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mate awaits her. Seven times over, at one 

 day's interval, do I carry her home, drop- 

 ping her head foremost down the shaft. It 

 is of no avail: she climbs back persistently 

 during the night, makes off and goes to earth 

 as far away as possible. If the trellis work 

 of the cover did not restrain her flight, she 

 would run away for good, seeking another 

 husband elsewhere. Can the first be dead? 

 Not at all. I find him hale and hearty as 

 ever in the upper level of the pit. 



Can these stubborn attempts at escape on 

 the part of the mother, so stay-at-home by 

 nature, be caused by incompatibility of tem- 

 per? Why not? The female worker goes 

 away because the male worker does not 

 please her. It was I myself who made the 

 match, which was subject to the hazard of 

 my discoveries; and the suitor has not found 

 favour. If things had happened according 

 to rule, the bride would have made a choice, 

 accepting this one and refusing that, guided 

 by merits of which she alone could judge. 

 When a couple plan a long life together, they 

 do not lightly enter into indissoluble bonds. 

 This at least is the opinion of the Minotaur 

 family. 



That others, the vast majority, should 

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