And as I said to my wife when she put these things into
my head,--for look you, my head is but a dull one, and if my wife
did not put things into it, it would be but an emptiness
altogether,--I said to my wife that if she were right in her
suspicions--and she generally is right--this Marguerite had taken
but a just vengeance. For you will not prove to me that there is any
man living who has the right to take the joy out of a woman's soul
and destroy it."
"It is done every day!" said Midon with a careless shrug,--"Women
give themselves too easily!"
"And men take too greedily!" said Patoux obstinately--"What virtue
there is in the matter is on the woman's side. For she mostly gives
herself for love's sake,--but the man cares naught save for his own
selfish pleasure. As a man myself, I am on the side of the woman who
revenges herself on her betrayer."
"For that matter so am I!" said Midon. "Women have a hard time of it
in this world, even under the best of circumstances,--and whatever
man makes it harder for them, should be horse-whipped within an inch
of his life, if I had my way. I have a wife--and a young daughter--
and my old mother sits at home with us, as cheery and bright a body
as you would find in all France,--and so I know the worth of women.
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