'The man who served one woman—God knows how many more—very ill, shall serve hundreds of thousands well. Geoffrey Stonor shall make it harder for his son, harder still for his grandson, to treat any woman as he treated me.'
'How will he do that?' said the lady coldly.
'By putting an end to the helplessness of women.'
'You must think he has a great deal of power,' said her ladyship, with some irony.
'Power? Yes,' answered the other, 'men have too much over penniless and frightened women.'
'What nonsense! You talk as though the women hadn't their share of human nature. We aren't made of ice any more than the men.'
'No, but we have more self-control.'
'Than men?'
Vida had risen. She looked down at her friend. 'You know we have,' she said.
'I know,' said Lady John shrewdly, 'we mustn't admit it.'