Behold the woman!
“Beauté des femmes, leur faiblesse et ces mains pâles,
Qui font souvent le bien et peuvent tout le mal.”
The appealing weakness of women is the first note, invariably stronger than command—and then the reference to their hands. This is very characteristic of Verlaine—they haunt him.
“Les chères mains qui furent miennes,
Toutes petites, toutes belles.”
......
“Mains en songes—main sur mon âme.”
The last is a very poignant line—and again in “Ariettes Oubliées,”—
“Le piano que baise une main frêle.”