Life, 1894-12-27 · page 26 of 53
Life — December 27, 1894 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a dialogue between "The Belle" and "The Mirror"—a magical device showing visions of the woman's married life. The satire depicts the progressive unhappiness of an upper-class woman (identified as Mrs. Tracy de Puyster Van Treffer, "native aristocracy of New York") across five years of marriage. Each vision reveals a different marital complaint: her husband's emotional coldness, his absorption in gambling and his career over domestic affection, her social humiliation at gatherings, and his drunken suspicion. The repeated question "Are you happy?" becomes darkly ironic as she grows progressively more miserable. The satire critiques both the constraints of marriage for women of this era and the indifference of intellectual or ambitious husbands toward their wives' emotional needs. The illustrations emphasize her isolation and despair, making this a commentary on the gap between romantic expectation and marital reality in high society.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
10 THE MIRROR (g7remly) THE BELLE (shuddering): death where Iam, I Are you happy ? No. Although bored to dread to go home, because I shall be alone with Azm, my husband. I sce nothing but despair and waiting, constant waiting for release. (Pécture vanishes.) THE MirkoR: “You will not forget that. upon this, (Avan a picture forms.) Now look What do you see? “His Lorpsuir, MY HUSBAND, IS THERE, GASLING LIK THE REST.” THE BELLE n, but been reading, but have tired of it. T I sce myself ag alone. I have re is something 1 but I cannot. In a erton Denning, my want to do, something I want to fee little . | see Phillip I literary, intellectual hdsband room near by na He is very busy, writing. In my utter loneliness, I get up and go to him. Stooping over him, I gently kiss him on the brow, He frowns, pushes me away, and tells me I destroy his ideas. I sigh, turn away. and go to bed. THE MIRROR (¢ronécally): Are you happy? THE BELLE (bitterly); No. All warmth in heart is gradually being frozen by the cold indifference of the my the man I have married. He is too brainy to lavish any affection on his wife; his growing fame is more important Show me the next. Well, wha Another than domestic ties. THE MIRROR THE BELLE: however, utterly ignored by the many women present except {see you he reception, [am sitting alone, in the way of an occasional supercilious glance at my gown, fan, 1 Some of the women have very or a whisper to someone else about me behind a think it must be in England. look tired and bored to death. It is. red noses, and they THE MIRROR: as Lady Tuffnutt Itis the fifth year of your reign > LIFE ~ THE BELLE 1 see myself moving into another room ving cards. His Lordship, my hus- [tell him I do not He advises me to go That means to listen to some man who will make deliberate lave He knows that. money on the table to go then. band, is there, gambling like the rest. feel well and would like to go home. home alone or amuse myself in the conversatory. to me. He says there is too much of his He means my money. | have seen enough of this. THE MIRROR (mockingly) : THE BELLE (sadly): No, but I am gradually becomin Jened to my misery. THE MIRROR (as a new preture appears): Mrs. Tracy de Puyster Van Treffer, a member of the native Are you happy? Now you are aristocracy of New York. THE BELLE: Yes. The room is handsomely furnished; everything looks rich and Can you see yourself ? I see myself once more alone. good, But I am waiting anxiously and listening intently. Atevery sound I get up and look through the blinds out into the dark night. At last, as dawn is breaking up; [hear it. A few minutes afterwards my husband enters the room. He A quarrel ends in my bursting into tears, He stoops over aint with nausea, colds me in a thick voice for remaining up. me to kiss me and I nearly THe Mirror: Axe you happy? “He scoups ate IN A THICK voice.” THE BELLE (fiercely): No. neglect, disgusted with his manner of life, and harassed with I am humiliated by his constant suspicion. THE MIRROR (si Do you want to see it? THE BELLE (confusedly): It is probably like all the rest. 1am utterly wretched. There is only one more picture. Yes, I suppose I may as well. comicbooks.com