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purpose　through　love。　　Women　are　particularly　given　to　that；

thinking　to　themselves　'I　will　love　him　so；　I　will　make　so　much

of　him　afterwards；　that　it's　no　sin　to　torment　him　a　little　now。'

And　all　in　the　house　rejoice　in　the　sight　of　you；　and　you　are

happy　and　gay　and　peaceful　and　honourable。。。。　Then　there　are　some

women　who　are　jealous。　　If　he　went　off　anywhereI　knew　one　such

woman；　she　couldn't　restrain　herself；　but　would　jump　up　at　night

and　run　off　on　the　sly　to　find　out　where　he　was；　whether　he　was

with　some　other　woman。　　That's　a　pity。　　And　the　woman　knows

herself　it's　wrong；　and　her　heart　fails　her　and　she　suffers；　but

she　lovesit's　all　through　love。　　And　how　sweet　it　is　to　make　up

after　quarrels；　to　own　herself　in　the　wrong　or　to　forgive　him！　

And　they　both　are　so　happy　all　at　onceas　though　they　had　met

anew；　been　married　over　again；　as　though　their　love　had　begun

afresh。　　And　no　one；　no　one　should　know　what　passes　between

husband　and　wife　if　they　love　one　another。　　And　whatever　quarrels

there　may　be　between　them　they　ought　not　to　call　in　their　own

mother　to　judge　between　them　and　tell　tales　of　one　another。　　They

are　their　own　judges。　　Love　is　a　holy　mystery　and　ought　to　be

hidden　from　all　other　eyes；　whatever　happens。　　That　makes　it

holier　and　better。　　They　respect　one　another　more；　and　much　is

built　on　respect。　　And　if　once　there　has　been　love；　if　they　have

been　married　for　love；　why　should　love　pass　away？　　Surely　one　can

keep　it！　　It　is　rare　that　one　cannot　keep　it。　　And　if　the　husband

is　kind　and　straightforward；　why　should　not　love　last？　　The　first

phase　of　married　love　will　pass；　it　is　true；　but　then　there　will

come　a　love　that　is　better　still。　　Then　there　will　be　the　union

of　souls；　they　will　have　everything　in　common；　there　will　be　no

secrets　between　them。　　And　once　they　have　children；　the　most

difficult　times　will　seem　to　them　happy；　so　long　as　there　is　love

and　courage。　　Even　toil　will　be　a　joy；　you　may　deny　yourself

bread　for　your　children　and　even　that　will　be　a　joy；　They　will

love　you　for　it　afterwards；　so　you　are　laying　by　for　your　future。　

As　the　children　grow　up　you　feel　that　you　are　an　example；　a

support　for　them；　that　even　after　you　die　your　children　will

always　keep　your　thoughts　and　feelings；　because　they　have

received　them　from　you；　they　will　take　on　your　semblance　and

likeness。　　So　you　see　this　is　a　great　duty。　　How　can　it　fail　to

draw　the　father　and　mother　nearer？　　People　say　it's　a　trial　to

have　children。　　Who　says　that？　　It　is　heavenly　happiness！　　Are

you　fond　of　little　children；　Liza？　　I　am　awfully　fond　of　them。　

You　knowa　little　rosy　baby　boy　at　your　bosom；　and　what

husband's　heart　is　not　touched；　seeing　his　wife　nursing　his

child！　　A　plump　little　rosy　baby；　sprawling　and　snuggling；　chubby

little　hands　and　feet；　clean　tiny　little　nails；　so　tiny　that　it

makes　one　laugh　to　took　at　them；　eyes　that　look　as　if　they

understand　everything。　　And　while　it　sucks　it　clutches　at　your

bosom　with　its　little　hand；　plays。　　When　its　father　comes　up；　the

child　tears　itself　away　from　the　bosom；　flings　itself　back；　looks

at　its　father；　laughs；　as　though　it　were　fearfully　funny；　and

falls　to　sucking　again。　　Or　it　will　bite　its　mother's　breast　when

its　little　teeth　are　coming；　while　it　looks　sideways　at　her　with

its　little　eyes　as　though　to　say；　'Look；　I　am　biting！'　Is　not　all

that　happiness　when　they　are　the　three　together；　husband；　wife

and　child？　　One　can　forgive　a　great　deal　for　the　sake　of　such

moments。　　Yes；　Liza；　one　must　first　learn　to　live　oneself　before

one　blames　others！〃



〃It's　by　pictures；　pictures　like　that　one　must　get　at　you；〃　I

thought　to　myself；　though　I　did　speak　with　real　feeling；　and　all

at　once　I　flushed　crimson。　　〃What　if　she　were　suddenly　to　burst

out　laughing；　what　should　I　do　then？〃　　That　idea　drove　me　to

fury。　　Towards　the　end　of　my　speech　I　really　was　excited；　and　now

my　vanity　was　somehow　wounded。　　The　silence　continued。　　I　almost

nudged　her。



〃Why　are　you〃　she　began　and　stopped。　　But　I　understood：　there

was　a　quiver　of　something　different　in　her　voice；　not　abrupt；

harsh　and　unyielding　as　before；　but　something　soft　and

shamefaced；　so　shamefaced　that　I　suddenly　felt　ashamed　and

guilty。



〃What？〃　I　asked；　with　tender　curiosity



〃Why；　you　。。。〃



〃What？〃



〃Why；　you　。。。　speak　somehow　like　a　book；〃　she　said；　and　again

there　was　a　note　of　irony　in　her　voice。



