chapter 8:Vive le Resistance!

(Couldn't decide on which music would b best suited to this revolutionary chapter. So much to choose from!...but--
decided finally that Justice Tonight/Kick it Over by the Clash was IT!
chapter 8
 Vive le Resistance!

The sun was sinking low over a chill and pale grey day in Pankhurst as Alice and Emmeline were gathered for post-supper coffees in the parlor. Their heads were bent over the late edition of the Courier, the evening's only sounds the rustling of pages , the crackle of the fire and MacGregor's soft snoring until Emmeline let forth a yelp of 'Lord and Lady help us all! Oh, I simply can't believe this! I don't want to, no I do not!Ohhh..'she moaned.
'What is it, Em!?' Alice sat up alarmed.
'Alice...it's too awful! Alright:this is news from London, then: it seems that several suffragettes were arrested after demonstrations throughout the city ended in violence. There were claims of rocks and bricks tossed through the windows of MPs, vandalism, etc...'
'That's not right.' said practical Alice.
'No, it isn't, but--just hear--then, it seems, after the women were arrested, they engaged in a hunger strike at the prison, which lasted only two days until, they were force-fed with a stomach tube, which causes one to retch! And if that did not work, it was then forced down the nose! Oh, it's too awful, Alice! Some of the older women were so abused that they had fainted and some with heart conditions were found to be near-death!' Oh, Alice!'Emmeline rose and took a handkerchief from her bag,'It's too horrible! England is supposedly a civilized country! And women only want the same rights as men! To be on the same level as any other human being! They wish to treat us as animals! Property! Chattle! Sub-humans!'Emmeline paced the room, blowing her nose a tearful plangent.
'Oh, Em, that is too awful...the poor old dears! Oh my.'Alice took the scandal-sheet, as they'd both come to view the Pankhurst Courier, turning to the article. 'It does say that those with pre-existing medical conditions were allowed release.'
With one last blast to the hanky, Emmeline 'put her big-girl pantaloons on' as it were, and drying her eyes, spared a glance at the clock on the mantlepiece. 'It's nearly time to be ready  for tonight's lecture. Are you still coming, Al?'
'Of course. Shall we walk? It isn't far. Although...with things they strange way they have been of late, do you think we ought to call a hansom?'
'We shall walk.'decided Emmeline.'I won't be bullied on my own turf.I need some air.'And up and off to her room she dashed, sniffling.
Alice sighed. 'This should be quite the girl's night out.'

                         . . . . . .
As Emmeline and Alice approached the Town Hall, they could hear the noise before they saw the picketers. 'Oh, marvellous! It's Bishop O'Reilly's Ladies Against Women, no doubt!' Emmeline took up her parasol and thumped it meaningfully in her other hand. 'I'm ready for the brittle little pigeons!'
'Em! We aren't fighting London's Finest here! Steady on now!' Alice put a warning hand on Em's shoulder. 'You know the old saying, One Monkey Don't Stop No Show! I have friends on the Inside, as it were!' Alice took her arm and directed their steps to the side stage door and rapped with her parasol three times. Presently, it was opened by a formidable grey-haired woman who beckoned them inside. 'Alice luv! Haven't seen you since the mayor's last speech on fire and safety in Pankhurst. That ended badly it did!'she and Alice laughed heartily.Alice turned to Em, 'You remember, Em! Just as the mayor was pontificating on fire safety, a bag of flaming doggy doo came flying at him from the rafters! Some rapscallions had been hiding out waiting for him all afternoon! Got away they did too....somehow!'
Alice winked at the lady, who was introduced as Mrs. Smith. They began chortling again as they lead the way behind the curtain and down to the floor proper.
'We aren't about to let anything disrupt tonight's lecture,'said Mrs. Smith. 'If anyone tries, they shall be summarily escorted off the premises, and on to jail, if need be.'
'That is good to hear,'Emmeline remarked,'But what of Gertrude Sanger?'
'That good lady is safe and sound, never you fear. We anticipated something of this sort and had her here early;she is being well-kept. But, we are about to open.Do take seats up front,ladies. It promises to be quite an evening!' and Mrs. Smith took herself off to the room marked Private - Staff Only.
