It's really depressing to think about how every single character in this story is a complete monster who doesn't think twice about just deleting a woman's options from existence, and how even the very thought that maybe it wasn't all terrible was left as the "horror" stinger for the ending.
I'd say, "Gosh, how far we've come," but, well, *indicates general everythingness*.
Beautiful story, though. I do love the old stuff. Something about that formality of language.