Chapter LXIX
And when Gud had finished reading the woman asked: "Is that all?"
And Gud looked at the poem in his hand and said sorrowfully, "That is all."
"But that is quite comprehensible," said the woman, "for it is merely one of Hersey's usual plagiarisms—a twittering parody of Rossetti's 'THE BLESSED DAMOSEL', and it is so simple."
"Do you understand it?" asked Gud.
"Of course, it merely means that the love of man is insufficient to satisfy the yearning of woman, and so she must look into the mirror of her own soul in search of greater spiritual joys. But alas, she is shadowed by her sex consciousness as reflected in her beauty of the flesh, and she can not escape that haunting shadow which finally drives her mad. Is that not simple?"
To D. S.: I protest. This interpretation is entirely erroneous.—H. H.
To H. H.: Good God, I know it! but if you had seen what I first wrote about it you would keep still.—D. S.
"I should say," said Gud, "that it is beautiful simplicity."
"That is just the trouble with all that these chaps are writing. They are so keen on the obvious. You see, I can understand all that these men have written, for it is all explainable by psychoanalysis. It is merely the symbolism of a suppressed wish to be famous. And, oh Gud, how I do crave true mystery!"