That　remark　sent　a　pang　to　my　heart。　　It　was　not　what　I　was

expecting。



I　did　not　understand　that　she　was　hiding　her　feelings　under

irony；　that　this　is　usually　the　last　refuge　of　modest　and

chaste…souled　people　when　the　privacy　of　their　soul　is　coarsely

and　intrusively　invaded；　and　that　their　pride　makes　them　refuse

to　surrender　till　the　last　moment　and　shrink　from　giving

expression　to　their　feelings　before　you。　　I　ought　to　have　guessed

the　truth　from　the　timidity　with　which　she　had　repeatedly

approached　her　sarcasm；　only　bringing　herself　to　utter　it　at　last

with　an　effort。　　But　I　did　not　guess；　and　an　evil　feeling　took

possession　of　me。



〃Wait　a　bit！〃　I　thought。





VII



〃Oh；　hush；　Liza！　　How　can　you　talk　about　being　like　a　book；　when

it　makes　even　me；　an　outsider；　feel　sick？　　Though　I　don't　look　at

it　as　an　outsider；　for；　indeed；　it　touches　me　to　the　heart。。。。　Is

it　possible；　is　it　possible　that　you　do　not　feel　sick　at　being

here　yourself？　　Evidently　habit　does　wonders！　　God　knows　what

habit　can　do　with　anyone。　　Can　you　seriously　think　that　you　will

never　grow　old；　that　you　will　always　be　good…looking；　and　that

they　will　keep　you　here　for　ever　and　ever？　　I　say　nothing　of　the

loathsomeness　of　the　life　here。。。。　Though　let　me　tell　you　this

about　itabout　your　present　life；　I　mean；　here　though　you　are

young　now；　attractive；　nice；　with　soul　and　feeling；　yet　you　know

as　soon　as　I　came　to　myself　just　now　I　felt　at　once　sick　at　being

here　with　you！　　One　can　only　come　here　when　one　is　drunk。　　But　if

you　were　anywhere　else；　living　as　good　people　live；　I　should

perhaps　be　more　than　attracted　by　you；　should　fall　in　love　with

you；　should　be　glad　of　a　look　from　you；　let　alone　a　word；　I

should　hang　about　your　door；　should　go　down　on　my　knees　to　you；

should　look　upon　you　as　my　betrothed　and　think　it　an　honour　to　be

allowed　to。　　I　should　not　dare　to　have　an　impure　thought　about

you。　　But　here；　you　see；　I　know　that　I　have　only　to　whistle　and

you　have　to　come　with　me　whether　you　like　it　or　not。　　I　don't

consult　your　wishes；　but　you　mine。　　The　lowest　labourer　hires

himself　as　a　workman；　but　he　doesn't　make　a　slave　of　himself

altogether；　besides；　he　knows　that　he　will　be　free　again

presently。　　But　when　are　you　free？　　Only　think　what　you　are

giving　up　here？　　What　is　it　you　are　making　a　slave　of？　　It　is

your　soul；　together　with　your　body；　you　are　selling　your　soul

which　you　have　no　right　to　dispose　of！　　You　give　your　love　to　be

outraged　by　every　drunkard！　　Love！　　But　that's　everything；　you

know；　it's　a　priceless　diamond；　it's　a　maiden's　treasure；

lovewhy；　a　man　would　be　ready　to　give　his　soul；　to　face　death

to　gain　that　love。　　But　how　much　is　your　love　worth　now？　　You　are

sold；　all　of　you；　body　and　soul；　and　there　is　no　need　to　strive

for　love　when　you　can　have　everything　without　love。　　And　you　know

there　is　no　greater　insult　to　a　girl　than　that；　do　you

understand？　　To　be　sure；　I　have　heard　that　they　comfort　you；　poor

fools；　they　let　you　have　lovers　of　your　own　here。　　But　you　know

that's　simply　a　farce；　that's　simply　a　sham；　it's　just　laughing

at　you；　and　you　are　taken　in　by　it！　　Why；　do　you　suppose　he

really　loves　you；　that　lover　of　yours？　　I　don't　believe　it。　　How

can　he　love　you　when　he　knows　you　may　be　called　away　from　him　any

minute？　　He　would　be　a　low　fellow　if　he　did！　　Will　he　have　a

grain　of　respect　for　you？　　What　have　you　in　common　with　him？　　He

laughs　at　you　and　robs　youthat　is　all　his　love　amounts　to！　　You

are　lucky　if　he　does　not　beat　you。　　Very　likely　he　does　beat　you；

too。　　Ask　him；　if　you　have　got　one；　whether　he　will　marry　you。　

He　will　laugh　in　your　face；　if　he　doesn't　spit　in　it　or　give　you

a　blowthough　maybe　he　is　not　worth　a　bad　halfpenny　himself。　

And　for　what　have　you　ruined　your　life；　if　you　come　to　think　of

it？　　For　the　coffee　they　give　you　to　drink　and　the　plentiful

meals？　　But　with　what　object　are　they　feeding　you　up？　　An　honest

girl　couldn't　swallow　the　food；　for　she　would　know　what　she　was

being　fed　for。　　You　are　in　debt　here；　and；　of　course；　you　will

always　be　in　debt；　and　you　will　go　on　in　debt　to　the　end；　till

the　visitors　here　begin　to　scorn　you。　　And　that　will　soon　happen；

don't　rely　upon　your　youthall　that　flies　by　express　train　here；

you　know。　　You　will　be　kicked　out。　　And　not　simply　kicked　out；

long　before　that　she'll　begin　nagging　at　you；　scolding　you；

abusing　you；　as　though　you　had　not　sacrificed　your　health　for

her；　had　not　thrown　away　your　youth　and　your　soul　for