that　she　has　not　the　right　to　vote；　or　the　right　to　sit　on　the
  bench；　but　in　the　fact　that　in　her　affectional　relations　she　is
  not　the　equal　of　man；　she　has　not　the　right　to　abstain；　to　choose
  instead　of　being　chosen。　　You　say　that　that　would　be　abnormal。
  Very　well！　But　then　do　not　let　man　enjoy　these　rights；　while　his
  companion　is　deprived　of　them；　and　finds　herself　obliged　to　make
  use　of　the　coquetry　by　which　she　governs；　so　that　the　result　is
  that　man　chooses　'formally；'　whereas　really　it　is　woman　who
  chooses。　　As　soon　as　she　is　in　possession　of　her　means；　she
  abuses　them；　and　acquires　a　terrible　supremacy。〃
  〃But　where　do　you　see　this　exceptional　power？〃
  〃Where？　　Why；　everywhere；　in　everything。　　Go　see　the　stores　in
  the　large　cities。　　There　are　millions　there；　millions。　　It　is
  impossible　to　estimate　the　enormous　quantity　of　labor　that　is
  expended　there。　　In　nine…tenths　of　these　stores　is　there　anything
  whatever　for　the　use　of　men？　　All　the　luxury　of　life　is　demanded
  and　sustained　by　woman。　　Count　the　factories；　the　greater　part　of
  them　are　engaged　in　making　feminine　ornaments。　　Millions　of　men；
  generations　of　slaves；　die　toiling　like　convicts　simply　to
  satisfy　the　whims　of　our　companions。
  〃Women；　like　queens；　keep　nine…tenths　of　the　　human　race　as
  prisoners　of　war；　or　as　prisoners　at　hard　labor。　　And　all　this
  because　they　have　been　humiliated；　because　they　have　been
  deprived　of　rights　equal　to　those　which　men　enjoy。　They　take
  revenge　for　our　sensuality；　they　catch　us　in　their　nets。
  〃Yes；　the　whole　thing　is　there。　　Women　have　made　of　themselves
  such　a　weapon　to　act　upon　the　senses　that　a　young　man；　and　even
  an　old　man；　cannot　remain　tranquil　in　their　presence。　Watch　a
  popular　festival；　or　our　receptions　or　ball…rooms。　　Woman　well
  knows　her　influence　there。　　You　will　see　it　in　her　triumphant
  smiles。
  〃As　soon　as　a　young　man　advances　toward　a　woman；　directly　he
  falls　under　the　influence　of　this　opium；　and　loses　his　head。
  Long　ago　I　felt　ill　at　ease　when　I　saw　a　woman　too　well
  adorned；whether　a　woman　of　the　people　with　her　red　neckerchief
  and　her　looped　skirt；　or　a　woman　of　our　own　society　in　her
  ball…room　dress。　　But　now　it　simply　terrifies　me。　　I　see　in　it　a
  danger　to　men；　something　contrary　to　the　laws；　and　I　feel　a
  desire　to　call　a　policeman；　to　appeal　for　defence　from　some
  quarter；　to　demand　that　this　dangerous　object　be　removed。
  〃And　this　is　not　a　joke；　by　any　means。　　I　am　convinced；　I　am
  sure；　that　the　time　will　comeand　perhaps　it　is　not　far
  distantwhen　the　world　will　understand　this；　and　will　be
  astonished　that　a　society　could　exist　in　which　actions　as　harmful
  as　those　which　appeal　to　sensuality　by　adorning　the　body　as　our
  companions　do　were　allowed。　　As　well　set　traps　along　our　public
  streets；　or　worse　than　that。
  CHAPTER　X。
  〃That；　then；　was　the　way　in　which　I　was　captured。　　I　was　in
  love；　as　it　is　called；　not　only　did　she　appear　to　me　a　perfect
  being；　but　I　considered　myself　a　white　blackbird。　　It　is　a
  commonplace　fact　that　there　is　no　one　so　low　in　the　world　that　he
  cannot　find　some　one　viler　than　himself；　and　consequently　puff
  with　pride　and　self…contentment。　　I　was　in　that　situation。　　I　did
  not　marry　for　money。　　Interest　was　foreign　to　the　affair；　unlike
  the　marriages　of　most　of　my　acquaintances；　who　married　either　for
  money　or　for　relations。　　First；　I　was　rich；　she　was　poor。
  Second；　I　was　especially　proud　of　the　fact　that；　while　others
  married　with　an　intention　of　continuing　their　polygamic　life　as
  bachelors；　it　was　my　firm　intention　to　live　monogamically　after
  my　engagement　and　the　wedding；　and　my　pride　swelled　immeasurably。
  〃Yes；　I　was　a　wretch；　convinced　that　I　was　an　angel。　　The　period
  of　my　engagement　did　not　last　long。　　I　cannot　remember　those　days
  without　shame。　　What　an　abomination！
  〃It　is　generally　agreed　that　love　is　a　moral　sentiment；　a
  community　of　thought　rather　than　of　sense。　　If　that　is　the　case；
  this　community　of　thought　ought　to　find　expression　in　words　and
  conversation。　　Nothing　of　the　sort。　　It　was　extremely　difficult
  for　us　to　talk　with　each　other。　What　a　toil　of　Sisyphus　was　our
  conversation！　　Scarcely　had　we　thought　of　something　to　say；　and
  said　it；　when　we　had　to　r俿um偂ur　silence　and　try　to　discover
  new　subjects。　　Literally；　we　did　not　know　what　to　say　to　each
  other。　　All　that　we　could　think　of　concerning　the　life　that　was
  before　us　and　our　home　was　said。
