thirteen and a half days a fortnight.  It was from her mother that she had inherited the passion for public service.  The Marchioness of Lechford had been the cause of more philanthropic work in others than any woman in the whole history of philanthropy.  Lady Lechford had said, “Let there be Lechford Hospitals in France,” and lo! there were Lechford Hospitals in France.  When troublesome complications arose Lady Lechford had, with true self-effacement, surrendered the establishments to a thoroughly competent committee, and while retaining a seat on the committee for herself and another for Queenie, had curved tirelessly away to the inauguration of fresh and more exciting schemes.

“Mamma was very sorry she couldn’t come this afternoon,” said Lady Queenie, addressing the chairman.

The formula of those with authority in deciding now became: 

“I don’t know exactly what Lady Lechford’s view is, but I venture to think—­”

Then suddenly the demeanour of every member of the committee was quickened, everybody listened intently to everything that was said; a couple of members would speak together; pattern-designing and the manufacture of paper ships, chains, and flowers ceased; it was as though a tonic had been mysteriously administered to each individual in the enervating room.  The cause of the change was a recommendation from the hospitals management sub-committee that it be an instruction to the new matron of the smaller hospital to forbid any nurse and any doctor to go out alone together in the evening.  Scandal was insinuated; nothing really wrong, but a bad impression produced upon the civilians of the tiny town, who could not be expected to understand the holy innocence which underlies the superficial license of Anglo-Saxon manners.  The personal characters and strange idiosyncrasies of every doctor and every nurse were discussed; broad principles of conduct were enunciated, together with the advantages and disadvantages of those opposite poles, discipline and freedom.  The argument continually expanded, branching forth like the timber of a great oak-tree from the trunk, and the minds of the committee ran about the tree like monkeys.  The interest was endless.  A quiet delegate who had just returned from a visit to the tiny town completely blasted one part of the argument by asserting that the hospital bore a blameless reputation among the citizens; but new arguments were instantly constructed by the adherents of the idea of discipline.  The committee had plainly split into two even parties.  G.J. began to resent the harshness of the disciplinarians.

“I think we should remember,” he said in his modest voice, “I think we should remember that we are dealing with adult men and women.”