New York?’ Parnell knew that his sisters’ Ladies League was proving very successful. In just three months Fanny and Anna – with the help of Ellen Ford at The Irish World - had built an organisation of five thousand women in twenty-five branches throughout North America. But a mighty ocean separated the American Irish from the struggle at home. ‘New York is further away than Paris.’
‘In Dublin,’ Davitt smiled. ‘An Irish Ladies Land League based in Dublin, and in the country. Working in the field, alongside the people.’
‘No!’ Parnell and Dillon spoke at the same time, equally horrified.
‘No, Davitt, please.’ Parnell repeated. ‘We will look the most terrible cowards. Hiding behind the skirts of women.’
‘We won’t be hiding behind them.’ Davitt spoke calmly. ‘We will be working with them. And if we all end up in prison, they will carry on the fight without us.’
‘Davitt’s right!’ Egan was an unexpected ally. ‘We need an auxiliary force. Someone the Government is unlikely to touch.’
‘But Michael,’ Dillon appealed to his friend, ‘would you have our girls sent to prison too?’
‘That's very unlikely. That's the whole point of it.’
‘You’re asking women to endanger their reputations?’ Parnell was amazed.
‘Better than a system which endangers their lives.’ Davitt was growing impatient with the gentlemanly perspective.
Parnell had got up to pace. ‘It is not honourable for a man to ask a woman to do his work for him.’
‘It is their country too.’ Davitt had set his jaw. ‘It is their fight too.’
‘Oh Davitt, this is a most dangerous experiment.’ Dillon was half persuaded despite himself.
‘Yes it is.’ Davitt said. ‘And I think that Mr Gladstone will eventually find it so too. Most dangerous to him, and to landlordism.’
‘What lady is going to be able to do this work?’ Parnell challenged, coming to stand over Davitt, ‘let alone be willing.’
‘Quite a few actually.’ Davitt rose up to face the agitated Parnell. ‘In fact, they’re lining up already in Dublin.’ He paused, ready now to play his trump card. ‘Including one Miss Anna Parnell.’
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
