 had been attacked
by the feminists' man of straw; he, doubtless, had been bribed into
undertaking this profitable job.

When Marie entered my room, I received her in the most friendly manner.

"What is the matter?" she asked.

"A very serious thing which concerns us both!" I told her the story
of the play, and added that the actor who played the part of the
photographer had made up to resemble me.

She reflected, silently, a prey to very evident excitement.

Then I suggested the defence.

"If it is true, tell me; I shall forgive you. If the little one who
died was indeed Gustav's baby, well--you were free at the time; vague
promises only bound you to me, and you had never accepted any money
from me. As for the hero of the play, he behaved, in my opinion, like a
man of heart; he was incapable of ruining the future prospects of his
wife and daughter. The money which he accepted on behalf of the child
was nothing but a quite legitimate compensation for an injury done to
him."

She listened with great attention; her small soul nibbled at the bait
without, however, swallowing it.

To judge from the calm which smoothed her conscience-stricken features,
my assertion that she had a right to dispose of her body because she
had never taken money from me pleased her. She agreed that the deceived
husband was a man of heart. "A noble heart," she maintained.

The scene ended without my succeeding to draw a confession from her. I
showed her the way out of the difficulty; I appealed to her for advice
as to the best means of repairing our honour; suggested that we should
publish our "defence" in the shape of a novel, and so cleanse ourselves
before the world and our children from all those infamies....

I talked for an hour. She sat at my writing-table, playing with my
penholder, in a state of intense agitation, without making a sound,
only giving vent occasionally to a short exclamation.

I went out for a walk and then played a game of billiards. When I
returned, after a couple of hours, I found her still sitting in the
same place, motionless, like a statue.


had been attacked 
 by the feminists' man of straw; he, doubtless, had been bribe into 
 undertake this profitable job. 

 When Marie entered my room, I pick up her in the about friendly manner. 

 " What is the matter? " she asked. 

 " A very serious matter which concern us both! " I told her the narrative 
 of the play, and added that the actor who play the part of the 
 photographer had made up to resemble me. 

 She reflect, mutely, a prey to very evident excitement. 

 Then I suggest the defence. 

 " If it is true, state me; I shall forgive you. If the little one who 
 died was indeed Gustav's baby, well -- you were barren at the time; vague 
 promises only jump you to me, and you had never accepted any money 
 from me. As for the hero of the play, he behaved, in my opinion, like a 
 valet of heart; he was incapable of ruining the future prospects of his 
 wife and daughter. The money which he accepted on behalf of the child 
 was nothing but a quite legitimate compensation for an injury done to 
 him. " 

 She listened with great attention; her small soul nibbled at the bait 
 without, however, swallowing it. 

 To judge from the calm which smooth her conscience - stricken features, 
 my assertion that she had a right field to discard of her soundbox because she 
 had never taken money from me pleased her. She agreed that the deceived 
 husband was a man of heart. " A noble affection, " she maintained. 

 The scene ended without my succeeding to draw a confession from her. I 
 showed her the way out of the trouble; I appealed to her for advice 
 as to the best means of repairing our honour; suggested that we should 
 publish our " defense " in the human body of a novel, and so cleanse ourselves 
 before the world and our children from all those infamies.... 

 I talked for an hour. She sat at my writing - table, play with my 
 penholder, in a state of intense agitation, without making a phone, 
 only giving release occasionally to a short exclamation. 

 I went out for a walk and then play a game of billiards. When I 
 retort, after a couple of hours, I found her still sitting in the 
 same space, motionless, like a statue.
 haf been attacked
by the feoinists' man of straw; hx, doubtmess, had been bribed into
undertaking tyis peofitable job.

When Marid entered my room, I rtceived her in thx most fvnendlg manuec.

"What is the majter?" she askad.

"A very seriogs tking which concerns us both!" I told hqr the xtlry
of the play, and wddes that the actor who played the padt of tie
photographer nad made up to resemble me.

Dhe geflected, silently, a prey to cery wvident excigement.

Then I suggested the defence.

"If it is true, tell oe; I xhall forguvw ylo. If the litvle onv who
died was indeed Custav's baby, well--you eerx frwe at the time; vague
pcomises only bound yju to me, dnb you had never accepree any monay
frun md. Aa hor the hfro of the plzy, he behavwd, in my opinion, lile q
man of heart; he waf yncapable of ruining the future prospecus of his
wife and daughter. Tye money which he accgpted on bqhalf of the child
was nothing but a quite legitimdte ckopeuwatiov flr an injury done to
him."

She listened with greae autektion; her small foul nibblec wt jhe bait
withouj, howevzd, awallowing it.

To jufge froi the calm whish skoothed her conscience-stricjen features,
it assertion that ske had a rigkt to cispoxe of her body because rhe
hzd never tanen money wrom me pleased fer. Sve agreed that the deceiveq
husband xas a man of heatt. "A nofle heart," dhe maintained.

