Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/112

 Unfortunately, at this same time, in spite of the relationship mentioned, R— fell into a state of violent similisexual love for another individual whom he met; a young foreign musician visiting the country professionally. This passion has been the most intense and nerve-shattering in its course and consequences of any that R— has ever known. The affair was the cause of his confiding his condition and history to me. He was by this time past his twenty-sixth year. He fell in love "at sight" with the musician, who is really remarkably engaging in person and manner. R— soon could not eat or sleep. He made the acquaintance of the young foreigner and being a good linguist, as also a most attractive companion, R— soon became his most intimate American friend. Unluckily the musician was not morally at all what he should have been. He imposed on R—s kindness, which extended to generous pecuniary and social help, treated R— with systematic insincerity, and (though half-uranistic), being himself not at all homosexual as to R—, he worked on R—s interest in him with gross selfishness. He understood perfectly the nature of the sentiment he had excited. After R—'s disclosing his sentiment, he encouraged R— to believe that it was returned, and that there were merely hesitations of a delicate, romantic sort, till R— would enjoy the fullest sexual relations desired. The unfortunate R— presently found out that the musician's plans were wholly false to any such idea; that he, R—, was not in the least beloved; that the musician was using R—'s money and social aid toward carrying on a sexual intrigue with another man in the city; and also had an intimacy, not free from sexual relations, with a woman. R—'s discovery of the trickery and moral worthlessness of his new friend almost destroyed his reason. Violent scenes and a rupture came, of course. But R— could not "get over" this really grande passion. He had hid the undercurrents of the affair, of course, and they were known to only the musician and himself and one friend. R— made efforts to go about his