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"Garden of Red Flowers"
145

jeunesse se passe. They therefore require what may be called the 'brute-woman'; a woman who laughs and glitters and shines for a few years, till she ages: then of course she withdraws from the arena, regretting that 'she ever followed such a path.' It is only after men have sown their wild oats that the animal dies out of them, and there wakes up—a plebeian, or a thinker, or a father, or a citizen; and then he stretches out his hands towards what we may call the 'human woman.' Then comes the triumph of her who respects herself; her day of victory has dawned, she is at last 'appreciated,' which is to say remunerated for her virtue with that famous respect which is never given to those of the other class. True, the intellectuals may complain sometimes that men will not acknowledge them as mentally their equals; but the foolish ones will be honoured by their husbands' friendship and confidence; and the good mothers will have no aim or happiness in life beyond the bringing up of children: while they each and all either look down upon the 'brute-woman' or regard them with philanthropic compassion."

"Poor things!" Gina exclaimed; "they do