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object to my friends—I have a right to ask you why. What are Hester’s objections to Captain Ingpen? and yours?’

Clive had turned on his heel, and now paused, not looking at her: ‘Mine were based entirely on what I saw of him. I don’t like his manners.—I thought him too—easy.’

‘I see. And Hester? You object to his manners and she to his morals, I suppose. I did not know that the modern woman kept our old scruples. I certainly imagined none in Hester. If she has heard stories about his love affairs, or saw irregularities in his past, let me tell you that I am perfectly aware of all that can be said against him.’

‘Love affairs?’ Clive had now completely turned and was staring bitterly at her. ‘Who cares about his love affairs? Hester hardly knew the man. But can’t you see for yourself how a reactionary cynic of his type would antagonize her? He sneers at everything she believes in.’

‘So I am to be insulted by Hester because my friends are not Socialists and feminists.—What I feel about hers—about Mrs. Jessup and her sister—and Mr. Gales and his mistress— and all the others—I won’t go into.—What I have had to put up with at their hands!—If you talk about