Page:O Genteel Lady! (1926).pdf/125

 This carnal discovery shocked her, and she blushed at her own powers of observation. Surely no woman before had ever examined a man with such morbid care. Evidently, however, his own observations of her had been of an even less delicate nature.

'Miss Bardeen, I don't know whether or not we can work this into the book, but I must admit that women's clothes in this country and Europe really shock me.'

'Shock ''you? ' ''

'Why the emphasis? Surely. It is true...just immorality can hurt me...no more....I am not afraid of passion, even in women, but unnatural things in action or clothing depress me, and, yes, shock me.'

'You find our clothes unnatural?'

'Oh, very. Now the Arab costume, which you think merely a shapeless sack, still gives more the impression of...a real woman than does your elegant armor of plain taffeta and whalebone. Don't you see, as I look at you...I've no idea what is you and what is...corsets and, pardon the word...bustles. The figure of a civilized woman fascinates me only from the point of view of a guessing game. Frankly, it would be more decent to come out in the open and wear no clothes.'

'Captain Jones!'

'Or just wrappings like the Arab women.' He got restlessly to his feet and pulled a chair up to her table.

'Take even their veiled faces. At least you really