#Glynalong week 3

Week 3's thoughts on this book:

Random word count recap thus far (are there any other words I should track?)

# of times "tiger" has been mentioned: 28

# of times The Lady did weird seduction techniques: 4 "serpent-like movements" and 5 "undulations"

# of times "kill" has been mentioned: 10

Chapter XIII

While this book is super cheesy with ridiculous descriptions of love, I have to admit that when Glyn describes nature/scenery, it is so shiny THAT I WANT TO GO TO THERE.

"…when the air is clear as crystal and the lake ultra-marine… unbroken snow, its pure whiteness like cold marble, the shadows grey-blue… the tints of the beeches, of the pines, or the firs, clinging like some cloak of life to the hoary-headed mountains, a reminder that spring is eternal, and youth must have its day…"

The scene is set for romance... but then The Lady offhandedly asks "Paul, did you ever want to kill any one? Did you ever long to have them there at your mercy, to choke their life out and throw them to hell?"

Dude, RUN.

Chapter XIV

The next day, they leave Burgenstock and head back to Lucerne separately because The Lady is in a foul mood. Dmitry comments on the pistol he gave Paul and it's mentioned that all chambers are loaded (*cue Chekhov's gun theories*). She suggests they then go to Venice, and keeps alluding to "the end". *paranoia intensifies*

Chapter XV

They are in Venice! Glyn helpfully points out that Paul is looking forward to seeing The Lady again because omg it has been 3 days of total abstinence. (Because we needed to know this.) They go sight-seeing and lot of joyful and passionate declarations are exchanged. 

Chapter XVI

It seems like the chapters in this novel alternate between sightseeing, and then spending the day indoors brooding/laughing/crying/singing. Sometimes all at once. It seems very exhausting until The Lady snaps with "enough of that, let's go shopping".

The short story 'The Lady and the Tiger' is finally mentioned! It was my favorite one to read in the 7th grade and I always wondered what The Lady would do. The Lady (in this book) answers with "there was never any hesitation. I would give you to a thousand tigers sooner than to another woman - just as I would give my life a thousand times for your life, my lover" to which Paul responds, in short, "uh yeah, me too, but can we, like, not talk about terrible scenarios where I have to die?"

DUDE. Why are you NOT RUNNING. (see chapter XIII notes above as a refresher)

Chapter XVII

Paul finally puts two and two together and realizes they're being stalked/pursued by someone who is after The Lady. Definitely a shady person hired by her shady and powerful husband. This explains a lot. But it doesn't explain why she's so crazy and why she decides to tell him that she's only with him to get an heir out the affair.

Chapter XVIII

She says some terrible things in this chapter, like: "when a woman's love for a man rises to the highest point there is in it always an element of the wife… however wayward and tigerish and undomestic she may be, she then desires to be the acknowledged possession and belonging of the man, even to her own dishonour."

Um, screw you. Go jump in the canal and take your tiger skins with you. Especially because you also threw shade on George Eliot, and that's unforgivable.