For man can be
bought with woman's beauty, if it be but beautiful enough; and woman's
beauty can be ever bought with gold, if only there be gold enough. So
was it in my day, and so it will be to the end of time. The world is a
great mart, my Holly, where all things are for sale to whom who bids the
highest in the currency of our desires."
These remarks, which were as cynical as might have been expected from
a woman of Ayesha's age and experience, jarred upon me, and I answered,
testily, that in our heaven there was no marriage or giving in marriage.
"Else would it not be heaven, dost thou mean?" she put in. "Fie on thee,
Holly, to think so ill of us poor women! Is it, then, marriage that
marks the line between thy heaven and thy hell? but enough of this. This
is no time for disputing and the challenge of our wits. Why dost thou
always dispute? Art thou also a philosopher of these latter days? As
for this woman, she must die; for, though I can take her lover from her,
yet, while she lived, might he think tenderly of her, and that I cannot
away with.
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