The mass of men, _in_ the mass, is chivalrous.

It admires pluck, patience, and persistency.

So the crowd instead of aiding the police to knock sense into the women began to take sides with the buffeted, brutalized and bleeding Suffragettes.
Fortunately before the real fighting began, and no doubt as a stroke of policy on the part of some Police Inspector, Mrs.Pankhurst convoying the two frail old ladies--Dr.Garret Anderson and Susan Knipper-Totes--champions of the Vote when Woman Suffrage was outside practical politics--had reached the steps of the Strangers' entrance to the House of Commons.

From this point of 'vantage a few of the older leaders of the deputation were able to witness the four or five hours' struggle in and around Parliament Square, the Abbey, Parliament Street, Great George Street which made Black Friday one of the note-worthy days in British history--though, _more nostro_, it will be long before it is inserted in school books.
Here, while something like panic signalized the Legislative Chamber and Cabinet ministers scurried in and out like flurried rabbits and finally took refuge in their private rooms--here was fought out the decisive battle between physical and moral force over the suffrage question.

The women were so _exaltees_ that they were ready to face death for their cause.