Зима тревоги нашей

           Manyofthesadmenwhocametoherforcomfortandreassurancewerehogtiedwithimpotence,boundandhelplessinsexualtraumasthatinfectedallotherareasoftheirlives.Andshefounditeasybysmallflatteriesandreassurancestosetthemfreetofightagainagainsttheirwhip-armedwives.ShewasgenuinelyfondofMaryHawley,andthroughhershegraduallybecameawareofEthan,boundinanotherkindoftrauma,asocial-economicbindthathadrobbedhimofstrengthandcertainty.Havingnowork,nolove,nochildren,shewonderedwhethershecouldreleaseanddirectthiscrippledmantowardsomenewend.Itwasagame,akindofpuzzle,atest,aproductnotofkindnessbutsimplyofcuriosityandidleness.Thiswasasuperiorman.Todirecthimwouldprovehersuperiority,andthissheneededincreasingly.

           ProbablyshewastheonlyonewhoknewthedepthofthechangeinEthananditfrightenedherbecauseshethoughtitwasherdoing.Themousewasgrowingalion’smane.Shesawthemusclesunderhisclothes,feltruthlessnessgrowingbehindhiseyes.SomustthegentleEinsteinhavefeltwhenhisdreamedconceptofthenatureofmatterflashedoverHiroshima.

           MargielikedMaryHawleyverymuchandshehadlittlesympathyandnopityforher.Misfortuneisafactofnatureacceptabletowomen,especiallywhenitfallsonotherwomen.