CONCLUSION

Themoralofthisstory,asManske,wiseaftertheevent,pointedoutwhenrelatingthosepartsofitthatheknewonwintereveningstoadearfriend,plainlyisthatallfemales—alleWeiber—arebestmarried."Theiraspirations,"hesaid,"maybehighenoughtodocredittothenoblestmalespiritindeed,ourgraciouslady'saspirationswerenobilityitself.Butthefleshoffemalesisveryweak.Itcannotstandalone.Itcannotrealisetheaspirationsformedbyitsownspirit.Itrequiresconstantguidance.Itisanexcellentmaterial,butitisonlymaterialintheraw." "What?"criedhiswife. "Peace,woman.Isayitisonlymaterialintheraw.Anditisneverofanypracticalusetillthehandofthemasterhasmouldeditintoshape." "Sehrrichtig,"agreedthefriendwiththemoreheartinessthathewasconsciousofawifeathomewhohadsuccessfullywithstoodmouldingduringamarriedlifeoftwentyyears. "That,"saidManske,"isthemostobviousmoral.Butthereisyetanother." "Thestoryisfullofthem,"saidthefriend,whohadhadthemallpointedouttohim,differentoneseachtime,duringthoseeveningsofhowlingtempestsandindoorpeace—theperfectpeaceofpipes,hotstoves,andGlühwein. "Theother,"saidManske,"is,thatitisverysinfulforlittlegirlstowritelove-poetryinthenameoftheiraunts." "Towritelove-poetryisatnotimethefunctionoflittlegirls,"saidthefriend. "Suchconductcannotbetoostronglycensured,"saidManske."Buttodoitinthenameofsomeoneelseisnotonlynotm?dchenhaft,itissinful." "TheseEnglishlittlegirlsappeartoknownoshame,"saidhiswife. "Trulytheymightlearnmuchfromourownfemaleyouth,"saidthefriend. Letty'spoemshadundoubtedlybeentheindirectcauseofthefire,ofAxel'sarrest,andofhismarriagewithAnna.Butiftheyhadbroug