The Fawns lived at Fawn Court
all the year round, and consequently Lady Fawn thought that air was to be
found in England sufficiently good for all purposes of vitality and
recreation.
"It's not quite the same thing," said Lucy; "at least, not for a man."
After that she was allowed to escape into the grounds with her lover, and
was made happy with half an hour of unalloyed bliss. To be alone with the
girl to whom he is not engaged is a man's delight; to be alone with the
man to whom she is engaged is the woman's. When the thing is settled there
is always present to the man something of a feeling of clipped wings;
whereas the woman is conscious of a new power of expanding her pinions.
The certainty of the thing is to him repressive. He has done his work, and
gained his victory, and by conquering has become a slave. To her the
certainty of the thing is the removal of a restraint which has hitherto
always been on her. She can tell him everything, and be told everything,
whereas her previous confidences, made with those of her own sex, have
been tame and by comparison valueless. He has no new confidence to make,
unless when he comes to tell her he likes his meat well done, and wants
his breakfast to be punctual.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293