I
saw that the honorableness of marriage, the disgrace of free union,
were just so many ignoble masculine devices to keep up man's
lordship; vile results of his determination to taboo to himself
beforehand and monopolize for life some particular woman. I know
all that; I acknowledge all that. I see as plainly as you do that
sooner or later there must come a revolution. But, Herminia, the
women who devote themselves to carrying out that revolution, will
take their souls in their hands, and will march in line to the
freeing of their sex through shame and calumny and hardships
innumerable. I shrink from letting you, the woman that I love,
bring that fate upon yourself; I shrink still more from being the
man to aid and abet you in doing it."
Herminia fixed her piercing eyes upon his face once more. Tears
stood in them now. The tenderness of woman was awakened within
her. "Dear Alan," she said gently, "don't I tell you I have
thought long since of all that? I am PREPARED to face it. It is
only a question of with whom I shall do so.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88