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es on history； showing how improvements had been brought about and how failure had been invited； thus avoiding much waste of reforming zeal； with lectures on the properties and tendencies of human nature； forbidding the attempt to treat it as a sum in rule of three？
There were the others。 The men and women not in the lime…light。 The lone； scattered men and women who saw no flag but Pity's ragged skirt； who heard no drum but the world's low cry of pain； who fought with feeble hands against the wrong around them； who with aching heart and troubled eyes laboured to make kinder the little space about them。 The great army of the nameless reformers uncheered； unparagraphed； unhonoured。 The unknown sowers of the seed。 Would the reapers of the harvest remember them？
Beyond giving up her visits to the house； she had made no attempt to avoid meeting Phillips； and at public functions and at mutual friends they sometimes found themselves near to one another。 It surprised her that she could see him； talk to him； and even be alone with him without its troubling her。 He seemed to belong to a part of her that lay dead and buriedsomething belonging to her that she had thrust away with her own hands： that she knew would never come back to her。
She was still interested in his work and keen to help him。 It was going to be a stiff fight。 He himself； in spite of Carleton's opposition； had been returned with an increased majority； but the Party as a whole had suffered loss； especially in the counties。 The struggle centred round the agricultural labourer。 If he could be won over the Government would go ahead with Phillips's scheme。 Otherwise there was danger of its being shelved。 The difficulty was the old problem of how to get at the men of the scattered villages； the lonely cottages。 The only papers that they ever saw were those； chiefly of the Carleton group； that the farmers and the gentry took care should come within their reach； that were handed to them at the end of their day's work as a kindly gift； given to the school children to take home with them； supplied in ample numbers to all the little inns and public…houses。 In all these； Phillips was held up as their arch enemy； his proposal explained as a device to lower their wages； decrease their chances of employment； and rob them of the produce of their gardens and allotments。 No arguments were used。 A daily stream of abuse； misrepresentation and deliberate lies； set forth under flaming headlines； served their simple purpose。 The one weekly paper that had got itself established among them； that their fathers had always taken； that dimly they had come to look upon as their one friend； Carleton had at last succeeded in purchasing。 When that； too； pictured Phillips's plan as a diabolical intent to take from them even the little that they had； and give it to the loafing socialist and the bloated foreigner； no room for doubt was left to them。
He had organized volunteer cycle companies of speakers from the towns； young working…men and women and students； to go out on summer evenings and hold meetings on the village greens。 They were winning their way。 But it was slow work。 And Carleton was countering their efforts by a hired opposition that followed them from place to place； and whose interruptions were made use of to represent the whole campaign as a fiasco。
〃He's clever；〃 laughed Phillips。 〃I'd enjoy the fight； if I'd only myself to think of； and life wasn't so short。〃
The laugh died away and a shadow fell upon his face。
〃If I could get a few of the big landlords to come in on my side；〃 he continued； 〃it would make all the difference in the world。 They're sensible men； some of them； and the whole thing could be carried out without injury to any legitimate interest。 I could make them see that； if I could only get them quietly into a corner。〃
〃But they're frightened of me；〃 he added； with a shrug of his broad shoulders； 〃and I don't seem to know how to tackle them。〃
Those drawing…rooms？ Might not something of the sort be possible？ Not； perhaps； the sumptuous salon of her imagination； thronged with the fair and famous； suitably attired。 Something； perhaps； more homely； more immediately attainable。 Some of the women dressed； perhaps； a little dowdily； not all of them young and beautiful。 The men wise； perhaps； rather than persistently witty； a few of them prosy； maybe a trifle ponderous； but solid and influential。 Mrs。 Denton's great empty house in Gower Street？ A central situation and near to the tube。 Lords and ladies had once ruffled there； trod a measure on its spacious floors； filled its echoing stone hall with their greetings and their partings。 The gaping sconces； where their link…boys had extinguished their torches； still capped its grim iron railings。
Seated in the great； sombre library； Joan hazarded the suggestion。 Mrs。 Denton might almost have been waiting for it。 It would be quite easy。 A little opening of long fastened windows； a lighting of chill grates； a little mending of moth…eaten curtains； a sweeping away of long…gathered dust and cobwebs。
Mrs。 Denton knew just the right people。 They might be induced to bring their sons and daughtersit might be their grandchildren； youth being there to welcome them。 For Joan； of course； would play her part。
The lonely woman touched her lightly on the hand。 There shot a pleading look from the old stern eyes。
〃You will have to imagine yourself my daughter；〃 she said。 〃You are taller； but the colouring was the same。 You won't mind； will you？〃
The right people did come： Mrs。 Denton being a personage that a landed gentry； rendered jumpy by the perpetual explosion of new ideas under their very feet； and casting about eagerly for friends； could not afford to snub。 A kindly； simple folk； quite intelligent； some of them； as Phillips had surmised。 Mrs。 Denton made no mystery of why she had invited them。 Why should all questions be left to the politicians and the journalists？ Why should not the people interested take a hand； meet and talk over these little matters with quiet voices and attentive ears； amid surroundings where the unwritten law would restrain ladies and gentlemen from addressing other ladies and gentlemen as blood… suckers or anarchists； as grinders of the faces of the poor or as oily…tongued rogues； arguments not really conducive to mutual understanding and the bridging over of differences。 The latest Russian dancer； the last new musical revue； the marvellous things that can happen at golf； the curious hands that one picks up at bridge； the eternal fox； the sacred bird！ Excellent material for nine…tenths of our conversation。 But the remaining tenth？ Would it be such excruciatingly bad form for us to be intelligent； occasionally； say； on one or two Fridays during the season？ Mrs。 Denton wrapped it up tactfully； but that was her daring suggestion。
It took them aback at first。 There were people who did this sort of thing。 People of no class； who called themselves names and took up things。 But for people of social standing to talk about serious subjectsexcept； perhaps； in bed to one's wife！ It sounded so un… English。
With the elders it was sense of duty th