he
regarded that mate as his by right of force, not as a partner in a
compact. And

The most complicated of modern communities has no whit altered the
relationship of man to mate, conceal though it may the origin and history
of marriage. Finally,

No woman at the bottom of her heart has any objection to being owned.
Indeed (though no woman would say it, a man may),

Every woman at the bottom of her heart delights to be owned, and tacitly
and secretly seeks the man who she thinks will glory in that ownership
and keep his property safe--not only from material harms, but from
temptations to changes of ownership. In which last little fact lies a
curious truth.

Women like to be defended against themselves. In this little matter men
and women differ: That any other man should dare for one instant to
covet or alienate (5) that most precious of his possessions, his mate,
--nothing rouses to a higher pitch man's unappeasable wrath than this;

Against the man so daring, a woman's wrath is never roused: rather she
regards him as one having discernment, and his daring is a commendable
compliment to herself. In fine, and in short,

Allegiance, to a man, on the part of a woman, means, in her eyes, loyalty
to him who properly exercises the right of ownership. In simple truth,

A woman gives herself to a man: to the man who proves himself worthy the
gift, she is true.

And this is why women, all women, even the New ones, love being petted
and admired and made much of all their lives: this but proves the
possession of the gift to be appreciated. Besides,

The male is the dominant animal--not necessarily in his cave or his hut,
--by no means, but in the stress and struggle of life; and women tacitly
(though never openly) look up to and admire this dominance, even when
exercised over themselves; since THIS, in turn, proves the masterfulness,
the worth, of the man; albeit sometimes they rebel against it if carried
to far. At least,

Unless a man continues to exhibit his appreciation of the gift by word as
well as by deed, the woman is apt to imagine that that appreciation is on
the wane.

(5) How women must laugh in their sleeves at the fact that one man may
sue another in a court of law for "alienating his wife's affections"!

* * *

IV. On Love

"Amore che muove il sole e l'altre stelle."
--Dante

The beginning, middle, and end of love--is a sigh.

* * *

All things point to the infinite; and love