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the case。 He passed it over； and when she had chosen one of the
little rolls and lighted it she said：
〃Mr。 Cleggett； have you ever lived in England？〃
〃I have never even visited England。〃
〃I wish you knew England。〃 She watched the curling smoke from
her tobacco as it drifted across the table。 〃If you knew England
you would comprehend so much more readily some parts of my story。
〃But； being an American； you can have no adequate conception of
the conservatism that still prevails in certain quarters。 I
refer to the really old families among the landed aristocracy。
Some of them have not changed essentially； in their attitude
towards the world in general； since the reign of Queen Elizabeth。
They make of family a fetish。 They are ready to sacrifice
everything upon the altar of family。 They may exhibit this pride
of race less obviously than some of the French or Germans or
Italians； but they have a deeper sense of their own dignity； and
of what is due to it； than any of your more flighty and
picturesque continentals。 There are certain things that are
done。 Certain things are not done。 One must conform or〃
She interrupted herself and delicately flicked the ash from her
cigarette。
〃Conform； or be jolly well damned；〃 she finished； crossing one
leg over the other and leaning back in her chair。 〃This； by the
way； is the only decent cigarette I have found in America。 I
hate to smoke perfumeI like tobaccoand most of your shops
seem to keep nothing but the highly scented Turkish and Egyptian
varieties。〃
〃They were made in London；〃 said Cleggett； bowing。
〃Ah！ But where was I？ Oh； yesone must conform。 Especially if
one belongs to； or has married into； the Claiborne family。 Of
all the men in England the Earl of Claiborne is the most
conservative； the most reactionary； the most deeply encrusted
with prejudice。 He would stop at little where the question
concerned the prestige of the aristocracy in general； he would
stop at nothing where the Claiborne family is concerned。
〃I am telling you all this so that you may get an inkling of the
blow it was to him when I became a militant suffragist。 It was
blow enough to his nephew； Sir Archibald； my late husband。 The
Earl maintains that it hastened poor Archibald's death。 But that
is ridiculous。 Archibald had undermined his constitution with
dissipation； and died following an operation for gravel。 He was
to have succeeded to the title； as both of the Earl's legitimate
sons were dead without issueone of them perished in the Boer
War； and the other was killed in the hunting field。
〃Upon Archibald's death the old Earl publicly acknowledged
Reginald Maltravers； his natural son； and took steps to have him
legitimatized。 For all of the bend sinister upon his escutcheon；
Reginald Maltravers was as fanatical concerning the family as his
father。 Perhaps more fanatical； because he secretly suffered for
the irregularity of his own position in the world。
〃At any rate； supported at first by the old Earl； he began a
series of persecutions designed to make me renounce my suffragist
principles； or at least to make me cease playing a conspicuous
public part in the militant propaganda。 As my husband was dead
and there were no children； I could not see that I was
accountable to the Claiborne family for my actions。 But the
Claibornes took a different view of it。 In their philosophy；
once a Claiborne； always a Claiborne。 I was bringing disgrace
and humiliation upon the family； in their opinion。 Knowing the
old Earl as I do； I am aware that his suffering was genuine and
intense。 But what was I to do？ One cannot desert one's
principles merely because they cause suffering； otherwise there
could be no such thing as revolution。
〃Reginald Maltravers had another reason for his persecution。
After the death of Sir Archibald he himself sought my hand in
marriage。 I shall always remember the form of his proposal； it
concluded with these words： 'Had Archibald lived you would have
been a countess。 You may still be a countessbut you must drop
this suffragist show； you know。 It is all bally rot； Agatha； all
bally rot。' I would not have married him without the condition；
for I despised the man himself； but the condition made me furious
and I drove him from my sight with words that turned him white
and made him my enemy forever。 'You will not be my countess；
then；' he said。 'Very wellbut I can promise you that you will
cease to be a suffragist。' I can still see the evil flash of his
eye behind his monocle as he uttered these words and turned
away。〃
Lady Agatha shuddered at the recollection； and took a cup of tea。
〃It was then；〃 she resumed； 〃that the real persecution began。 I
was peculiarly helpless； as I have no near relations who might
have come to my defense。 Representing himself always as the
agent of his father； but far exceeding the Earl in the
malevolence of his inventions； Reginald Maltravers sought by
every means he could command to drive me from public life in
England。
〃Three times he succeeded in having me flung into Holloway Jail。
I need not tell you of the terrors of that institution； nor of
the degrading horrors of forcible feeding。 They are known to a
shocked and sympathetic world。 But Reginald Maltravers
contrived； in my case； to add to the usual brutalities a peculiar
and personal touch。 By bribery； as I believe； he succeeded in
getting himself into the prison as a turnkey。 It was his custom；
when I lay weak and helpless in the semistupor of starvation； to
glide into my cell and； standing by my couch； to recite to me the
list of tempting viands that might appear daily upon the board of
a Countess of Claiborne。
〃He soon learned that his very presence itself was a persecution。
After my release from jail the last time； he began to follow me
everywhere。 Turn where I would； there was Reginald Maltravers。
At suffrage meetings he took his station directly before the
speaker's stand； stroked his long blond mustache with his long
white fingers； and stared at me steadfastly through his monocle；
with an evil smile upon his face。 Formerly he had； in several
instances； prevented me from attending suffrage meetings； once he
had me spirited away and imprisoned for a week when it fell to my
lot to burn a railroad station for the good of the cause。 He
strove to ruin me with my leaders in this despicable manner。
〃But in the end he took to showing himself； he stood and stared。
Merely that。 He was subtle enough to shift the persecution from
the province of the physical to the realm of the psychological。
It was like being haunted。 Even when I did not see him； I began
to THINK that I saw him。 He deliberately planted that
hallucination in my mind。 It is a wonder that I did not go mad。
〃I finally determined to flee to America。 I made all my
arrangements with care andas I thoughtwith secrecy