the marriage contract-第18章

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I　should　never　forgive　your　husband　if　he　caused　trouble　between　us。

Whereas；　when　you　have　once　become　the　mistress；　when　your　husband　is

to　you　what　your　father　was　to　me；　that　danger　is　no　longer　to　be

feared。　Though　this　wise　policy　will　cost　your　young　and　tender　heart

a　pang；　your　happiness　demands　that　you　become　the　absolute　sovereign

of　your　home。〃



〃Then　why；　mamma；　did　you　say　just　now　I　must　obey　him？〃



〃My　dear　little　daughter；　in　order　that　a　wife　may　rule；　she　must

always　seem　to　do　what　her　husband　wishes。　If　you　were　not　told　this

you　might　by　some　impulsive　opposition　destroy　your　future。　Paul　is　a

weak　young　man；　he　might　allow　a　friend　to　rule　him；　he　might　even

fall　under　the　dominion　of　some　woman　who　would　make　you　feel　her

influence。　Prevent　such　disasters　by　making　yourself　from　the　very

start　his　ruler。　Is　it　not　better　that　he　be　governed　by　you　than　by

others？〃





〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　Natalie。　〃I　should　think　only　of　his

happiness。〃



〃And　it　is　my　privilege；　darling；　to　think　only　of　yours；　and　to　wish

not　to　leave　you　at　so　crucial　a　moment　without　a　compass　in　the　midst

of　the　reefs　through　which　you　must　steer。〃



〃But；　dearest　mother；　are　we　not　strong　enough；　you　and　I；　to　stay

together　beside　him；　without　having　to　fear　those　frowns　you　seem　to

dread。　Paul　loves　you；　mamma。〃



〃Oh！　oh！　He　fears　me　more　than　he　loves　me。　Observe　him　carefully

to…day　when　I　tell　him　that　I　shall　let　you　go　to　Paris　without　me；

and　you　will　see　on　his　face；　no　matter　what　pains　he　takes　to　conceal

it；　his　inward　joy。〃



〃Why　should　he　feel　so？〃



〃Why？　Dear　child！　I　am　like　Saint…Jean　Bouche…d'Or。　I　will　tell　that

to　himself；　and　before　you。〃



〃But　suppose　I　marry　on　condition　that　you　do　not　leave　me？〃　urged

Natalie。



〃Our　separation　is　necessary；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃Several

