In the drawing room, before the men came in, Bridget talked to Joan Gildea.

They hadn't yet had, as Biddy reminded her, a regular outpouring.

The outpouring it should be stated, was always mostly on Bridget's side.
'When did you start Socialism ?' Mrs Gildea asked.

'That's something new, isn't it ?' Biddy gave one of her slow smiles in which lips, eyes, brows, what could be seen of them under her towzle of hair--all seemed to light up together.
'Why, I've always been a Socialist--in theory, you know.

I've ALWAYS rebelled against the established order of things.' 'But latterly,' said Joan, 'I haven't heard anything about your doings--not since you wrote from Castle Gaverick after--after Mr Willoughby Maule's marriage ?' The light died out of Bridget's face.