The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-09
AER SIDE OF THE CASE.
A STUDY IN MORALS.
Translated BY William NJ Wood from the French
of Catulle Mendes.

Translated BY William NJ wood from the French
of Catule Mendes.
She ought to be killed!
To seize her by the arms, or neck, or
hair-to drag her on the floor, among the
overturned furniture-to raise her with
rude arms and throw her against the large
looking-glass, 80 as to break even her de-
testable image-to see her bleed-to hear
her shriek-to raise her up at arms
length and let her fall-to stamp her
furiously under foot
All this is what he wanted to dol
Still, in spite of his rage, he did not dare
to act so utterly horribly.
Yet, with these angry passions in his
face--with all these menances in his eyes,
he raised above her, as she knelt for
mercy, both of his clenched fists, which,
If they struck, would crush the skull of
the faithless one; which would strike,
probably.
For true 1t was-ohi 1t was certain;
OH there was no shadow of doubt! She
had deceived him. cunningly, cowardly
deceived him, for man neither hand
some, nor young, nor celebrated; for a
frst-comer; for a mere passer-byl
She had done this abominable deed
given herself to another.
Another had kissed her arms, her throat,
her lips; had clasped her in his arms; had
felt her swoon in a passionate spasm of
pleasurel
Miserable creature! What punishment
was there that would fit her crime?
Into the desperate mans troubled mind
came strange memories.
In some countries guilty wives are buried
in the mud of the public squares-buried
alive, so that everyone may walk on their
infamous bodies. In others, sharp-pointed
bamboo sticks are forced under the nails
into the fingers of women who commit
adultery, and their blood trickles while
they shrek.
Why should not such fortunes be suffered
by this woman, who had deserved them
He would like to be. he alone, all the
crowd, so as to stamp down with heavy
feet the dirt that filled such a hole. NOV
ing yet.
Adorable vengeancei Why is he not the
executioner, so as to force the bamboo
points into the rosy flesh of these frail
little fingers-slowly force with barbar-
Gus slow tortured
She. however, her head bent under this
anger, her locks disheveled, wept, denied
not. asked for mercy.
Yes, it was true; in q moment of mad
ness she had given herself to this I'M
known-to this passer-by-whom she did
not love.
But how bitterly she regretted her fault
now. Yes, she knew that she deserved to
be despised; she thought though she
might be worthy of pardon, because of Der
sincere and burning repentance.
OH Let him recall, her lover ever
adoredl their hours of delight, their lips
united, their hearts beating one on the
other
Would not gratitude for love of long
duration soften the bitterness arising from
one short treason?
Had she not cherished him ardently.
faithfully during these many years?
Beseeching thus, she wept. her eyes cast
down, her arms outstretched.
In vain! Her formidable lover would
not be appeased. Exasperated even by
this repentance, which acknowledged her
fault, he struck his mistress in the face.
shouting at her that hideous word which
makes even the most degraded of prosti-
tutes tremblel
Then she rose. She was deadly pale
she no longer wept; in a raised voice she
spoke: ''Since it is thus, since nothing.
neither applications nor tears can over
come the rage of thy pride Since thou
insultest her whose remorse implored
thee-well, l renounce prayer. humilia-
ton. l hold up my head. / look thee
square in the eyes, and | tell thee there
are two guilty ones here: thou and |, but
the more guilty is thyself, and further
claim that OF me shouldst thou ask pardon,
which will not grantl'
L
not comprehending, she walked up and
down the room from one side to the other,
very quickly, and kept on speaking fever.
ishly:
"Ah, so what you are. you men, You
really believe that we do not know, we
womeu2
YES, undoubtedly it happens at time,
tia: We deceive him with whom we live;
they are rare, admit. those who live faith
ful 10 their first VOWS, and the ghosts of
very many ivers kisses hover over the
lips of the dead
I'VE do not always know how to thrust
aside those temptations that beset us.
when our husband or our lover is not
at hand, or when his indifference is the
same as sbsence,-or in other cases vet
when the desire tor secret embrace
troubles ns-carries Us away-then We
may, though lovers. deceive whom we
love
THAT is nothing abnormal, nor enirm.t.
ic al, and 10 avow it, is the same as saving
awoman is--a woman,
But az least in order to make us trans
gressors there must be an occasion. met
with, not searched for, that urges us. Al.
most forces US, TO fall We must have
something irresistible attack US or push us
on. We have not our minds made I'M he-
forehand, premeditatlon Of our sin.
Long time surrounded. or suddenly At
taeked--a methodical siege or furious as
sanlt--we yield but TO patient effort or "a
the unexpectedness of the unforeseen. We
have not the desire till after having been
obstinstely or impetuously desired.
THE most wicked of us are in reality
only victims.
You, on the other hand, yon men have
no need OF solicitation 20 induce you to de-
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