Status Updates From The Yellow Mask

Slow going so far. Finished the first story, and am hoping the next one’s a bit better. I’ll probably be donating this book to a free “little library” in the neighborhood when I finish.

'She gave me one look, the wickedest look I ever saw, & burst out laughing, the harshest laugh I ever heard from a woman's lips. Turning away from me directly after, she said no more, & never referred to the subject again on any subsequent occasion.'

...Or vile temptress?: "I own I took a dislike to her when I first saw her. She was one of the light-haired, blue-eyed sort, with an innocent look & a snaky waist -- not at all to be depended on, as I have found them."

Miss Bertha, innocent victim: "My worst fault was ignorance. In those days, I knew nothing of the false pretences under which men hide what is selfish & savage in their natures from women whom it is their interest to deceive."

Well, that was an odd story. Moving on to the second...

'She had a yellow hood, a yellow half mask with deep fringe hanging over her mouth, & a yellow domino, cut at the sleeves & edges into long flame-shaped points, which waved backward & forward tremulously. [...] The woman's black eyes seemed to gleam w/ an evil brightness through the sight-holes of the mask, & the tawny fringe hanging before her mouth fluttered slowly w/ every breath she drew.'

"Tell me first, do she & her husband live together happily?"
"There are no stories of their disagreeing. She has dresses, horses, carriages, a Negro page, the smallest lap-dog in Italy; in short, all the luxuries that a woman can want."

....Oh, Wilkie. You snarky dear. :D