Presently, the doors opened and a goodly crowd assembled, of both men and women, but with a decidedly high-percentage of the fair sex making up most of the audience. As Emmeline craned her neck behind her, she could see a strong show of policemen were in fact, holding the protestors at bay, and
not caring if a bishop were among them. Good.
In fact, Gertrude Sanger's lecture proceded as planned, despite the barely-heard yowling that continued from the cats outside. Some rocks were heard  bouncing harmlessly off the brick walls as it seemed the windows were too high to reach. Emmeline was impressed by Gertrude's visual-aids: she had a flip-chart set upon an easel on stage and would illustrate her excellent bullet points thus:
'We hear much of poverty and suffering of the poor in far-off countries such as Afrika or India,' here the tall lady in green, with her ash-blonde hair in a neat chignon, flipped over the page large enough to be seen by all, to display a close-up photo of a huddle of tiny dark children, all bones but for their distended bellies, their great huge brown eyes staring out at you, asking, 'Why?' Em knew what they were asking. Why are we here? Is life only a hell to be suffered through until death's dark, merciful release? A murmur went through the audience.
'But much closer to home, back in Ireland, we have a shared
misery with our foreign sisters.' Gertrude flipped the big page over and, incredibly, it seemed to show almost the same picture, as a gasp went through the crowd: a group of little mites were gathered, all nearly in the same pose; only slightly paler, though not by much, they were so pitifully grimey. Again, all rags and bones, and the great heartbreaking eyes asking the same question...Why?
'This need not be!'Gertrude's low, but strong and firm voice rang throughout the hall.'This need never be so! Children should all be wanted, and loved, and cared-for! They should not be a burden, to anyone, ever. That is not charity, and it is certainly not Christian, to promulgate and inforce such suffering, upon children and their poor mothers! Not only do the women suffer. The men aren't all drunken reprobates as the clerics would have you believe! No, many are hard-working or would be if they weren't worked to death, in factories and mines! Birth control would make lives bearable, liveable, for men, women and children!
Young people, the world over, would thrive, and grow, and make this a better planet for all. That, ladies and gentlemen, is civilization! That is humanity becoming humane, at last! And that is our hope, for now, and for the future!'
The hall exploded into thunderous applause, just as the doors burst open and a crowd of wild-eyed picketers oozed in past the police barricades, shouting 'Harlots!' , 'Death to the Infidels!'and 'Jesus Loves The Little Children!'of all things...
The police followed them, blowing whistles and attempting to stop the  obstreporous obtrusion from turning into a riot-scene. A short, stout figure in black robes carrying a large crucifix lead the straggling crowd of harridans up to the stage proclaiming,'Gret Heuuuuur o'Babylon! Sinful scarlet woman begone! !In the name of Almighty God!'
Gertrude stood her ground, smiling slightly, and raised her
hands for quiet. 'Ah, the good bishop! Sure and we can count on his Christian charity, as well as that of these worthy ladies, to adopt all the poor and suffering multitudes of unwanted babies! Isn't that right, sir? For blessed it be to minister unto the poor and wretched, so it is...'
'You, you raging harlot! Why, I'll have your, your-- what are you doing? Unhand me, you ruffian! I'll have you know I am a man of the cloth!' --which could be heard ripping as several policemen surrounded the blustering bishop and hauled him, finally, off into the paddywagon, along with his gabbling gang of geriatric guerrillas.
As the crowd slowly dispersed, some daringly stayed on coming up to the podium and speaking earnestly with Gertrude, shaking hands and congratulating her on a job done well in spite of adversity. Alice and Em had stayed on, hoping to speak to her as well.  Emmeline noticed then, a solitary nun who had entered with the bishop's crowd, yet had stayed quietly well away from the center of the fracas. She was waiting on the edge of the small group gathered about Gertrude now, as Em and Alice approached the stage.
'Hello, Sister,'Gertrude turned to her and as the nun held her hand out to shake hello, took it in both of hers. Em feared some sneaky bit of nastiness, but no. The little nun's eyes filled with tears as she spoke up with her soft voice,'I, I heard your lecture, most of it, from outside. I had to come with the bishop, but I stayed by the back door, and listened to you all the same. I have done some missionary work among the poor, and I must say that you are so very right, Miss Sanger! The suffering must cease! And I don't know that there is any other practical way other than some form of family planning! All possible forms should be employed! The pain felt by the children and their families is unknown to people like the bishop's followers! They sit there in their high castles and comfortable homes and congratulate themselves on their righteousness! It is Nero fiddling whilst Rome burns, Miss!' The little nun's eyes blazed behind their tears. 'I just want you to know, that even though I am a bride of Christ, I feel we are sisters united by the the hope for a better future.,.do not think that all within the Church are blind and bigoted.'
