Charlotte Perkins Gilman

“ There was always a string of those uncomfortably strong women sitting about, always one of them watching us even if the others were reading, playing games, or busy at some kind of handiwork.
"When I see them knit," Terry said, "I can almost call them feminine."
"That doesn't prove anything," Jeff promptly replied. "Scotch shepherds knit--always knitting."
"When we get out--" Terry stretched himself and looked at the far peaks, "when we get out of this and get to where the real women are--the mothers, and the girls--"
"Well, what'll we do then?" ”

“ Then we made a search of the big room again and found a large airy closet, holding plenty of clothing, but not ours.
"A council of war!" demanded Terry. "Come on back to bed --the bed's all right anyhow. Now then, my scientific friend, let us consider our case dispassionately."
He meant me, but Jeff seemed most impressed.
"They haven't hurt us in the least!" he said. "They could have killed us--or--or anything--and I never felt better in my life."
"That argues that they are all women," I suggested, "and highly civilized. ”

“ To the southeastward stretched the open country, lying bright and fair in the morning light, but on either side, and evidently behind, rose great mountains.
"This thing is a regular fortress--and no women built it, I can tell you that," said Terry. We nodded agreeingly. "It's right up among the hills--they must have brought us a long way."
"We saw some kind of swift-moving vehicles the first day," Jeff reminded us. "If they've got motors, they ARE civilized." ”

“ There were plenty of strong ropes in the gymnasium--they seemed to love to swing and climb on them--but we were never there by ourselves.
We should have to piece it out from our bedding, rugs, and garments, and moreover, we should have to do it after we were shut in for the night, for every day the place was cleaned to perfection by two of our guardians.
We had no shears, no knives, but Terry was resourceful. "These Jennies have glass and china, you see. We'll break a glass from the bathroom and use that. `Love will find out a way,'" he hummed. ”

“ I philosophized a bit over this and told Terry it argued against their having any men about. "There isn't a man-size game in the lot," I said.
"But they are interesting--I like them," Jeff objected, "and I'm sure they are educational."
"I'm sick and tired of being educated," Terry protested. "Fancy going to a dame school--at our age. I want to Get Out!"
But we could not get out, and we were being educated swiftly. Our special tutors rose rapidly in our esteem. They seemed of rather finer quality than the guards, though all were on terms of easy friendliness. ”

“ We have been stripped and washed and put to bed like so many yearling babies--by these highly civilized women."
Jeff actually blushed. He had a poetic imagination. Terry had imagination enough, of a different kind. So had I, also different. I always flattered myself I had the scientific imagination, which, incidentally, I considered the highest sort. One has a right to a certain amount of egotism if founded on fact--and kept to one's self--I think. ”

“ I said. "They've got us, and apparently they're perfectly harmless. It remains for us to cook up some plan of escape like any other bottled heroes. Meanwhile we've got to put on these clothes--Hobson's choice."
The garments were simple in the extreme, and absolutely comfortable, physically, though of course we all felt like supes in the theater. ”

“ I urged, still hoping to dissuade him. "One or another pair of eyes is on us every minute except at night."
"Therefore we must do it at night," he answered. "That's easy."
"We've got to think that if they catch us we may not be so well treated afterward," said Jeff.
"That's the business risk we must take. I'm going--if I break my neck." There was no changing him.
The rope problem was not easy. Something strong enough to hold a man and long enough to let us down into the garden, and then down over the wall. ”

“ They brought pictures, not only the engravings in the books but colored studies of plants and trees and flowers and birds. They brought tools and various small objects--we had plenty of "material" in our school.
If it had not been for Terry we would have been much more contented, but as the weeks ran into months he grew more and more irritable. ”

“ You know you hit one in the last scrimmage-- I heard her sing out--and we kicked awfully."
Terry was grinning at us. "So you realize what these ladies have done to us?" he pleasantly inquired. "They have taken away all our possessions, all our clothes--every stitch. ”

“ When we're all out of the window, we'll stand three-man high and cut the rope as far up as we can reach, so as to have more for the wall. I know just where I saw that bit of path below, and there's a big tree there, too, or a vine or something--I saw the leaves. ”