Quotation from: The Arrow of Gold

Written by: Joseph Conrad


It is to be remarked that this period is characterized more by a
deep and joyous tenderness than by sheer passion. All fierceness
of spirit seems to have burnt itself out in their preliminary
hesitations and struggles against each other and themselves.
Whether love in its entirety has, speaking generally, the same
elementary meaning for women as for men, is very doubtful.
Civilization has been at work there. But the fact is that those
two display, in every phase of discovery and response, an exact
accord. Both show themselves amazingly ingenuous in the practice
of sentiment. I believe that those who know women won't be
surprised to hear me say that she was as new to love as he was.
During their retreat in the region of the Maritime Alps, in a small
house built of dry stones and embowered with roses, they appear all
through to be less like released lovers than as companions who had
found out each other's fitness in a specially intense way. Upon
the whole, I think that there must be some truth in his insistence
of there having always been something childlike in their relation.
In the unreserved and instant sharing of all thoughts, all
impressions, all sensations, we see the naiveness of a children's
foolhardy adventure. This unreserved expressed for him the whole
truth of the situation. With her it may have been different. It
might have been assumed; yet nobody is altogether a comedian; and
even comedians themselves have got to believe in the part they
play. Of the two she appears much the more assured and confident.
But if in this she was a comedienne then it was but a great
achievement of her ineradicable honesty. Having once renounced her
honourable scruples she took good care that he should taste no
flavour of misgivings in the cup. Being older it was she who
imparted its character to the situation. As to the man if he had
any superiority of his own it was simply the superiority of him who
loves with the greater self-surrender.

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