"You complain of the lot of a singing-girl, and the cruel prejudices of the world--and what are you saying?
Let me have my way, you would say, or I scorn your morality ?" "Scorn!" exclaimed Dada firing up.

"Do you say I scorn morality?
No, indeed no.

I am an insignificant little person; there is nothing proud or great about me, and as I know it full well I am quite humble; in all my life I never dared to think of scorn, even of a child.

But here, in my heart, something was awoke to life--through Marcus, only through him--something that makes me strong; and when I see custom and tradition in league against me because I am a singer, when they combine to keep me out of what I have a right to have--well, within these few hours I have found the spirit to defend myself, to the death if need be! What you call womanly honor I have been taught to hold as sacred as you yourself, and I have kept it as untainted as any girl living.

Not that I meant to do anything grand, but you have no idea of what it is when every man thinks he has a right to oppress and insult a girl and try to entrap her.