Lady Caroline As far as I can make out, the young women° of the present day seem to make it the sole object of their lives to be always playing with fire.

Mrs Allonby The one advantage of playing with fire, Lady Caroline, is that one never gets even singed. It is the people who don’t know how to play with it who get burned up.

Lady Stutfield Yes; I see that. It is very, very helpful.

Lady Hunstanton I don’t know how the world would get on with such a theory as that, dear Mrs Allonby.

Lady Stutfield Ah! The world was made for men and not for women.

Mrs Allonby Oh, don’t say that, Lady Stutfield. We have a much better time than they have. There are far more things forbidden to us than are forbidden to them.

Lady Stutfield Yes; that is quite, quite true. I had not thought of that.

Enter Sir John and Mr Kelvil

Lady Hunstanton Well, Mr Kelvil, have you got through your work?

Kelvil I have finished my writing for the day, Lady Hunstanton. It has been an arduous task. The demands on the time of a public man are very heavy nowadays, very heavy indeed. And I don’t think they meet with adequate recognition.

Lady Caroline John, have you got your overshoes on?

Sir John Yes, my love.

Lady Caroline I think you had better come over here, John. It is more sheltered.

Sir John I am quite comfortable, Caroline.

Lady Caroline I think not, John.° You had better sit beside me.

Sir John rises and goes across

Lady Stutfield And what have you been writing about this morning, Mr Kelvil?

Kelvil On the usual subject, Lady Stutfield. On Purity.

Lady Stutfield That must be such a very, very interesting thing to write about.

Kelvil It is the one subject of really national importance nowadays, Lady Stutfield. I purpose addressing my constituents on the question before Parliament meets. I find that the poorer classes of this country display a marked desire for a higher ethical standard.

Lady Stutfield How quite, quite nice of them.

Lady Caroline Are you in favour of women taking part in politics, Mr Kettle?

Sir John Kelvil, my love, Kelvil.

Kelvil The growing influence of women is the one reassuring thing in our political life, Lady Caroline. Women are always on the side of morality, public and private.

Lady Stutfield It is so very, very gratifying to hear you say that.