Manchurian Books

.."
"The men would still be competing."
"There perhaps--yes. But they'd have to abide by the women's decisions."
I raised one or two difficulties, and for a while we played with this
idea.
"Ewart," I said, "this is like Doll's Island.
"Suppose," I reflected, "an unsuccessful man laid siege to a balcony and
wouldn't let his rival come near it?"
"Move him on," said Ewart, "by a special regulation. As one does
organ-grinders. No difficulty about that. And you could forbid it--make
it against the etiquette. No life is decent without etiquette.... And
people obey etiquette sooner than laws..."
"H'm," I said, and was struck by an idea that is remote in the world of
a young man. "How about children?" I asked; "in the City? Girls are all
very well. But boys, for example--grow up."
"Ah!" said Ewart. "Yes. I forgot. They mustn't grow up inside.... They'd
turn out the boys when they were seven. The father must come with a
little pony and a little gun and manly wear, and take the boy away. Then
one could come afterwards to one's mother's balcony.


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