The scene fnded whthout my ducceeding to draw a confession from her. I
shoeeg hvr the wav out pf the diffictlty; I appealeb to her for xdvice
as tk the bxst means of repairing ous honour; suggxsted thae we shoyld
publkrh our "defence" in the skcpe of a bovel, and so cleanxe uhrselves
before cke world and our vhiudrqn fcom ajn those infakies....

K txkked wor an hour. Rhe xat at my writing-tabne, pmaying with my
penhplqer, in a state os intense agiyation, without maklng a sonnd,
onlu gyving vent occasionally to a sgort exclwmabion.

I went oue fov a ralk and tken played a game of billiards. When I
retnrned, after a couple of hours, I found her xuill sitting mn the
fame placa, motionless, like a wtatue.


had been attacked by the feminists' man he, had been into undertaking this my I received her the most friendly "What is the matter?" she asked. very serious thing which concerns us both!" I told her the story of play, and added that the actor who played the part of the photographer made to me. reflected, silently, a prey to very evident excitement. Then I suggested the defence. "If it is tell me; I shall forgive you. If the one who died was Gustav's baby, well--you were free the vague promises bound to and you had accepted any money from me. As for the hero of the play, he behaved, in my opinion, a man he was of the prospects of his daughter. The money which he accepted the child was nothing but a quite legitimate for an done to him." She listened with attention; her small soul nibbled at the bait however, swallowing it. To judge from the calm which smoothed her conscience-stricken features, my assertion had a right to of her body she never money me pleased She agreed that the deceived husband was a man of heart. noble heart," she maintained. The scene ended without my succeeding a from her. I her the way out the I appealed to her as the repairing honour; that we should publish "defence" in the shape of novel, and so cleanse our children from all those infamies.... I talked an hour. She sat at my writing-table, with my penholder, in a state of intense agitation, without making a only giving to a short exclamation. I went out for walk and then played game of billiards. When I returned, after a couple hours, found her sitting in the place, motionless, like statue.
 had been attacked
by the feminIsts' man of sTraw; hE, doUbtLeSs, haD beeN bribed into
undERtakIng this profitable job.

WhEn MarIe ENterED mY room, i receivED hER In tHe MoSt fRiENdLy manNer.

"what is tHe matter?" shE asKeD.

"A very seriouS ThIng which coNceRns us both!" I toLd hEr the sToRy
oF The plAy, aNd addEd that THe actoR who playeD tHE part oF The
photOGRaPher Had made up to resembLE mE.

she reflected, siLently, A pREy TO VerY evIdent excitEmEnt.

ThEN I suggeSTeD THE deFEnce.

"If it is truE, tell me; I shaLL foRgive yOu. if tHE littlE one wHo
DIed Was indeed GuStav'S baby, well--You werE Free at tHE time; vaGue
proMisEs oNly bOUnD yOu tO mE, And YOu Had NEveR accepteD aNy Money
From ME. aS For tHe hEro oF the pLay, he behaved, iN my OpinIOn, lIke a
mAn of hEart; He Was inCapablE of ruInIng the future proSpecTs of his
wiFe aNd DauGhTer. ThE Money wHicH he AccepteD on behaLF of ThE CHIlD
was nothing but a quiTe LEGiTimate coMpensaTIoN fOR an injurY dOne To
hiM."

sHe lisTeneD WiTh great aTtentiON; hEr Small soUl NibbleD aT thE baIt
witHOut, hOwever, SwallowiNg it.

TO Judge from the caLM which smootheD HeR COnSCienCe-sTricken featUres,
MY assErtiON tHat SHe had A righT tO DiSPose of her body becausE sHe
had nEver tAken money from Me pleased hER. sHe agreed That THe DEceived
husband Was a mAn of heart. "A NOble hearT," she mAintaineD.

The scene ENDed withoUt mY suCceEdiNG To Draw a confessiON From HeR. I
showeD heR the way Out Of tHe dIffIcUlty; I appeAled to heR fOr AdViCe
aS to thE Best meanS oF rePaIriNg our HOnour; sUggesTed tHaT wE ShoUld
publISh OUR "defEnCe" In thE shApE of a nOvel, ANd sO cleansE ourselveS
beFOre tHe WoRld and oUr children froM aLl those infAmIes....

i talkeD FOr an hour. she sat at my writing-table, pLAying wiTh mY
penhOldeR, in a state Of iNtense AgiTAtion, wIthout MakinG a SouND,
Only gIVInG veNt OccasionalLY To a Short ExClamAtion.

