and they are right in this sense；that human happiness is
coincident with the annihilation of 'Self。' Only they do not
express themselves well。 They say that Humanity should
annihilate itself to avoid its sufferings； that its object should
be to destroy itself。 Now the object of Humanity cannot be to
avoid sufferings by annihilation； since suffering is the result
of activity。 The object of activity cannot consist in
suppressing its consequences。 The object of Man； as of Humanity；
is happiness； and； to attain it； Humanity has a law which it must
carry out。 This law consists in the union of beings。 This union
is thwarted by the passions。 And that is why； if the passions
disappear； the union will be accomplished。 Humanity then will
have carried out the law； and will have no further reason to
exist。〃
〃And before Humanity carries out the law？〃
〃In the meantime it will have the sign of the unfulfilled law；
and the existence of physical love。 As long as this love shall
exist； and because of it； generations will be born； one of which
will finally fulfil the law。 When at last the law shall be
fulfilled； the Human Race will be annihilated。 At least it is
impossible for us to conceive of Life in the perfect union of
people。〃
CHAPTER XII。
〃Strange theory！〃 cried I。
〃Strange in what？ According to all the doctrines of the Church；
the world will have an end。 Science teaches the same fatal
conclusions。 Why； then； is it strange that the same thing should
result from moral Doctrine？ 'Let those who can； contain；' said
Christ。 And I take this passage literally； as it is written。
That morality may exist between people in their worldly
relations； they must make complete chastity their object。 In
tending toward this end； man humiliates himself。 When he shall
reach the last degree of humiliation； we shall have moral
marriage。
〃But if man； as in our society； tends only toward physical love；
though he may clothe it with pretexts and the false forms of
marriage； he will have only permissible debauchery； he will know
only the same immoral life in which I fell and caused my wife to
fall； a life which we call the honest life of the family。 Think
what a perversion of ideas must arise when the happiest situation
of man； liberty； chastity； is looked upon as something wretched
and ridiculous。 The highest ideal； the best situation of woman；
to be pure； to be a vestal； a virgin； excites fear and laughter
in our society。 How many； how many young girls sacrifice their
purity to this Moloch of opinion by marrying rascals that they
may not remain virgins；that is； superiors！ Through fear of
finding themselves in that ideal state； they ruin themselves。
〃But I did not understand formerly； I did not understand that the
words of the Gospel； that 'he who looks upon a woman to lust
after her has already committed adultery；' do not apply to the
wives of others； but notably and especially to our own wives。 I
did not understand this； and I thought that the honeymoon and all
of my acts during that period were virtuous； and that to satisfy
one's desires with his wife is an eminently chaste thing。 Know；
then； that I consider these departures； these isolations； which
young married couples arrange with the permission of their
parents； as nothing else than a license to engage in debauchery。
〃I saw； then； in this nothing bad or shameful； and； hoping for
great joys； I began to live the honeymoon。 And very certainly
none of these joys followed。 But I had faith； and was determined
to have them； cost what they might。 But the more I tried to
secure them； the less I succeeded。 All this time I felt anxious；
ashamed； and weary。 Soon I began to suffer。 I believe that on
the third or fourth day I found my wife sad and asked her the
reason。 I began to embrace her； which in my opinion was all that
she could desire。 She put me away with her hand； and began to
weep。
〃At what？ She could not tell me。 She was filled with sorrow；
with anguish。 Probably her tortured nerves had suggested to her
the truth about the baseness of our relations； but she found no
words in which to say it。 I began to question her； she answered
that she missed her absent mother。 It seemed to me that she was
not telling the truth。 I sought to console her by maintaining
silence in regard to her parents。 I did not imagine that she
felt herself simply overwhelmed； and that her parents had nothing
to do with her sorrow。 She did not listen to me； and I accused
her of caprice。 I began to laugh at her gently。 She dried her
tears； and began to reproach me； in hard and wounding terms； for
my selfishness and cruelty。
〃I looked at her。 Her whole face expressed hatred； and hatred of
me。 I cannot describe to you the fright which this sight gave
me。 'How？ What？' thought I； 'love is the unity of souls； and
here she hates me？ Me？ Why？ But it is impossible！ It is no
longer she！'
〃I tried to calm her。 I came in conflict with an immovable and
cold hostility； so that； having no time to reflect； I was seized
with keen irritation。 We exchanged disagreeable remarks。 The
impression of this first quarrel was terrible。 I say quarrel；
but the term is inexact。 It was the sudden discovery of the
abyss that had been dug between us。 Love was exhausted with the
satisfaction of sensuality。 We stood face to face in our true
light； like two egoists trying to procure the greatest possible
enjoyment； like two individuals trying to mutually exploit each
other。
〃So what I called our quarrel was our actual situation as it
appeared after the satisfaction of sensual desire。 I did not
realize that this cold hostility was our normal state； and that
this first quarrel would soon be drowned under a new flood of the
intensest sensuality。 I thought that we had disputed with each
other； and had become reconciled； and that it would not happen
again。 But in this same honeymoon there came a period of
satiety； in which we ceased to be necessary to each other； and a
new quarrel broke out。
〃It became evident that the first was not a matter of chance。
'It was inevitable；' I thought。 This second quarrel stupefied me
the more； because it was based on an extremely unjust cause。 It
was something like a question of money；and never had I haggled
on that score； it was even impossible that I should do so in
relation to her。 I only remember that； in answer to some remark
that I made； she insinuated that it was my intention to rule her
by means of money； and that it was upon money that I based my
sole right over her。 In short； something extraordinarily stupid
and base； which was neither in my character nor in hers。
〃I was beside myself。 I accused her of indelicacy。 She made the
same accusation against me； and the dispute broke out。 In her
words； in the expression of her face； of her eyes； I noticed
again the hatred that had so astonished me before。 With a
brother； friends； my father； I had occasionally quarrelled； but
never had there been between us this fierce spite。 Some time
passed。 Our mutual hatred was again concealed beneath an access
of sensual desire； and I again consoled myself with the
reflection that these scenes were reparable faults。
〃But when they were repeated a third and a fourth time； I
understood that they were not simply faults； but a fatality that
must happen again。 I was no longer frightened； I was simply
astonished that I should be precisely the one to live so
uncomfortably with my wife； and that the same thing did not
happen in other households。 I did not know that in all
households the same sudden changes take place； but that all； like
myself； imagine that it is a misfortune exclusively reserved for
themselves alone； which they carefully conceal as shameful； not
only to others； but to themselves； like a bad disease。
〃That was what happened to me。 Begun in the early days； it
continued and increased with characteristics of fury that were
ever more pronounced。 At the bottom of my soul； from the first
weeks； I felt that I was in a trap； that I had what I did not
expect； and that marriage is not a joy； but a painful trial。
Like everybody else； I refused to confess it （I should not have
confessed it even now but for the outcome）。 Now I am astonished
to think that I did not see my real situation。 It was so easy to
perceive it； in view of those quarrels； begun for reasons so
trivial that afterwards one could not recall them。
〃Just as it often happens among gay young people that； in the
absence of jokes； they laugh at their own laughter； so we found
no reasons for our hatred； and we hated each other because hatred
was naturally boiling up in us。 More extraordinary still was the
absence of causes for reconciliation。
〃Sometimes words； explanations； or even tears； but sometimes； I
remember； after insulting wo