"What are they fitting for?" asked Severnius.
"Largely for the professions. They are becoming doctors, lawyers, editors, artists, writers. The enormous systems of public schools in my own and other countries is entirely in their hands,--except of course in the management and directorship."
"Except in the management and directorship?" echoed Severnius.
"Of course they do not provide and disburse the funds, see to the building of school-houses, and dictate the policy of the schools!" I retorted. "But they teach them; you can hardly find a male teacher except at the head of a school,--to keep the faculty in order."
Severnius refrained from comment upon this, seeing, I suppose, that I was getting a little impatient. He walked along with his head down. I think I neglected to say that we were taking a long tramp into the country, as we often did. In order to change the conversation, I asked him what sort of a government they had in Paleveria, and was delighted when he replied that it was a free republic.
"My country is a republic also," I said, proudly.
"We both have much to be thankful for," he answered. "A republic is the only natural government in the world, and man cannot get above nature."
I thought this remark rather singular,--at variance with progress and high civilization. But I let it pass, thinking to take it up at some future time.
"How do you vote here?" I asked. "What are your qualifications and restrictions?"
"Briefly told," he replied. "Every citizen may vote on all public questions, and in all elections."
"A native-born is a citizen when he or she reaches maturity. Foreigners are treated as minors until they have lived as long under the government as it takes for a child to come of age. It is thus," he added, facetiously, "that we punish people for presuming to be born outside our happy country."
"Excuse me," I said, "but do I understand you to say that your women have the right of suffrage?"
"Indeed no!" I replied, the masculine instinct of superiority swelling within me.
Severnius wears spectacles. He adjusted them carefully on his nose and looked at me.
"But did you not tell me just now that your country is a republic?"
"It is, but we do not hold that women are our political equals," I answered.