"No, I'm thinking of femmes du monde. There are plenty of virtuous married women who are as grasping as the most soulless underworlder. Probably you don't see them. You look at the world in a magic crystal that mirrors back your own thoughts and your own personality in different guises. You see a thousand YOU's, dressed up as other people."
Elaine had become very thoughtful. "My magic crystal—yes." she mused. "But surely everyone has his or her crystal to look into."
"Some can keep crystal-vision and reality apart. That's 'balance' ... And there lies the failure of the feminists—in 'balance.' They make up a bundle of all the iniquities of human nature, and try to dump it on man's side of the fence."
"I love argument, but art is long and my stay at Nîmes very brief. To-morrow I must move on to Orange."
"Then I'll not disturb you further. I expect you have a good deal to get through."
"Yes. This afternoon it's the Pont du Gard; this evening the Druids' Tower."
"This evening! The place is very lonely at night-time."
"I know. But I must sketch it in moonlight. That's essential."
"Remember Arles," warned Rivière. "You ought not to be alone."
She nodded. "I know. But I have my work to do."