Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/372

 epilepsy. You will notice that pure girls have no epilepsy, but only women, that is, women living with their husbands. Thus it is in our country. The same is true of Europe in general. All the hospitals of hystericals are full of women who violate the laws of Nature. The epileptics and Charcot's patients are the complete wrecks, whereas the world is full of half-maimed women. Just think what a great work is going on in woman when she has conceived or when she nurses the newly-born child! There is growing up that which continues us and takes our place! And this sacred work is violated,—by what?—it is terrible to think of it! And they prate about the liberty and the rights of woman. It is as though cannibals were fattening captives for their feast, and, at the same time, assuring us that they are considerate about their rights and their freedom."

All this was entirely new to me and startled me.

"Well, if it is so," I said, "it turns out that one may love his wife about twice in a year, and a man—"

"A man must!" he interrupted me. "Again the dear priests of science have so assured us. Impress a man with the idea that he needs whiskey, tobacco, opium, and all this becomes necessary to him. It appears that God did not comprehend what was necessary, and since He did not consult with the wizards, He made blunders. You will see that this is not reasonable. They have decided that man must of necessity gratify his lust, but childbirth and lactation, which interfere with the gratification of this necessity, are in the way. What is to be done? Turn to the wizards, and they will fix it up. And they have done so! Oh, when will these wizards with their deceptions be dethroned? It is high time! What have we come to? People lose their minds and commit suicide,—all from this cause. How could it be otherwise? Animals seem to understand that their progeny continues their race, and they adhere to certain laws in