A suspicion had
begun to dawn upon her, and she asked me, timidly: Could it be
possible that that intimacy which was given in marriage could become
a thing of barter in the market-place? When I told her the truth, I
found her horror so great that it was impossible to go on talking
economics. How could I say that women were driven to such things by
poverty? Surely a woman who was not bad at heart would starve,
before she would sell her body to a man!
Perhaps I should have been more patient with her, but I am bitter on
these subjects. "My dear Mrs. van Tuiver," I said, "there is a lot
of nonsense talked about this matter. There is very little sex-life
for women without a money-price made clear in advance."
"I don't understand," she said.
"I don't know about your case," I replied, "but when I married, it
was because I was unhappy and wanted a home of my own. And if the
truth were told, that is why most women marry."
"But what has THAT to do with it?" she cried. She really did not
see!
"What is the difference--except that such women stand out for a
maintenance, while the prostitute takes cash?" I saw that I had
shocked her, and I said: "You must be humble about these things,
because you have never been poor, and you cannot judge those who
have been.
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