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with our little feet drawn up under us in the window； and look out at the
boys in their happy play。 We want to go。 Then a loving hand is laid on
us： 'Little one； you cannot go；' they say； 'your little face will burn；
and your nice white dress be spoiled。' We feel it must be for our good； it
is so lovingly said： but we cannot understand； and we kneel still with one
little cheek wistfully pressed against the pane。 Afterwards we go and
thread blue beads； and make a string for our neck； and we go and stand
before the glass。 We see the complexion we were not to spoil； and the
white frock； and we look into our own great eyes。 Then the curse begins to
act on us。 It finishes its work when we are grown women； who no more look
out wistfully at a more healthy life； we are contented。 We fit our sphere
as a Chinese woman's foot fits her shoe； exactly； as though God had made
bothand yet he knows nothing of either。 In some of us the shaping of our
end has been quite completed。 The parts we are not to use have been quite
atrophied； and have even dropped off； but in others； and we are not less to
be pitied； they have been weakened and left。 We wear the bandages； but our
limbs have not grown to them； we know that we are compressed； and chafe
against them。
〃But what does it help？ A little bitterness； a little longing when we are
young； a little futile searching for work； a little passionate striving for
room for the exercise of our powers；and then we go with the drove。 A
woman must march with her regiment。 In the end she must be trodden down or
go with it； and if she is wise she goes。
〃I see in your great eyes what you are thinking；〃 she said； glancing at
him； 〃I always know what the person I am talking to is thinking of。 How is
this woman who makes such a fuss worse off than I？ I will show you by a
very little example。 We stand here at this gate this morning； both poor；
both young； both friendless； there is not much to choose between us。 Let
us turn away just as we are； to make our way in life。 This evening you
will come to a farmer's house。 The farmer； albeit you come alone on foot；
will give you a pipe of tobacco and a cup of coffee and a bed。 If he has
no dam to build and no child to teach； tomorrow you can go on your way；
with a friendly greeting of the hand。 I； if I come to the same place
tonight； will have strange questions asked me； strange glances cast on me。
The Boer…wife will shake her head and give me food to eat with the Kaffers；
and a right to sleep with the dogs。 That would be the first step in our
progressa very little one； but every step to the end would repeat it。 We
were equals once when we lay new…born babes on our nurses' knees。 We will
be equals again when they tie up our jaws for the last sleep！〃
Waldo looked in wonder at the little quivering face； it was a glimpse into
a world of passion and feeling wholly new to him。
〃Mark you；〃 she said； 〃we have always this advantage over youwe can at
any time step into ease and competence； where you must labour patiently for
it。 A little weeping； a little wheedling； a little self…degradation； a
little careful use of our advantages； and then some man will say： 〃Come；
be my wife！〃 With good looks and youth marriage is easy to attain。 There
are men enough； but a woman who has sold herself； even for a ring and a new
name； need hold her skirt aside for no creature in the street。 They both
earn their bread in one way。 Marriage for love is the beautifulest
external symbol of the union of souls； marriage without it is the
uncleanliest traffic that defiles the world。〃 She ran her little finger
savagely along the topmost bar； shaking off the dozen little dewdrops that
still hung there。 〃And they tell us we have men's chivalrous attention！〃
she cried。 〃When we ask to be doctors； lawyers； law…makers； anything but
ill…paid drudges； they sayNo； but you have men's chivalrous attention；
now think of that and be satisfied！ What would you do without it？〃
The bitter little silvery laugh； so seldom heard； rang out across the
bushes。 She bit her little teeth together。
〃I was coming up in Cobb & Co。's the other day。 At a little wayside hotel
we had to change the large coach for a small one。 We were ten passengers；
eight men and two women。 As I sat in the house the gentlemen came and
whispered to me； 'There is not room for all in the new coach； take your
seat quickly。' We hurried out； and they gave me the best seat； and covered
me with rugs； because it was drizzling。 Then the last passenger came
running up to the coachan old woman with a wonderful bonnet； and a black
shawl pinned with a yellow pin。
〃'There is no room；' they said； 'you must wait till next week's coach takes
you up；' but she climbed on to the step； and held on at the window with
both hands。
〃'My son…in…law is ill； and I must go and see him；' she said。
〃'My good woman；' said one； 'I am really exceedingly sorry that your son…
in…law is ill； but there is absolutely no room for you here。'
〃'You had better get down；' said another； 'or the wheel will catch you。'
〃I got up to give her my place。
〃'Oh； no； no！' they cried； 'we will not allow that。'
〃'I will rather kneel；' said one； and he crouched down at my feet； so the
woman came in。
〃There were nine of us in that coach； and only one showed chivalrous
attentionand that was a woman to a woman。
〃I shall be old and ugly； too； one day； and I shall look for men's
chivalrous help； but I shall not find it。
〃The bees are very attentive to the flowers till their honey is done； and
then they fly over them。 I don't know if the flowers feel grateful to the
bees； they are great fools if they do。〃
〃But some women；〃 said Waldo； speaking as though the words forced
themselves from him at that moment； 〃some women have power。〃
She lifted her beautiful eyes to his face。
〃Power！ Did you ever hear of men being asked whether other souls should
have power or not？ It is born in them。 You may dam up the fountain of
water； and make it a stagnant marsh； or you may let it run free and do its
work； but you cannot say whether it shall be there； it is there。 And it
will act； if not openly for good； then covertly for evil； but it will act。
If Goethe had been stolen away a child； and reared in a robber horde in the
depths of a German forest； do you think the world would have had 〃Faust〃
and 〃Iphegenie？〃 But he would have been Goethe stillstronger； wiser than
his fellows。 At night； round their watch…fire； he would have chanted wild
songs of rapine and murder； till the dark faces about him were moved and
trembled。 His songs would have echoed on from father to son； and nerved
the heart and armfor evil。 Do you think if Napoleon had been born a
woman that he would have been contented to give small tea…parties and talk
small scandal？ He would have risen； but the world would not have heard of
him as it hears of him nowa man great and kingly with all his sins； he
would have left one of those names that stain the leaf of every history
the names of women； who； having power； but being denied the right to
exercise it openly； rule in the dark； covertly； and by stealth； through the
men whose passions they feed on and by whom they climb。
〃Power！〃 she said； suddenly； smiting her little hand upon the rail。 〃Yes；
we have power； and since we are not to expend it in tunnelling mountains；
nor healing diseases； nor making laws； nor money； nor on any extraneous
object； we expend it on you。 You are our goods； our merchandise； our
material for operating on； we buy you； we sell you； we make fools of you；
we act the wily old Jew with you； we keep six of you crawling to our little
feet； and praying only for a touch of our little hand； and they say truly；
there was never an ache or pain or broken heart but a woman was at the
bottom of it。 We are not to study law； nor science； nor art； so we study
you。 There is never a nerve or fibre in a man's nature but we know it。 We
keep six of you dancing in the palm of one little hand；〃 she said；
balancing her outstretched arm gracefully； as though tiny beings disported
themselves in its palm。 〃There； we throw you away； and you sink to the
devil；〃 she said； folding her arms composedly。 〃There was never a man who
said one word for woman but he said two for man； and three for the whole
human race。〃
She watched the bird pecking up the last yellow grains； but Waldo looked
only at her。
When she spoke again it was very measuredly。
〃They bring weighty arguments against us when we ask for the perfect
freedom of women；〃 she said； 〃but； when you come to the objections； they
are like pumpkin devils with candles inside； hollow； and can't bite。 They
say that women do not wish for the sphere and freedom we ask for them； and
would not use it！
〃If the bird does like its cage； and does like its sugar and will no