This is Hemingway’s list of titles for the story that was eventually called The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. Upon his fourth attempt, he came close to his final title but omitted the ironic word happy. The various other options Hemingway considered give us a tantalizing indication of what he regarded as the main and subthemes of his story. Among those under consideration were: “Marriage is a Dangerous Game,” “A Marriage Has Been Terminated,” “The Cult of Violence,” and “The Struggle for Power.” The two written on the verso of this sheet are “Marriage is a Bond” and “Through Darkest Marriage.” Hemingway made a note to himself To lookup/Man/Marriage/Fear/Courage.
(From “Ernest Hemingway: Between Two Wars” exhibition at Morgan Library & Museum)
A World without Gaps 