Gertrude held her hands and smiled, abit teary herself, as the nun turned and made her quiet exit. The crowd had all left now, except for the crew setting the chairs away, as Emmeline and Alice were the last to approach the great lady.
Alice spoke first,'Well, we can't top that, can we, Em?' she said with a smile.
Gertrude dabbed her eyes with her kerchief.'You've no idea how many nuns I have spoken to say the same things! It was brave of her. I hope she doesn't get into any trouble over it.'
'We were so moved by your presentation,'Em began,'And I must apologize for the ah, fringe element in Pankhurst getting out of hand! They are only ignorant, as you know.'
'...and bloody-minded,'huffed Alice.'Do you experience that sort of thing often, Miss Sanger?'
'Please, call me Gertrude. We are all sisters here,'she smiled. 'I'm afraid it's par for the course, alas. It is a unique lecture that is not so troubled.'
'I can't imagine how you manage to stay so, so collected, !' Emmeline's blood was up. 'Oh, when I saw that awful man coming toward you like a horrid old beetle and his plague of locusts following, Oh, what I'd like to have done!'
Alice put her hand on Em's arm,'You will excuse my young friend. She's a redhead, and no mistake!' turning to Gertrude she added,'To make amends for our small city's smaller minds, I'd like to invite you to share hospitality at my home, if you would be so inclined? Nothing fancy, but if you're up for a drink and a bite, perhaps...?'
'I'd love it!'said Gertrude.'Just allow me to gather my things first. I'll only be a minute.'
                      . . . . . .
Em did give in to a hansom en route home for the 3 of them. Alice had saved some Shepherd's Pie,yeast-baked poppy-seed rolls, and with fresh fruit and salad they all partook of an agreeable late repast, to which Gertrude applied herself with a healthy gusto.
Sitting by the fire in the parlor afterwards with cheese and port, they began to relax abit from the invigorating albeit somewhat stressful evening. The talk ranged from the wide scope of Miss Sanger's travels, to the current Suffragette troubles back in England, and finally the lecture itself and Bishop O'Reilly's raging ignorance, to the raging ignorance of the library's Director Dickman, the mis-appropriation of funds by Poncey Winebar and his city council cronies, and gerrymandering and croneyism in general in local politics, on into the wee hours.
'Can you stay on, Gertrude?,'asked Alice,'I have a comfy day-bed in my sitting room! We would be honored if you'd consent to grace our humble home awhile.'
'Oh, thank you ladies, it sounds wonderful, but I must get back to the inn. My compliments to you, Alice dear,the supper was just what I needed! A home-cooked meal is a rare treat when one is on the road.' She leaned back on the sofa next to Alice.'You do have a cozy retreat here, my dears.
I so appreciate your invitation to share your fireside awhile.'
Alice looked over to Emmeline, who, she noticed, had fallen asleep with MacGregor at her side, both snoring softly.
'I'll just call the hansom for you then, dear. My young friend burns out rather quickly, for all her fire, I'm afraid!'
Alice and Gertrude shared a last glass of port talking earnestly, heads bent together, as they awaited the cabbie's arrival. To see their silhouettes through the window, they did look as sisters, having the same hairstyles and profiles.
Or so thought El Juan Flubber, as he prowled silently about Alice's bushes outside.
                      . . . . .
And now what are we to think!? Not only did Em and Alice flaunt their dismissals of the admonitions of Jack and Aleister to wander not alone after dark, but were nearly caught in a riot, and now unbeknownst to Alice and Gertrude,there seems to be something Nasty in the Woodshed watching!
Stay awhile and be amazed, amused and hopefully not arrested except by your attention as we shall surely present the next Adventure!
...to be consumed along with strong coffee this time, perhaps with abit of poppy-bun. No more spirits for you lot!
Keep those revolutionary fires burning, lasses and lads!
Avanti, always!
'Dream a New Dream Tonight!'