  〃And　then　what？　　If　we　had　been　animals；　we　should　have　known
  that　we　had　not　to　talk。　　But　here；　on　the　contrary；　it　was
  necessary　to　talk；　and　there　were　no　resources！　　For　that　which
  occupied　our　minds　was　not　a　thing　to　be　expressed　in　words。
  〃And　then　that　silly　custom　of　eating　bon…bons；　that　brutal
  gluttony　for　sweetmeats；　those　abominable　preparations　for　the
  wedding；　those　discussions　with　mamma　upon　the　apartments；　upon
  the　sleeping…rooms；　upon　the　bedding；　upon　the　morning…gowns；
  upon　the　wrappers；　the　linen；　the　costumes！　　Understand　that　if
  people　married　according　to　the　old　fashion；　as　this　old　man　said
  just　now；　then　these　eiderdown　coverlets　and　this　bedding　would
  all　be　sacred　details；　but　with　us；　out　of　ten　married　people
  there　is　scarcely　to　be　found　one　who；　I　do　not　say　believes　in
  sacraments　（whether　he　believes　or　not　is　a　matter　of
  indifference　to　us）；　but　believes　in　what　he　promises。　　Out　of　a
  hundred　men；　there　is　scarcely　one　who　has　not　married　before；
  and　out　of　fifty　scarcely　one　who　has　not　made　up　his　mind　to
  deceive　his　wife。
  〃The　great　majority　look　upon　this　journey　to　the　church　as　a
  condition　necessary　to　the　possession　of　a　certain　woman。　　Think
  then　of　the　supreme　significance　which　material　details　must　take
  on。　　Is　it　not　a　sort　of　sale；　in　which　a　maiden　is　given　over　to
  a　debauche；　the　sale　being　surrounded　with　the　most　agreeable
  details？
  CHAPTER　XI。
  〃All　marry　in　this　way。　　And　I　did　like　the　rest。　　If　the　young
  people　who　dream　of　the　honeymoon　only　knew　what　a　disillusion　it
  is；　and　always　a　disillusion！　　I　really　do　not　know　why　all　think
  it　necessary　to　conceal　it。
  〃One　day　I　was　walking　among　the　shows　in　Paris；　when；　attracted
  by　a　sign；　I　entered　an　establishment　to　see　a　bearded　woman　and
  a　water…dog。　　The　woman　was　a　man　in　disguise；　and　the　dog　was　an
  ordinary　dog；　covered　with　a　sealskin；　and　swimming　in　a　bath。
  It　was　not　in　the　least　interesting；　but　the　Barnum　accompanied
  me　to　the　exit　very　courteously；　and；　in　addressing　the　people
  who　were　coming　in；　made　an　appeal　to　my　testimony。　　'Ask　the
  gentleman　if　it　is　not　worth　seeing！　　Come　in；　come　in！　　It　only
  costs　a　franc！'　　And　in　my　confusion　I　did　not　dare　to　answer
  that　there　was　nothing　curious　to　be　seen；　and　it　was　upon　my
  false　shame　that　the　Barnum　must　have　counted。
  〃It　must　be　the　same　with　the　persons　who　have　passed　through　the
  abominations　of　the　honeymoon。　　They　do　not　dare　to　undeceive
  their　neighbor。　　And　I　did　the　same。
  〃The　felicities　of　the　honeymoon　do　not　exist。　On　the　contrary；
  it　is　a　period　of　uneasiness；　of　shame；　of　pity；　and；　above　all；
  of　ennui；of　ferocious　ennui。　　It　is　something　like　the
  feeling　of　a　youth　when　he　is　beginning　to　smoke。　　He　desires　to
  vomit；　he　drivels；　and　swallows　his　drivel；　pretending　to　enjoy
  this　little　amusement。　The　vice　of　marriage〃　。　。　。
  〃What！　　Vice？〃　I　said。　　〃But　you　are　talking　of　one　of　the　most
  natural　things。〃
  〃Natural！〃　said　he。　　〃Natural！　　No；　I　consider　on　the　contrary
  that　it　is　against　nature；　and　it　is　I；　a　perverted　man；　who　have
  reached　this　conviction。　　What　would　it　be；　then；　if　I　had　not
  known　corruption？　　To　a　young　girl；　to　every　unperverted　young
  girl；　it　is　an　act　extremely　unnatural；　just　as　it　is　to
  children。　　My　sister　married；　when　very　young；　a　man　twice　her
  own　age；　and　who　was　utterly　corrupt。　　I　remember　how　astonished
  we　were　the　night　of　her　wedding；　when；　pale　and　covered　with
  tears；　she　fled　from　her　husband；　her　whole　body　trembling；
  saying　that　for　nothing　in　the　world　would　she　tell　what　he
  wanted　of　her。
  〃You　say　natural？　　It　is　natural　to　eat；　that　is　a　pleasant；
  agreeable　function；　which　no　one　is　ashamed　to　perform　from　the
  time　of　his　birth。　　No；　it　is　not　natural。　　A　pure　young　girl
  wants　one　thing；children。　　Children；　yes；　not　a　lover。〃　。　。　。
  〃But；〃　said　I；　with　astonishment；　〃how　would　the　human　race
  continue？〃
  〃But　what　is　the　use　of　its　continuing？〃　he　rejoined；
  vehemently。
  〃What！　　What　is　the　use？　　But　then　we　should　not　exist。〃
  〃And　why　is　it　necessary　that　we　should　exist？〃
  〃Why；　to　live；　to　be　sure。〃
  〃And　why　live？　　The　Schopenhauers；　the　Hartmanns；　and　all　the
  Buddhists；　say　that　the　greatest　happiness　is　Nirvana；　Non…Life；
  and　they　are　right　in　this　sense；that　human　happiness　is
  coincident　with　the　annihilation　of　'Self。'　Only　they　do　not
  express　themselves　well。