““There they stand now and propose to teach us again. But we expect them to set aside some of their dignity. For, after all, what can they teach us? We know life now better than they; we have gained another knowledge,—harsh, bloody, cruel, inexorable. We could teach them for that matter—but who would be bothered? —If a sudden raid were to be made on the hall just now, they would all be rushing about like a bunch of poodles, frightened out of their wits, without a ghost of an idea what to do, whereas not a man of us would lose his head. As the first thing to be done—merely that they should not be in the way—we should quietly lock them all up and then begin the defence.””
