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Show All the Variables & Other Love Stories 30 "Don't you think it's strange?" "I can't say." "Is it true the women sleep with him?" he begged. "Do you sleep with him?" "Don't ask me," she answered. "I can't say." "I don't want you to go there," Casabon said. "I say stay here with me." If Casabon thought his wife beautiful he never let her know, and it had been for this reason she had made herself La Dona Seiiora Esparanza Dulcinea Hurtado y Fermata Ruis y Constanza Soverosa y Magdalena Alpagata de Femandes de Nogales de la Misericordia de Taos. She preferred the travails of a layabout's wife to those of a wealthy man's house-trophy. As a girl she had been so long accustomed to covetous presents that negligence became the virtue she sought most in a suitor. She received from Casabon no perfumed letters or candies and therefore adored him with unquenched generosity. Esperanza felt cheated by so much admiration. She'd learned nothing useful, for no use but desire had of her ever been expected. She'd been punished all her life for being beautiful. Everyone wanted to provide for her and so no one ever let her do anything. Her youth passed as an idol in the sacristy of love, and suffered for it. She was forbidden sorrow, for none could bear her pain, and so Esperanza learned to hate her beauty. She was taught that sadness in one so fair noted a lack of mercy, and so Esperanza mercilessly learned misery, for she believed beauty exalted the beholder but benefited the beloved not at all. And so she'd married Casabon, who seemed not to care that he loved her notice she was beautiful. It |