"When he heard that the boys were seasick too, he actually laughed and began to get better right away.There is really only one cure for the mal de mer, and that is the fun of knowing that somebody else is suffering too.If some of you ladies would kindly yield to the seductions of the sea, I think we could get this poor girl on her feet in an instant."Unfortunately for poor Ophelia, there was no immediate response to this appeal, and the unhappy young woman was forced to suffer in solitude.
"We have no time for untimely diversions of this sort," snapped Xanthippe, with a scornful glance at the suffering Ophelia, who, having retired to a comfortable lounge at an end of the room, was evidently improving."I have no sympathy with this habit some of my sex seem to have acquired of succumbing to an immediate sensation of this nature.""I hope to be pardoned for interrupting," said Mrs.Noah, with a great deal of firmness, "but I wish Mrs.Socrates to understand that it is rather early in the voyage for her to lay down any such broad principle as that, and for her own sake to-morrow, I think it would be well if she withdrew the sentiment.There are certain things about a sea-voyage that are more or less beyond the control of man or woman, and any one who chides that poor suffering child on yonder sofa ought to be more confident than Mrs.Socrates can possibly be that within an hour she will not be as badly off.People who live in glass houses should not throw dice.""I shall never yield to anything so undignified as seasickness, let me tell you that," retorted Xanthippe."Furthermore, the proverb is not as the lady has quoted it.'People who live in glass houses should not throw stones' is the proper version.""I was not quoting," returned Mrs.Noah, calmly."When I said that people who live in glass houses should not throw dice, I meant precisely what I said.People who live in glass houses should not take chances.In assuming with such vainglorious positiveness that she will not be seasick, the lady who has just spoken is giving tremendous odds, as the boys used to say on the Ark when we gathered about the table at night and began to make small wagers on the day's run.""I think we had better suspend this discussion," suggested Cleopatra.
"It is of no immediate interest to any one but Ophelia, and I fancy she does not care to dwell upon it at any great length.It is more important that we should decide upon our future course of action.In the first place, the question is who these people up on deck are.If they are the members of the club, we are all right.They will give us our scare, and land us safely again at the pier.In that event it is our womanly duty to manifest no concern, and to seem to be aware of nothing unusual in the proceeding.It would never do to let them think that their joke has been a good one.If, on the other hand, as I fear, we are the victims of some horde of ruffians, who have pounced upon us unawares, and are going into the business of abduction on a wholesale basis, we must meet treachery with treachery, strategy with strategy.I, for one, am perfectly willing to make every man on board walk the plank; having confidence in the seawomanship of Mrs.Noah and her ability to steer us into port.""I am quite in accord with these views," put in Madame Recamier, "and I move you, Mrs.President, that we organize a series of sub-committees--one on treachery, with Lucretia Borgia and Delilah as members; one on strategy, consisting of Portia and Queen Elizabeth;one on navigation, headed by Mrs.Noah; with a final sub-committee on reconnoitre, with Cassandra to look forward, and Mrs.Lot to look aft--all of these subordinated to a central committee of safety headed by Cleopatra and Calpurnia.The rest of us can then commit ourselves and our interests unreservedly to these ladies, and proceed to enjoy ourselves without thought of the morrow.""I second the motion," said Ophelia, "with the amendment that Madame Recamier be appointed chair-lady of another sub-committee, on entertainment."The amendment was accepted, and the motion put.It was carried with an enthusiastic aye, and the organization was complete.
