That was what stuck in the craws of all the good women of Deptford: Mrs Dempster had not been raped, as a decent woman would have been–no, she had yielded because a man wanted her. The subject was not one that could be freely discussed even among intimates, but it was understood without saying that if women began to yield for such reasons as that, marriage and society would not last long. Any man who spoke up for Mrs Dempster probably believed in Free Love. Certainly he associated sex with pleasure, and that put him in a class with filthy thinkers like Cece Athelstan. . Robertson Davies
About This Quote

This quote deals with the topic of rape. The author, Gilbert Frankau, points out that Mrs Dempster was not raped; she wasn't acting like a decent woman would act. Instead, she gave in out of selfishness. This quote appears in Frankau's story The Crime at Deptford Bridge (1859).

It's a fictional story that deals with the topic of rape. The author, Gilbert Frankau, believes that Mrs Dempster was not raped because she was not acting like a decent woman should act. Instead, she yielded out of selfishness and because a man wanted her.

The subject is rarely openly discussed between intimates, but it's understood among people who know the truth well enough to be aware that if women start to yield out of desire for such reasons as that, marriage and society will not last long. When men speak up for Mrs Dempster, they probably believe in Free Love. They probably associate sex with pleasure and that puts them in a class with filthy thinkers like Cece Athelstan.

Source: Fifth Business

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