distinguished talent." "But, Madame, I assure you that I really was asleep." "So much the better. The fact proves that your instinct for the right thing is quite exceptional. It is not that I would criticise Madame Rosamund, who has genius. Nevertheless her genius causes her to commit errors of which others would be incapable.... So she has captured you, too." "Captured me!" Audrey protested--and she was made stronger by the flattering reference to her distinguished talent. "I've never seen her from that day to this!" "No. But she has captured you. You are going." "Going where?" "To London, to take part in these riots." "I shan't have anything to do with riots." "Within a month you will have been in a riot, Madame ... and I shall regret it." "And even if I am, Madame! You are a friend of Rosamund's. You must be in sympathy." "In sympathy with what?" "With--with all this suffragism, feminism. I am anyway!" Audrey sat up straight. "It's horrible that women don't have the Vote. And it's horrible the things they have to suffer in order to get it. But they _will_ get it!" "Why do you say 'they'?" "I mean 'we.'"