Part 5
Pursuant to some altogether private calculations she did not go
up to the Imperial College until after mid-day, and she found the
laboratory deserted, even as she desired. She went to the table
under the end window at which she had been accustomed to work,
and found it swept and garnished with full bottles of re-agents.
Everything was very neat; it had evidently been straightened up
and kept for her. She put down the sketch-books and apparatus
she had brought with her, pulled out her stool, and sat down. As
she did so the preparation-room door opened behind her. She
heard it open, but as she felt unable to look round in a careless
manner she pretended not to hear it. Then Capes' footsteps
approached. She turned with an effort.
"I expected you this morning," he said. "I saw--they knocked off
your fetters yesterday."
"I think it is very good of me to come this afternoon."
"I began to be afraid you might not come at all."
"Afraid!"
"Yes. I'm glad you're back for all sorts of reasons." He spoke a
little nervously. "Among other things, you know, I didn't
understand quite--I didn't understand that you were so keenly
interested in this suffrage question. I have it on my conscience
that I offended you--"
"Offended me when?"
"I've been haunted by the memory of you. I was rude and stupid.
We were talking about the suffrage--and I rather scoffed."
"You weren't rude," she said.
"I didn't know you were so keen on this suffrage business."
"Nor I. You haven't had it on your mind all this time?"
"I have rather. I felt somehow I'd hurt you."
"You didn't. I--I hurt myself."
"I mean--"
"I behaved like an idiot, that's all. My nerves were in rags. I
was worried. We're the hysterical animal, Mr. Capes. I got
myself locked up to cool off. By a sort of instinct. As a dog
eats grass. I'm right again now."
"Because your nerves were exposed, that was no excuse for my
touching them. I ought to have seen--"
"It doesn't matter a rap--if you're not disposed to resent
the--the way I behaved."
"_I_ resent!"
"I was only sorry I'd been so stupid."
"Well, I take it we're straight again," said Capes with a note of
relief, and assumed an easier position on the edge of her table.
"But if you weren't keen on the suffrage business, why on earth
did you go to prison?"
Ann Veronica reflected. "It was a phase," she said.
He smiled. "It's a new phase in the life history," he remarked.
"Everybody seems to have it now. Everybody who's going to develop
into a woman."
"There's Miss Garvice."
"She's coming on," said Capes. "And, you know, you're altering
us all. I'M shaken. The campaign's a success." He met her
questioning eye, and repeated, "Oh! it IS a success. A man is so
apt to--to take women a little too lightly. Unless they remind
him now and then not to. . . . YOU did."
"Then I didn't waste my time in prison altogether?"
"It wasn't the prison impressed me. But I liked the things you
said here. I felt suddenly I understood you--as an intelligent
person. If you'll forgive my saying that, and implying what goes
with it. There's something--puppyish in a man's usual attitude
to women. That is what I've had on my conscience. . . . I don't
think we're altogether to blame if we don't take some of your lot
seriously. Some of your sex, I mean. But we smirk a little, I'm
afraid, habitually when we talk to you. We smirk, and we're a
bit--furtive."
He paused, with his eyes studying her gravely. "You, anyhow,
don't deserve it," he said.
Their colloquy was ended abruptly by the apparition of Miss Klegg
at the further door. When she saw Ann Veronica she stood for a
moment as if entranced, and then advanced with outstretched
hands. "Veronique!" she cried with a rising intonation, though
never before had she called Ann Veronica anything but Miss
Stanley, and seized her and squeezed her and kissed her with
profound emotion. "To think that you were going to do it--and
never said a word! You are a little thin, but except for that
you look--you look better than ever. Was it VERY horrible? I
tried to get into the police-court, but the crowd was ever so
much too big, push as I would. . . .
"I mean to go to prison directly the session is over," said Miss
Klegg. "Wild horses--not if they have all the mounted police in
London--shan't keep me out."
