Page:Nalkowska - Kobiety (Women).djvu/190

178 and lodging for self and offspring, and to the husband a woman in permanency, always at home and on the qui vive; now that a bachelor cannot marry until he has achieved a position in the world, so that a marrying man who is not bald sounds like a contradictio in adjecto,—marriage amounts in principle to the same as prostitution, whereas its every particular is yet more shocking."

"I am afraid I don't quite follow you."

"Why, the thing is as clear as clear can be. A courtesan makes only a temporary bargain, and if she makes it for a longer time, she always reserves to herself complete liberty of action, some intervals of freedom, and the power of breaking her chain whenever she pleases; whilst the 'honest woman' makes the bargain for her whole life, without any hope, of ever being set free: for we need not take divorce into account, were it but for the fact that a divorced woman is adversely viewed by her 'honest' sisters. &hellip; A common courtesan, even one who lodges in a house of ill fame, has her Alphonse,' some one to whom, and some place wherein she can give sincere, true and disinterested love, which the average honest woman cannot dare to allow