Little Poems in Prose

perhaps that that is very strong,’ she would say immediately; ‘I suppose that you are an authority on strength’; and she would argue the point. “One fine day she took to chemistry, so that henceforth I found a mask of glass between my mouth and hers. With all that, she was very prudish; if at any time I shocked her by a too amorous gesture she writhed like a victim of rape.” “How did that finish?” said one of the three others; “I did not know you were so patient.” “For every evil,” he replied, “God has ap- pointed a remedy. One day I found this Mi- nerva (an-hungered for ideal strength) en- gaged in a private interview with my servant, in a situation which compelled me to return discretely lest I should cause them to blush. That evening I discharged them both, and paid them the arrears of their wages.” “As for me,” replied the man who had inter- rupted, “I have no one to complain of but my- self. Happiness came to live with me, and I did not realize it. Destiny had lately granted me the enjoyment of a woman who was indeed the sweetest, the most submissive and the most devoted creature possible, always ready, and without enthusiasm!—’I should like it very much, if it is agreeable to you,’ was her ordi-