considerations　have　greatly　changed　my　future。　I　am　now　poor。　You　will

lead　a　brilliant　life　in　Paris；　and　I　could　not　live　with　you　suitably

without　spending　the　little　that　remains　to　me。　Whereas；　if　I　go　to

Lanstrac；　I　can　take　care　of　your　property　there　and　restore　my

fortune　by　economy。〃



〃You；　mamma！　YOU　practise　economy！〃　cried　Natalie；　laughing。　〃Don't

begin　to　be　a　grandmother　yet。　What！　do　you　mean　to　leave　me　for　such

reasons　as　those？　Dear　mother；　Paul　may　seem　to　you　a　trifle　stupid；

but　he　is　not　one　atom　selfish　or　grasping。〃



〃Ah！〃　replied　Madame　Evangelista；　in　a　tone　of　voice　big　with

suggestions　which　made　the　girl's　heart　throb；　〃those　discussions

about　the　contract　have　made　me　distrustful。　I　have　my　doubts　about

himBut　don't　be　troubled；　dear　child；〃　she　added；　taking　her

daughter　by　the　neck　and　kissing　her。　〃I　will　not　leave　you　long

alone。　Whenever　my　return　can　take　place　without　making　difficulty

between　you；　whenever　Paul　can　rightly　judge　me；　we　will　begin　once

more　our　happy　little　life；　our　evening　confidences〃



〃Oh！　mother；　how　can　you　think　of　living　without　your　Natalie？〃



〃Because；　dear　angel；　I　shall　live　for　her。　My　mother's　heart　will　be

satisfied　in　the　thought　that　I　contribute；　as　I　ought；　to　your　future

happiness。〃



〃But；　my　dear；　adorable　mother；　must　I　be　alone　with　Paul；　here；　now；

all　at　once？　What　will　become　of　me？　what　will　happen？　what　must　I　do？

what　must　I　not　do？〃



〃Poor　child！　do　you　think　that　I　would　utterly　abandon　you　to　your

first　battle？　We　will　write　to　each　other　three　times　a　week　like

lovers。　We　shall　thus　be　close　to　each　other's　hearts　incessantly。

Nothing　can　happen　to　you　that　I　shall　not　know；　and　I　can　save　you

from　all　misfortune。　Besides；　it　would　be　too　ridiculous　if　I　never

went　to　see　you；　it　would　seem　to　show　dislike　or　disrespect　to　your

husband；　I　will　always　spend　a　month　or　two　every　year　with　you　in

Paris。〃



〃Alone；　already　alone；　and　with　him！〃　cried　Natalie　in　terror；

interrupting　her　mother。



〃But　you　wish　to　be　his　wife？〃



〃Yes；　I　wish　it。　But　tell　me　how　I　should　behave；you；　who　did　what

you　pleased　with　my　father。　You　know　the　way；　I'll　obey　you　blindly。〃



Madame　Evangelista　kissed　her　daughter's　forehead。　She　had　willed　and

awaited　this　request。



〃Child；　my　counsels　must　adept　themselves　to　circumstances。　All　men

are　not　alike。　The　lion　and　the　frog　are　not　more　unlike　than　one　man

compared　with　another；morally；　I　mean。　Do　I　know　to…day　what　will

happen　to　you　to…morrow？　No；　therefore　I　can　only　give　you　general

advice　upon　the　whole　tenor　of　your　conduct。〃



〃Dear　mother；　tell　me；　quick；　all　that　you　know　yourself。〃



〃In　the　first　place；　my　dear　child；　the　cause　of　the　failure　of

married　women　who　desire　to　keep　their　husbands'　heartsand；〃　she

said；　making　a　parenthesis；　〃to　keep　their　hearts　and　rule　them　is　one

and　the　same　thingWell；　the　principle　cause　of　conjugal　disunion　is

to　be　found　in　perpetual　intercourse；　which　never　existed　in　the　olden

time；　but　which　has　been　introduced　into　this　country　of　late　years

with　the　mania　for　family。　Since　the　Revolution　the　manners　and

customs　of　the　bourgeois　have　invaded　the　homes　of　the　aristocracy。

This　misfortune　is　due　to　one　of　their　writers；　Rousseau；　an　infamous

heretic；　whose　ideas　were　all　anti…social　and　who　pretended；　I　don't

know　how；　to　justify　the　most　senseless　things。　He　declared　that　all

women　had　the　same　rights　and　the　same　faculties；　that　living　in　a

state　of　society　we　ought；　nevertheless；　to　obey　natureas　if　the

wife　of　a　Spanish　grandee；　as　if　you　or　I　had　anything　in　common　with

the　women　of　the　people！　Since　then；　well…bred　women　have　suckled

their　children；　have　educated　their　daughters；　and　stayed　in　their　own

homes。　Life　has　become　so　involved　that　happiness　is　almost

impossible；for　a　perfect　harmony　between　natures　such　as　that　which

has　made　you　and　me　live　as　two　friends　is　an　exception。　Perpetual

contact　is　as　dangerous　for　parents　and　children　as　it　is　for　husband

