Ignoring her tone, he answered in an off-hand, amiable way:
“Of course there is no reason why a woman should not enter politics or anything else, if she wishes. And there is no reason why a rose should not aspire to be a useful potato. But potatoes will always be cheaper than roses.”
She smiled wearily and leaned back. As their eyes met he detected a look of disappointment–perhaps at her discovery of yet one more man like all the others, earthy and superficial. But she merely said, and in a gentle tone:
“You forget that while all men are wise, all women are not beautiful.”
With a deep sigh he replied, “The profundity 25of your contempt I can only guess at. Whatever it is, I share it. We are a poor lot.
‘At thirty, man suspects himself a fool;
Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan.’
Which is all true except the last line.”
She smiled. “You are too severe. I consider man the highest form of animal life–after the dog and the elephant.”
“Then where does woman come in?”
“Oh–as man’s satellite she is hard to place. Her proper position might be anywhere between the peacock and the parrot.”