Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/373

 this respect. Only man does not know it, nor wants to know it. He is concerned only about getting the greatest possible enjoyment. And who is doing that? The king of Nature,—man! You will notice that animals come together only when they can ensure a progeny, whereas the accursed king of Nature is always at it, provided he can derive pleasure from it. More than that: he extols this simian occupation into a pearl of creation, into love. And in the name of this love,—that is, of abomination, he destroys—what?—one-half of the human race. Of all the women, who ought to be the helpmates in humanity's progress toward truth and goodness, he, in the name of his pleasure, makes not helpmates, but enemies. See, who is it that everywhere impedes the onward march of humanity? Women. Why are they such? For the reason which I have mentioned. Yes, sir, yes, sir," he repeated several times and began to move about, to take out his cigarettes, and to smoke, apparently wishing to calm himself.