Page:Far from the Maddening Girls.djvu/216

 “I should tell you,” said I, “that I have been so silly as to write down all my idiotic ideas on housekeeping, celibacy, matrimony, and the like, in the form of a sort of story. I shall add one more chapter—this chapter, dearest—just by way of salving my conscience, and then commit the whole rigmarole to the flames which it deserves.”

She could not forget to contradict me—the witch!

“On the contrary,” said she, “you will add your one more chapter, and then get the editor of a discriminating periodical to publish the whole affair for you. Don’t you see, John? It may be the means of showing other confirmed bachelors the perils of darkest celibacy.”

“And the way out!” said I.

I wonder if it will.