Free Fanny by Erica Jong Page A

Lustre?” I askt my Horse, drying my Tears. “Can you conceive the Freedom of suddenly being disguis’d a Boy?”
    He neigh’d in sympathy; sure there was a more than verbal Bond betwixt us. I then tried to find a Metaphor from the Sphere of Horses so that Lustre should entirely understand my Meaning.
    “La,” says I, “’tis as if you were to play at being a Brood Mare.”
    Lustre shook his Head and whinnied; ’twas clear he did not like my Meaning.
    “Do you understand now?” said I.
    Again he whinnied loudly and shook his Head. I puzzl’d awhile, riding along upon his Back, and suddenly understood his Displeasure. For him to be a Mare was not the same at all—and being a Rational Creature, he very well understood this, (tho’ a Man, engaged in the same Dialogue, should not).
    To dress as a Boy gave one Privileges no Woman could e’er possess: first, the Privilege of being left in Peace (except by Robbers, who prey’d almost equally upon both Sexes); second, the very substantial Privilege of Dining where’er one wisht without being presum’d a Trollop; third, the Privilege of moving freely thro’ the World, without the Restraints of Stays, Petticoats, Hoops, and the like. For I had form’d the Theory that Women should ne’er be entirely free to possess their own Souls until they could ride about the World as unencumber’d as possible. The Hoop Skirt, I reason’d, was an Instrument of Imprisonment. I might shudder with Horror at the Idea of the legendary Amazons cutting off one Breast, but sure I could not but understand their Motives.
    “Lustre, I love only you,” I said, spurring him on and galloping towards the High Road. “You are my Inspiration, my Lover, my only Friend!”
    And the Stallion whinnied his Reply, which I took to be, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

CHAPTER IX
    Containing a most improving Philosophical Enquiry into the diff ring Philosophies of the Third Earl of Shaftesburg and Mr. Bernard Mandeville, together with an Account of our Heroine’s sincere Dilemma concerning the Role of Womankind in the Great world; whereupon we follow our Heroine to a Country Fair and relate the Misadventures she had there; her Debut as a Duellist, and, last but not least, her most surprising Rescue by a most surprising Rescuer.
    I RODE ALL MORNING without Mishap, stopping to water Lustre at Noon (and to buy Bread and Cheese from a Village Market); then I rode again thro’ most of the Afternoon.
    On the Road, I pass’d many interesting Sights: old Men playing Bowls upon a Village Green; a Stage-Coach rattling along the Highway at great Speed, its Passengers being shaken to Death, most likely, by its rough Ride; Boys angling by a verdant River-Bank; wretched-looking Young Girls from a local Workhouse, scrubbing Clothes by the side of the same River.
    I remember most vividly the low, rolling Hills and wide Skies, the Villages of warm, golden Stone, the Fields of Corn and winter Barley, the Sheep grazing upon the Downs, and the black and white Cows eating the bountiful moist Grass.
    ’Twas astounding that the mere Fact of dressing as a Man and having an aristocratick Horse and a fierce-looking Sword (tho’ I knew not how to use it), could protect one from most Mischances, and i’faith I was perhaps lull’d into a false Security that first Day, by Reason of my Great Good Fortune in not being stopp’d.
    I was able to reflect upon the Beauties of the Countryside and upon my Plight, as well as to consider the Uncertainty of my Future, and to discourse with Lustre upon the opposing Philosophies of the Third Earl of Shaftesbury, who expounded the Perfection of the Universe and the Naturalness of Virtue in Man, and of Mr. Bernard Mandeville, who, upon the Contrary, argu’d that Self-Interest was the only Motivation of Mankind. Tho’ my Heart inclin’d towards Shaftesbury’s Reasoning, my Mind was more apt to favour Mandeville’s; ne’ertheless it occurr’d to me that neither of these Investigations into the