The Importance of Courage

The same distance that had beset Dee in the nude paintings was suddenly present here in this oppressive room. His wife's freedom so partial and malformed had a crippling effect on him. He could neither use her nor dispense with her, could not, because of her, be entirely free himself. She situated herself there only a few feet away in the terrain of weaknesses, of need, of plain daily requirements. Yet she herself could be desired. Why did she not make proper use of her power one way or the other? Another man looking at her would see something different. This, he realized, was what he was unable to tolerate. It was unbearable that she could take his power of