1st Costa - 1

"--- One can never possess another human being."

"I know."

"Then why, in your reconstruction of the universe, leave
woman out?"

"woman," said Brontolivido, "Is never going to change."

"Then the side of you that responds to the feminine element is never going to develop-- you're held down."

"The Flabbergast will finish her off."

"She will rot in your propensities."

"Dear lady, it would be so much more interesting to be
talking about you."

"I am," Sophia answered.

"I mean to talk about you the way I want to."

"The way you want me to be."

"Just as you are," he retorted brightening.

"That I have never found out."

"I," said Brontolivido, "will show you."

"You can try."

1st Costa - 2

"I shall succeed."

"You," laughed Sophia, "will always succeed to your own satisfaction."

"More to yours."

"I don't approve of your methods."

"How can you know my methods-- yet?"

"Through a woman-- ."

"She is a liar-- ."

"Who?" she asked.

"Whichever one it was,"-- You've got a vitiated opinion of me-- I am really very 'bon garcon' and extremely unselfish in love."

"Perhaps," Sophia conceded, "But you're bad form-- It's very bad form," she admonished him, "Reading a woman's love-letters annually aloud to a huge audience!"

"Oh that story-- she lost her temper-- horribly jealous, he explained, appealing for sympathy, "She scratched a little girl's face-- Of course I was wildly in love with her-- just happened to be playing quite innocently with the little girl-- she was

1st Costa - 3

only sixteen."

"I can't understand how men can love the sort of women who scratch," mused Sophia, rising to the bait.

"Oh," bristled Brontolivido, "She couldn't help it. The intensity of irritation caused a physical concussion."

"So that's what you aim at?" she discussed delightedly.

"No-- giving you a better opinion of me."

All this while they hung round the little open terra cotta stove with the andiron 'widows' placid in the flames. Sophia who was a fidget began to poke the fire. Brontolivido stoopea to kiss the back of her neck. She immediately became a small child. She couldn't tell why, but it was rather fun. His florescent gallantry, increasing all he intenued, was built up about her in sensuous synthesis.

Sophia was watching a spectacle she had never seen acted just that way before. There was something of Sicilian heel-tapping in his rapid insistance. When he paused-- he obviously clawed at precedent for inspiration. At last, when they hao approached and evaoea each other over and over again, Brontolivido fell back--

1st Costa - 4

breast

his hands clutched at his shirt front-- "I feel-- I feel-- here,"

he gasped, "as if it were all made of silk-- and that silk were
torn."

"Magnificent," crowed Sophia to this exact expression
of a sensation, "I never knew it could be done so well."

"Ah, I shall soon be afraid to speak to you. Everything
I say, straight from my poor simple heart, you will accuse of
being mere literature-- I love you and there is no reason why I
should! Is that simple enough for you?" he inquired, shutting up
with a snap.

"You're much more fun when you're theatrical."

"Per Dic, she calls me theatrical when I'm suffering the
abject tortures of sincerity!"

"Anyway," concluded Brontolivido, taking her in his arms,
and his tactile adroitness equalled his conversational celerity,

"Do you promise to love me?"

"No."

"But I want you--"

"You can have me," she agreed, "some other time."

1st Costa - 5

"No," he insisted, "Now."

"I prefer to put you to a little more trouble."

"You," said Brontolivido, subsiding once more on the
sofa, his hands spread uselessly with the air of a salesman offer-
ing damaged goods, "are making a great mistake."

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duplicate

"---------- One can never possess another human being."

"I know."

"Woman," said Brontolivido, "Is never going to change."

"The Flabbergasts will finish her off."

"I am," Sophia answered.

"The way you want me to be."

"You can try."

1st Costa - 2

"I shall succeed."

"More to yours."

"Through a woman-- ."

"She is a liar-- ."

"Who?" she asked.

"Perhaps," Sophia conceded, "But you're bad form-- It's
very bad form," she admonished him, "Reading a woman's love-letters
ALIKE aloud to a huge audience?"

"Oh that story-- she lost her temper-- horribly jealous,"
he explained, appealing for sympathy, "She scratched a little
girl's face-- Of course I was wildly in love with her-- just hap-
pened to be playing quite innocently with the little girl-- she was

1st Costa - 3

only sixteen."

"So that's what you aim at?" she discoursed delightedly.

All this while they hung round the little open terra-
cotta stove with the andiron 'widows' placid in the flames. Sophia
who was a fidget began to poke the fire. Brontolivido stooped to
kiss the back of her neck. She immediately became a small child.
She couldn't tell why, but it was rather fun. His fluorescent
gallantry, increasing all he intended, was built up about her in
sensuous synthesis.

Sophia was watching a spectacle she had never seen acted
just that way before. There was something of Sicilian heel-tapping
in his rapid insistance. When he paused-- he obviously clawed at
precedent for inspiration. At last, when they had approached and
evaded each other over and over again, Brontolivido fell back--

1st Costa - 4

"Per Dío, she calls me theatrical when I'm suffering the
abject tortures of sincerity!"

"No."

"But I want you--"

"You can have me," she agreed, "Some other time."

1st Costa - 5

"No," he insisted, "Now."