‘A simple matter. Beefy, here, was saying women are neurotic and cheap these days. I took a brief in defence of your sex—that’s all.’
‘Mr Jones is saucy, I think,’ muttered Marjory, just as she was about to put her pretty teeth into a cherry-cake.
‘Per-haps; but don’t you think you girls get it all your own way these days?’ answered Beefy.
‘Yes, after thousands of years of bondage. It was surely time to break the shackles. We’ve been cooped up like canaries. There’s a big difference between freedom and folly. I don’t think the average girl makes a mess of things. Ours is not the easy path you think, Mr Jones. Why shouldn’t we do things? We can’t all get married, so we have to carve out our careers. If we do have our innocent pleasures, I think we work mighty hard for them, especially in war-time.’
‘Yes; but aren’t you girls a fickle lot?’
‘That depends on the sort of girl. Many of you boys chase powdered creatures, who are as brainless as they are hopeless. They are the moths who rush at every bright candle, but they don’t represent the nice girls in the provinces or away in the decent West-End homes. These stupid girls are getting our sex a bad name. You boys are so silly.—Do have more tea,’ she said, peering into Beefy’s cup.
‘Thanks—I will.’
‘I think you boys learn a lot of nonsense when you go to public schools. Some schools have a rotten atmosphere. You dabble in Wilde and Zola, and feed yourselves on Oriental and degenerate trash. What you want is fresh air and plenty of tennis or golf with real nice girls! You won’t get the best of our sex at stage-doors or in saloon-bars. And that’s where many boys form their views. However, we’ve got the vote, and we’ll help you through. Have a cherry-cake.’
‘Come, come, Miss Clarke! You’re not all saints; you know that.’
‘Granted, Mr Jones. But what about the men? Don’t you think there are faults on both sides? The world was never perfect, and never will be, but it’s silly to abuse each other. Come now, let’s be friends. You’re much too nice to have those silly cynical views. I really think you’re just arguing the point.’