Purple and Fine Women

From the introduction: "Subject to an ironic outlook, Saltus loves women as they are, women as he sees them. He sees them in an atmosphere of light, color, scent, as exquisite phantoms which a kiss materializes. 'Her eyes were pools of purple, her hair was a garland of flame, her mouth a scarlet thread.' It is not easy to sum up Saltus, nor is it necessary. I have lost the taste for classification and I am not concerned to know what place posterity will assign to him.".