This, allowing for class modifications, is almost the normal history
of a marriage, or, more accurately, of the genesis of a marriage,
under Protestant Christianity. Under other rites the business is
taken out of the woman's hands, at least partly, and so she is less
enterprising in her assembling of candidates and possibilities. But
when the whole thing is left to her own heart--i.e., to her head--it is
but natural that she should seek as wide a range of choice as the
conditions of her life allow, and in a democratic society those
conditions put few if any fetters upon her fancy. The servant girl,
or factory operative, or even prostitute of today may be the chorus
girl or moving picture vampire of tomorrow and the millionaire's
wife of next year. In America, especially, men have no settled
antipathy to such stooping alliances; in fact, it rather flatters their
vanity to play Prince Charming to Cinderella. The result is that
every normal American young woman, with the practicality of her
sex and the inner confidence that goes therewith, raises her amorous
eye as high as it will roll. And the second result is that every
American man of presentable exterior and easy means is surrounded
by an aura of discreet provocation: he cannot even dictate a letter,
or ask for a telephone number without being measured for his
wedding coat. On the Continent of Europe, and especially in
the Latin countries, where class barriers are more formidable, the
situation differs materially, and to the disadvantage of the girl. If
she makes an overture, it is an invitation to disaster; her hope of
lawful marriage by such means is almost nil. In consequence, the
prudent and decent girl avoids such overtures, and they must be
made by third parties or by the man himself. This is the explanation
of the fact that a Frenchman, say, is habitually enterprising in
amour, and hence bold and often offensive, whereas an American is