'In a trip to 'Olloway? No, thank you!'
Upon that something indistinguishable to the three who were withdrawing was said in the group that had sniggered through Mrs. Thomas's speech. Another one of that choice circle gave a great guffaw. There were still more who were amused, but less indiscreetly. Three men, looking like gentlemen, paused in the act of strolling by. They, too, were smiling.
'You laugh!' Ernestine's voice rang out.
'Wait a moment,' said Vida to her companions.
She looked back. It was plain, from Ernestine's face, she was not going to let the meeting break up on that note.
'Don't you think it a little strange, considering the well-known chivalry among men—don't you think it strange that against no reform the world has ever seen——?'
'Reform! Wot rot!'
'If you don't admit it's reform, call it revolt!' She threw the red-hot word out among the people as if its fire scorched her. 'Against no revolt has there ever been such a torrent of ridicule let loose as against the Women's Movement. It almost seems as if—in spite of men's well-known protecting tenderness towards woman—it almost seems as if there's nothing in this world so funny to a man as a woman!'
'Haw! Haw! Got it right that time!'
Borrodaile was smiling, too.