Nature gives no rights; she will produce an infinite number of
creatures only to torture and eventually destroy them. But
civilization is at war with nature, and as civilized beings we
_have_ rights. Every man is justified in claiming food and shelter
and repose. As things are, many thousands of people in every English
county either lack these necessaries altogether, or get them only in
return for the accursed badge of pauperdom. I, for one, am against
this state of things, and I sympathize with the men who think that
nothing can go right until the fundamental injustice is done away
with."
Glazzard listened with an inscrutable smile, content to throw in a
word of acquiescence from time to time. But when the necessity of
appeasing his robust appetite held Quarrier silent for a few
minutes, the guest turned to Lilian and asked her if she made a
study of political questions.
"I have been trying to follow them lately," she replied, with simple
directness.
"Do you feel it a grievance that you have no vote and no chance of
representing a borough?"
"No, I really don't."
"I defy any one to find a dozen women who sincerely do," broke in
Denzil. "That's all humbug! Such twaddle only serves to obscure the
great questions at issue. What we have to do is to clear away the
obvious lies and superstitions that hold a great part of the people
in a degrading bondage.
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