Part III. THE VICTORY

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

'How I have wept, the long night through, over the poor women of the

past, so beautiful, so tender, so sweet, whose arms have opened for the

kiss, and who are dead! The kiss—it is immortal! It passes from lip to

lip, from century to century, from age to age. Men gather it, give it

back, and die.'—GUY DE MAUPASSANT.