Beneath the veneer of civilization were the same atavistic rituals of the men who dwelled in caves.

By the way, the emphasis on THE girl was a common way in the first 30 years of the century to denote the ultimate perfect object of one's affections.I usually encounter it used to express longing and frustration - THE girl was never the one you married, but the one who entertained your attention for a while, then moved on from you.