glass windows far
up among majestic arches, the candles, the incense, the far-away
chanting.

"I was brought up an Episcopalian, but when I am tired or discouraged I
often go into St. Patrick's Cathedral--it is so beautiful--and say my
prayers there. At any hour I find others praying, men and women--they
come in off Fifth Avenue quite naturally and cross themselves and bow to
the Altar and kneel straight up--they don't just lean forward the way we
do. I love to imitate them--cross myself and go down on one knee and dip
my fingers in the font of Holy Water as I come away. _Sometimes I wish I
was a Catholic and could confess my sins. It might help me._

"I do not think religion keeps women back very much from doing what they
want to do or have resolved to do in love affairs. It is a comfort, an
emotional satisfaction rather than a restraint. They come tripping in on
their high heels with all their smiles and finery, and they trip out
again, unchanged in their sentimental natures. A woman will go to church
in the afternoon and flirt with another woman's husband in the evening.
She will respond devoutly after the Commandments 'Lord have mercy upon
us, and incline our hearts to keep this law,' even though she knows that
her heart is inclined to break one of these laws."

This is true in the main, although I believe now that women, because
they are highly emotional, are sincere for the moment when they kneel
down to say their prayers and confess their sins, even if they half know
that they may continue in wrong-doing. I suppose women are less logical
here than men who will often stay away from church entirely when they
are breaking the moral law and when they know that they intend to go on
breaking it. I am sure it is better, however, for men and women to go to
church, even at the risk of a little hypocrisy, than not to go at all.

ARE WOMEN DISINGENUOUS IN SENTIMENTAL AFFAIRS?

I suppose we must admit that there are many women, in all classes of
society--not mercenary women--who extend to men a certain measure of sex
complaisance and feel no deep regret for this behavior, so long as
things go well.

Once I wrote in my diary:

"Of course women will not admit sex indiscretions--wild horses could not
drag the truth out of them. The attractive ones, those who have had
emotional experiences with men, will hide them, following the feminine
free masonry of centuries. And unattractive women will call high heaven
to witnes