having wasted the village on you. All that is full of meaning for me."

Tamara was interested in spite of her will to remain reserved, although
she resented the wax-doll part.

"Yes?"--he faltered.

"You can learn all the lessons you want in life from the Sphinx," he
went on. "What paltry atoms you and I are, and how little we matter to
anyone but ourselves! She is cruel, too, and does not hesitate to tear
one in pieces if she wishes and she could make one ready to get drunk
on blood."

Tamara rounded her sweet eyes.

"Then the village there, full of men with the passions of animals,
living from father to son forever the same, wailing for a death,
rejoicing at a birth, taking strong physical pleasure in their marriage
rights and their women, and beating them when they are tired; but you
are too civilized in your country to understand any of these things."

Tamara was stirred; she felt she ought to be shocked.

Contrary to her determination, she asked a question:

"Then you are not civilized in yours?"

"Not nearly so badly," he said. "The primitive forces of life still
give us emotions, when we are not wild; when we are then it is the
jolliest hell."