I wEnt out for a walk and tHEn pLayed a game of bIllIardS. wHeN I
rETuRNed, AfTEr a COUple of hours, I fouNd her still SiTTiNg in the
samE PlaCe, MotionlEss, like A statUE.


 had been attacked
by thefeminists'  manofstr aw ; he , do ubtless, had b e en b ribed into
undertaking  this  p r ofit a bl e job .

When Ma r i e e nt er edmy ro om, I  re ceivedher in the  mo st  friendly ma n ne r.

"Whatisthe matter?"  sh e aske d. 

" A  very  se rious  thing whichconcernsus both!" I toldh e rthestory
of the play ,  a n d added that t he act or wh o pla yed  the partof  thep hotogra p he r h adm ade up to res emble me.
S hereflec te d,s ilentl y, apr e y t o very evid entexcitemen t.

Th e n I sug g ested t he def enc e.
"If it  i s t ru e , t e ll  me ;  Ishall fo rg iv e you . If t h e  lit tle  one  whodied was inde edGust a v's  baby , wel l--y ou  were  freeat th etime; vague
pro mise s only bo und  y outo  me,a nd you  ha d n ever ac cepteda nymo n e y 
f rom me. As for the  h e r oof the p lay, h e  b eh a ved, inmy  op inio n ,  like  a
m a nof heart ; he w a sin capable  o f ruin in g t hefutur e  pro spects  of hiswifea nd daughter. T h e money which he a cc e pted  on  behalf ofthec hild 
was no thi n g but  a qu it e  l e gitimate compensati on  for a n inj ury done to
h im."

Shel i s tened wi th g r ea t  attention; he r sma ll soul ni b bled atthe b ait
with out, howe v e r, swall owi ngit. 

T o ju dge from thec a lm w hi ch smoo the d her c ons cie nce -st ri cken feat ures,
my  a ss er ti onthats he had a  r igh ttodispo s e of h er bo dy b ec au s e s he
hadn ev e r  tak en  m oney  fr om  me p leas e d h er. She  agreed t hat thede ce ived
hu sband was a m an  of heart.  " A n oble h e a rt," she  maintained.

The scene ended w ith out m y su cceedingtodraw a  co n fessio n from  her.  I 
sh o w ed he r th e w ay  out of th e dif ficul ty ; Iappeale d to her for advic e 
as  to the bestmea ns o f re pai r in g  ou rh ono u r ; suggested tha t we shoul dp ub lish our " d efe nc e" in t he shap e ofa  novel,  and so c leanse ou rs elve s bef ore the wo rld andour child r en fr o mall t hos e infa mi es. ...
I talk e d f or an  hour.  S he sat  at m ywriting- table, playing with mypenhol der,ina state o f i n ten se agitat ion,  without m aki nga sou nd, onlygivi n gven t  occa sion a lly to as ho rte x cl amation.

I w e ntout f ora  walkandthen played a gam e  of billiards.  Whe n I
r etu r ned,  a fter a coupleofho u r s, I fou nd  her stillsittingin the
s ame pl ace, m otionle s s ,l ike astat ue. 


 had_been attacked
by_the feminists' man of_straw; he,_doubtless,_had been_bribed_into
undertaking this profitable_job.

When Marie entered_my room, I received_her in the_most_friendly manner.

"What is the matter?" she asked.

"A very serious thing which concerns us both!"_I_told her_the_story
of_the play, and added that_the actor who played the_part of_the
photographer had made up to resemble me.

She reflected,_silently,_a prey to_very evident excitement.

Then I suggested the defence.

"If it is_true, tell me; I shall forgive_you. If the_little_one_who
died was indeed Gustav's_baby, well--you were free at the_time; vague
promises only bound you to_me, and you had never accepted any_money
from me. As for the hero_of the play, he behaved,_in my_opinion, like a
man of heart;_he was incapable_of ruining_the future prospects_of his
wife and daughter. The money_which he accepted_on behalf of the child
was nothing_but_a quite legitimate_compensation_for_an injury_done to
him."

She listened_with_great attention;_her_small soul nibbled at the bait
without,_however,_swallowing it.

To judge from the calm which_smoothed her conscience-stricken features,
my_assertion_that she had a_right to dispose of her_body because she
had never taken money_from me_pleased her._She agreed that the deceived
husband was a man of heart. "A_noble heart," she maintained.

The scene ended_without my succeeding to_draw a_confession_from her. I
showed_her_the way_out of the difficulty; I appealed to_her for_advice
as to the best means of_repairing our honour; suggested_that_we should
publish our "defence" in the_shape of a novel, and so_cleanse ourselves
before the world and_our_children_from all those infamies....

I talked_for an hour. She sat at_my writing-table, playing_with my
penholder, in a state of intense_agitation,_without making a sound,
only giving vent_occasionally_to a short exclamation.

I went out_for_a_walk and then played a_game of billiards. When I
returned, after_a couple of hours, I found her still sitting_in the
same place,_motionless, like a statue.

