Part 22 (2/2)
”Yes--in the evenings.”
”No wonder you have emerged! You do not allow yourself to have any emotions then?”
Katherine looked away demurely.
”I try not to indulge in them; it is more prudent to watch their action in others.”
”Have you ever been in love, child?”
”It depends upon what one calls love.” The tone was dignified. Katherine did not think this quite a fair question.
Lady Garribardine laughed appreciatively.
”You are quite right. I should not have asked you that, since we were up upon a plane of discussion in which even women do not lie to one another!”
”If Your Ladys.h.i.+p will permit me to say so, women have very little notion of truth, I think!”
”Oh! that is too bad. You must always stand up for your s.e.x.”
”Forgive me for differing, but I should be acting from good nature in that case, not from justice.”
Lady Garribardine was delighted.
”So you think we are not truthful as a company?”
”Oh, no, we have no love of abstract truth, truth for itself. When we are truthful in our general dealings with people, it is either because we have decent characters or religious views, or for our own ends, not from a detached love of truth.”
”What a cynic! And how about men?”
”A man is truthful because he likes truth, and to tell lies he feels would degrade himself.”
”And yet men always lie to women--have you remarked that, girl?”
”Yes--that seems to be the one exception in their standard of truth.”
”How do you account for this? Have you found the 'reason why' of this peculiarity?”
”It seems presumptuous of me to give my views to Your Ladys.h.i.+p.”
”I think I am the best judge of that matter,” and Lady Garribardine frowned a little. ”I asked a question.”
Katherine answered then immediately. She was not quite pleased with herself for her last remark, it had laid her open to a snub.
”Original man had no regard for women--they were as the animals to him--he would not have felt degraded in lying to animals--because such a thing could not occur. He would not consult animals--he simply ordered them.”
”Well?”
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