And So to Die Again

Zuleika Dobson, a creature of Britain's Humorist ("incomparable Max") Beerbohm was a fatal lady with an unlimited appeal to men--and this despite the fact that she was not strictly beautiful ("Her eyes were a trifle large, and their lashes longer than they need have been"). On a brief visit to Oxford, she bewitched the entire undergraduate population to such a degree of unrequited passion that all save one committed suicide by jumping into the Isis during Eights Week, the name of their lady on their lips. Somewhat touched, Zuleika then moved on to Cambridge.

Last week, 100 members of Oxford's Labor Club decided to reenact the epic of Edwardian chivalry--even Socialists could be sentimental about the old days. They voted Anne Whates, a dark, buxom history student at Lady Margaret Hall, the girl for whom they would most willingly jump into the river. One day last week, dressed for her part in a straw boater and a Japanese sunshade, the new Zuleika was punted downstream in a chilling rain. Of the 100 voters, only nine braved the river, but three jumped with such abandon that Zuleika beckoned for an encore. (Said she: ''My heart bleeds for those unfortunate men, but . . .") Crying "The Lady calls" through chattering teeth, the nine jumped once more, later were succored by their heroine with rum and cake.

The story ended with a touch that must have caused the real Zuleika's knights to roll over in their watery grave. It turned out that some voters had totally misunderstood the poll's purpose. Fifteen percent had thought they were voting for the girl they would most like to jump into the river with, and 10% thought they were choosing the girl they most wanted to throw in.

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