"Well, I shouldn't care to be introduced to a lady's drawing-room with the secret purpose of trying to get her to do me a service. There seems something mean in that. Besides, I have a cause (at least, I think I have) which is too good to be served in that kind of way. If I can't get a hearing and justice from the Government of England and the people of England for the sake of right and for the claims I have, I will never try to get it through. Oh, well, perhaps, I ought not to say what I was going to say."
"Why not?" Minola asked again.
"I mean, perhaps I ought not to say it to you."
"I don't know really. Tell me what it is, and then I'll tell you whether you ought to say it."
He laughed. "Well, I was only going to say that I don't care to have my cause served by petticoat influence."
"I think you are quite right. If I were a man, I should think petticoat influence in such a matter contemptible. But why should you not like to say so?"
"Only because I was afraid you might think I meant to speak contemptuously of the influence and the advice of women. I don't mean anything of the kind. I have the highest opinion of the advice of women and their influence, as I have told you already; but I couldn't endure the idea of having a lady, who doesn't know or care anything about me and my claims, asked by somebody to say a word to some great man or some great man's wife, in order that I might get a hearing. I am sure you understand what I mean, Miss Grey."
"Oh, yes, I never should have misunderstood it; and I know that you are quite right. It would be a downright degradation."
"So I felt. Anyhow, I could not do it. Then there remains the making myself troublesome, as Money advises——"
"Yes, what is that?"