“I heard you yesterday for the second time, Miss Garlett. You spoke as eloquently as you did the first time, perhaps even more so; but you crossed over into another field where I could not well follow you.”
“How so? I still treat the same question.”
“But from a different standpoint. When I heard you in Germany, you protested that you were not going to stand for the current aims of feminism—the franchise, candidacy for all public offices, and the like; that sort of thing you would leave to others. You would only urge that women should cultivate their intellect sufficiently to interest themselves in political and social life, so that by their influence they might be capable of imparting something of feminine virtues into the conduct of political and social affairs ... that is what I understood you to say.”
“You understood quite correctly, Your Highness.”
“And suddenly yesterday you began to join in all the extreme demands of the Women’s Rights party,—female voters, female members of Parliament—how can I tell to what extent they would go ... no ... there I am opposed. Perhaps I am reactionary, but I shudder at the mere thought of seeing women—delicate, lovely women—dragged about in the dusty battle-field.”
“Do you mean Parliaments? Parliaments need not be dusty and need not be battle-fields, but places for work.”
“Why yes, you expect that all will be changed. But that is the very thing I dread. There is so much that is fine, it would be a pity to change it—in other words, to destroy it. As, for example, suppose one were to cultivate nothing but vegetables instead of flowers. Of course, it would be more useful. And the captivating types of women who are to be found in our present state of civilization—to see them all disappear—that would be, indeed, deplorable. And must every woman have a calling? Wife, mother, sweetheart—are not those also callings?”
“There is no need of excluding others—just like husband, father, lover!”
“They are not to be compared. Oh, it has often been lamented that the world is robbed of its gods—I tremble at the thought that it may be robbed of its feminine elements. I question whether this whole movement for equality—because it is contrary to nature—is not to be regarded as a temporary aberration, now and again doing harm and destined to disappear. Please give me your ideas about this.”
Franka interrupted him with an impatient movement of her hand. The trend of the conversation affected her unpleasantly. “Excuse me, Your Highness, I cannot give you a second lecture! I should not convert you, for your objection does not rest on grounds of reason, but is rather instinctive and therefore especially vehement. Nor have I the wish to convert you. My specialty, as you yourself have remarked, is certainly not that of the militant feminist. It is remarkable, what an effect my yesterday’s address has produced: it moved a good friend to advise me to give up the whole thing—while it made the brilliant daughter of the house my enthusiastic disciple; and it entirely revolted you, Your Highness.”