“You mean in endorsing Maguire?”
Leonore began to visibly swell in importance. “Of course not,” she said, contemptuously. “Every one knows that that was decided against at the Manhattan dinner. I mean the unusual resolution about the next senator.”
Pell ceased to sigh. “I don’t know what you mean?” he said.
“Not really?” said Leonore incredulously, her nose cocking a little more airily. “I thought of course you would know about it. I’m so surprised!”
Pell looked at her half quizzingly, and half questioningly. “What is the resolution?”
“Naming a candidate for the vacancy for the Senate.”
“Nonsense,” said Pell, laughing. “The convention has nothing to do with the senators. The Legislature elects them.” He thought, “Why can’t women, if they will talk politics, at least learn the ABC.”
“Yes,” said Leonore, “but this is a new idea. The Senate has behaved so badly, that the party leaders think it will be better to make it a more popular body by having the New York convention nominate a man, and then they intend to make the legislature elect him. If the other states will only follow New York’s lead, it may make the Senate respectable and open to public opinion.”
Pell sniffed obviously. “In what fool paper did you read that?”
“I didn’t read it,” said Leonore, her eyes dancing with delight. “The papers are always behind the times. But I didn’t think that you would be, since you are to be named in the resolution.”