"A pretty dream," said my soul, "though a little boyish for
thirty." "And a most excellent sherry," added my body.



CHAPTER V

CONCERNING THE PERFECT WOMAN, AND THEREFORE CONCERNING ALL
FEMININE READERS

As I once more got under way, my thoughts slowly loitered back to
the theme which had been occupying them before I dropped asleep.
What was my working hypothesis of the Perfect Woman, towards whom
I was thus leisurely strolling? She might be defined, I
reflected, as The Woman Who Is Worthy Of Us; but the
improbability which every healthily conceited young man must feel
of ever finding such a one made the definition seem a little
unserviceable. Or, if you prefer, since we seem to be dealing
with impossibles, we might turn about and more truly define her
as The Woman of Whom We are Worthy, for who dare say that she
exists? If, again, she were defined as the Woman our More
Fortunate Friend Marries, her unapproachableness would rob the
definition of any practical value. Other generalisations proving
equally unprofitable, I began scientifically to consider in
detail the attributes of the supposititious paragon,--attributes
of body and mind and heart. This was soon done; but again, as I
thus conned all those virtues which I was to expect united in one
unhappy woman, the result was still unsatisfying, for I began to
perceive that it was really not perfection that I was in search