In no instance are a woman’s tact and finesse so exercised as in playing off one man against another.—­And yet usually she delights in the task; for

Being-made-love-to is to women what killing—­whether of men or of animals—­is to men.  In a word,

To be sought after is to woman what war or the chase is to man.

* * *

The woman a woman accepts a man, then and there he becomes her lord and master.  And this she unconsciously knows—­nay, expects.  If the man does not then and there exercise his lordship and show his mastery, he will find it difficult to do it later on.  But of course

No woman will ever be got to admit that her newly-won man is her master.  Nevertheless it is counsel that every man should lay to heart, for

Unless a woman is dominated (N.E. not dominated over), she tries to get the upper hand.  And

Only two instances there are in which the woman should retain the upper hand:  when the man is either a philosopher or a fool;

When a man is both (and the combination is not uncommon), she would be a fool if she did not retain the upper hand!  But

Little does a woman esteem him to does not sway—­nay, who does not sacrifice, it may be:  her to his will.

* * *

Of that engaged pair who can confidingly speak the one t the other of the dawn of their mutual attraction, little need be feared; if they cannot, very much may be feared.  For

Love, without confidence, is as defunct as faith without works.  For

If M cannot confide in N, it probably means that K and L have, or that O and P will.

* * *

So tremendous are the results of the gift of self that Nature herself seems to have ordained that the feminine sacrifice shall be utter and complete.  For,

A man’s interests may be many and and behold, a bold girl will appear and carry off the shy man!  Perhaps to the life-long chagrin and sorrow of all three.

Often, oh! how often, an awkward and sophisticated youth and a prim maid with down-cast eyes will sit together, waltz together, and the one never get one inch the nearer to the other, though soul and mind and body crave a closer union.  The youth would give the solid earth—­nay, the solid earth would be naught—­to gain him the courage to clasp the maiden to his breast; yet, so intense his awe, he would not strain a spider’s web to risk the maid’s good will.—­The maid—­who shall say what passes in her mind?  That the youth should adventure, she could wish; yet his very hesitancy bespeaks his devotion true.  Were he to fall about her neck, embrace her close, and demand the kiss of love—­most like she would recoil aghast—­at first!  Yet if he desisted—­she would also recoil aghast.—­What should he do, poor awkward youth? what she?—­One thing onlookers will do:  smile, and simper, and smile again; but in their inmost heart of hearts they will envy that awkward youth, that simple maid.  For because, in this the first symptoms of unsolicited and reciprocal love, they will recognize something of the divine and mystical nature of Love itself, of Love untrammeled by convention or law; of Love itself, in its purity, its intensity, its diffidence, its terrifying yet restraining force.