Page:Max Havelaar; or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company (IA dli.granth.77827).pdf/206

 your first impression that it is not yet done? ‘Is still standing and she lying?’&#x202F;”

“But what motion is there then in the beauty of the women at Arles?” asked Verbrugge.

“Oh, that is quite different! In their features you may read a whole history. Carthage flourishes, and builds ships: you hear Hannibal’s oath against Rome they twist cords for their bows  the city burns”

“Max! Max! I believe that you left your heart at Arles,” said Tine.

“Yes, for a moment but I have got it back again: you shall hear it. Observe, I do not say I saw a woman there who was in this or that respect beautiful—no, they were all beautiful, and so it was impossible there to fall in love, because the next person always drove the preceding from your admiration, and really I thought of Caligula or Tiberius—of which of them do they tell the story?—who wished that all humankind had but one head now therefore involuntarily I wished that the women of Arles”

“Had but one head together?”

“Yes.”

“To knock it off?”

“Certainly not but to kiss it, I was going to say;