Leonard Merrick

Name: The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories — The Third M
Author: Leonard Merrick

The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

Summary

“The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories — The Third M”, published in 1919, is a work by Leonard Merrick. It explores elements such as Van Norden, Violet and Lachlan.

Quotes from The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (Leonard Merrick)

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ The baby's paroxysm ceased almost at once; her gaze grew wide. Striking her ear when it did, the ballad that she had created in her preceding incarnation revivified her consciousness of the former life. The veil was rent; the female infant was at heart a husband—and looking in the faces of Violet and her new lover. Van Norden remembered all.
She could say nothing—speech was not yet granted to her—could not proclaim, "I am Otto," though she beheld her widow wooed by another man. Life holds no moment more terrible than an experience like this. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ It seems awfully rum to see you with a baby though—you look such a girl, don't you know."
"What nonsense!" said Violet, blushing; "I'm an elderly woman if one counts one's age by one's troubles." She glanced significantly at her weeds, and sighed.
"Oh, ah, of course I understand; I—I can sympathise, I can indeed. But you shouldn't think of your troubles too much, Mrs. Van Norden, if I may say so—you should buck up. Life, after all, is——" He struggled with his eyeglass and failed to enunciate his sentiments on life.
"Life is very, very strange," said Violet, gazing pensively at the sea. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ Before she was six weeks old Van Norden had ceased to consider the financial position, and accepted without questioning who provided; she began to yield to the charm of the bottle and the watch unreservedly, and had scarcely a remaining care. Only while she plucked at Violet's crape, the past whispered in her, and a dim consciousness that the relations between her mother and herself were involved clouded the infantile brow.
"What's she thinking about, a love?" Violet would murmur, swaying her to and fro. "Doesn't she look worried, a pet!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ He leant lower, and she raised her gaze; the next instant they had kissed across Van Norden's head. All the rekindled manhood in the infant's consciousness flamed to avenge the outrage, burned to strike the supplanter down, to destroy him. The disparity between the virile impulse and the tiny frame was maddening. Purpling with shame and indignation, Van Norden reared to spit at him, but could only dribble.
The human brain at the age of nine months is incapable of supporting a strain of this degree. Soon afterwards Violet had to send in hot haste for a medical man. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ I don't harp on a palace, but, say, reasonable advantages? Opulent people are having sons every minute, yet I must go as the daughter of a widow in straitened circumstances. Upon my soul, it's heartrending!"
However, when she and Violet met again she was somewhat consoled by the warmth of her mother's welcome; and after the news of the bereavement was broken, the young widow cooed so tenderly of the manifold virtues of "darling papa" that Van Norden was quite touched. "A good sort!" meditated Van Norden, as Violet joggled her up and down ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ It wants removing."
"Removing?" echoed Van Norden. "What do you mean by 'removing'—you don't mean 'operating'? Don't you think a—a good lotion——"
"Oh, no, we shall have to operate," said Dr. Lachlan. "You may put it at the morning after next. Meantime, I'll get a competent anæsthetist, and arrange about a nurse for you."
"But—but it's very serious indeed," faltered the composer, dismayed. "Am I sure to get better? People sink under operations; we know that every operation is 'performed successfully,' but the patient often dies the same day. What's the matter with me, what have I got?" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ Few circumstances could have been more adverse to marital tranquillity: few circumstances therefore could have been less favourable to the operation.
The first person to tap at the second-floor door was the nurse engaged by Dr. Lachlan.
"Good-morning, Nurse," said Van Norden. "Nobody has come yet; sit down and make yourself at home." ”

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Source: Wikisource

Leonard Merrick, The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (1919)

“ Yes, that must be it! If a third catastrophe occurred, doubtless the third, too, would be alliterative—and perhaps fatal. M was evidently an initial ominous to him, an initial to be shunned. From that moment he grew nervous of things beginning with an M. He abandoned the wish to revisit Mentone ”

Leonard Merrick

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Quotes from The Man Who Understood Women and Other Stories… (Leonard Merrick)

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