You have withstood the first
assault. I can afford to be magnanimous, for you will not survive
the second." And again the face turned deadly serious, though the look
of restless violence was gone. It was impossible to believe that it
had been feigned. It had not. But neither had it brought the desired
result; and he was wise enough, now, to adopt a different course.
For he had no doubt that the woman was hiding something. The hard edge
of his foil remained, but the strokes became finer, more mincing.
"A lesson for you, Stephen. Most women, indeed, almost all, can either
be bought, or threatened into giving up what is wanted. Why? Because
they lack the simple courage---to face life in the first case, and
death in the second. They use money, and men, as a shield against
life; and nothing on this earth can induce them to face death, or even
the thought of death.
"I have heard it said that if women ruled the world, there would be no
war. That is true, but hardly a compliment. The reason
there would be no war is that none of them would have the courage to
fight it.
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