She would then get into the
cab, let the window down, and keep a watch. If the driver forgot
himself so far as to give a flick with his whip, Lady Burton would
lunge at him with her umbrella from behind. Upon the cabby remonstrating
at this unlooked-for attack, she would retort, "Yes, and how do you like
it?" On one occasion though she was not consistent. She took a cab
with her sister from Charing Cross Station, and was in a great hurry
to get home. Of course she impressed as usual upon the Jehu that he
was not to beat his horse. The horse, which was a wretched old screw,
refused, in consequence, to go at more than a walking pace; and as
Lady Burton was in a hurry to get back, and was fuming with impatience
inside, she at last forgot herself so far as to put her head out of the
window and cry to the driver, "Why don't you beat him? Why don't you
make him go?"
In politics Lady Burton described herself as a progressive Conservative,
which, being interpreted, would seem to signify that, though she was
intensely conservative with regard to the things which she had at heart,
such as religion and the importance of upholding the old _regime_, she
was exceedingly progressive in smaller matters. Her views on social
questions especially were remarkably broad, and it may safely be said
that there never was a woman who had less narrowness or bigotry in her
composition. She was fond of saying, "Let us hear all sides of the
question, for that is the only way in which we can hope to arrive at
the truth.
Pages:
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403