The woman had the right of her host's protection, for she was there
by invitation!" Thus the bony man in the shadows.
Again the leader rapped on the table. "Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he
began, not wholly humorously. "Let us have a care. Let us at
least not divide into factions here. We all of us, I trust, can
remember the case of Peggy O'Neil, who split Washington asunder not
so long ago. She was the wife of one of President Jackson's
cabinet members, yet when she appeared upon a ball-room floor, all
the ladies left it. It was Jackson and Eaton against the world.
That same situation to-day, granted certain conditions, might mean
a war which would disrupt this Union. In fact, I consider
Josephine St. Auban to-day more dangerous than Mrs. Eaton at her
worst."
"But we have just heard what rights we have before the law, sir,"
ventured a hesitating, drawling voice, which had earlier been
heard. "How can we take cognizance of private insult given by a
foreign power in only quasi-public capacity? I conceive it to be
somewhat difficult, no matter what the reception in the society of
Washington, to eject this woman from the city of Washington itself;
or at least, very likely difficult to keep her ejected, as you say,
sir.
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