and　wife。　There　are　few　souls　in　which　love　survives　this　fatal

omnipresence。　Therefore；　I　say；　erect　between　yourself　and　Paul　the

barriers　of　society；　go　to　balls　and　operas；　go　out　in　the　morning；

dine　out　in　the　evenings；　pay　visits　constantly；　and　grant　but　little

of　your　time　to　your　husband。　By　this　means　you　will　always　keep　your

value　to　him。　When　two　beings　bound　together　for　life　have　nothing　to

live　upon　but　sentiment；　its　resources　are　soon　exhausted；

indifference；　satiety；　and　disgust　succeed。　When　sentiment　has

withered　what　will　become　of　you？　Remember；　affection　once

extinguished　can　lead　to　nothing　but　indifference　or　contempt。　Be　ever

young　and　ever　new　to　him。　He　may　weary　you；that　often　happens；but

you　must　never　weary　him。　The　faculty　of　being　bored　without　showing

it　is　a　condition　of　all　species　of　power。　You　cannot　diversify

happiness　by　the　cares　of　property　or　the　occupations　of　a　family。　If

you　do　not　make　your　husband　share　your　social　interests；　if　you　do

not　keep　him　amused　you　will　fall　into　a　dismal　apathy。　Then　begins

the　SPLEEN　of　love。　But　a　man　will　always　love　the　woman　who　amuses

him　and　keeps　him　happy。　To　give　happiness　and　to　receive　it　are　two

lines　of　feminine　conduct　which　are　separated　by　a　gulf。〃



〃Dear　mother；　I　am　listening　to　you；　but　I　don't　understand　one　word

you　say。〃



〃If　you　love　Paul　to　the　extent　of　doing　all　he　asks　of　you；　if　you

make　your　happiness　depend　on　him；　all　is　over　with　your　future　life；

you　will　never　be　mistress　of　your　home；　and　the　best　precepts　in　the

world　will　do　you　no　good。〃



〃That　is　plainer；　but　I　see　the　rule　without　knowing　how　to　apply　it；〃

said　Natalie；　laughing。　〃I　have　the　theory；　the　practice　will　come。〃



〃My　poor　Ninie；〃　replied　the　mother；　who　dropped　an　honest　tear　at　the

thought　of　her　daughter's　marriage；　〃things　will　happen　to　teach　it　to

youAnd；〃　she　continued；　after　a　pause；　during　which　the　mother　and

daughter　held　each　other　closely　embraced　in　the　truest　sympathy；

〃remember　this；　my　Natalie：　we　all　have　our　destiny　as　women；　just　as

men　have　their　vocation　as　men。　A　woman　is　born　to　be　a　woman　of　the

world　and　a　charming　hostess；　as　a　man　is　born　to　be　a　general　or　a

poet。　Your　vocation　is　to　please。　Your　education　has　formed　you　for

society。　In　these　days　women　should　be　educated　for　the　salon　as　they

once　were　for　the　gynoecium。　You　were　not　born　to　be　the　mother　of　a

family　or　the　steward　of　a　household。　If　you　have　children；　I　hope

they　will　not　come　to　spoil　your　figure　on　the　morrow　of　your

marriage；　nothing　is　so　bourgeois　as　to　have　a　child　at　once。　If　you

have　them　two　or　three　years　after　your　marriage；　well　and　good；

governesses　and　tutors　will　bring　them　up。　YOU　are　to　be　the　lady；　the

great　lady；　who　represents　the　luxury　and　the　pleasure　of　the　house。

But　remember　one　thinglet　your　superiority　be　visible　in　those

things　only　which　flatter　a　man's　self…love；　hide　the　superiority　you

must　also　acquire　over　him　in　great　things。〃



〃But　you　frighten　me；　mamma；〃　cried　Natalie。　〃How　can　I　remember　all

these　precepts？　How　shall　I　ever　manage；　I；　such　a　child；　and　so

heedless；　to　reflect　and　calculate　before　I　act？〃



〃But；　my　dear　little　girl；　I　am　telling　you　to…day　that　which　you　must

surely　learn　later；　buying　your　experience　by　fatal　faults　and　errors

of　conduct　which　will　cause　you　bitter　regrets　and　embarrass　your

whole　life。〃



〃But　how　must　I　begin？〃　asked　Natalie；　artlessly。



〃Instinct　will　guide　you；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃At　this　moment　Paul

desires　you　more　than　he　loves　you；　for　love　born　of　desires　is　a

hope；　the　love　that　succeeds　their　satisfaction　is　the　reality。　There；

my　dear；　is　the　question；　there　lies　your　power。　What　woman　is　not

loved　before　marriage？　Be　so　on　the　morrow　and　you　shall　remain　so

always。　Paul　is　a　weak　man　who　is　easily　trained　to　habit。　If　he

yields　to　you　once　he　will　yield　always。　A　woman　ardently　desired　can

ask　all　things；　do　not　commit　the　folly　of　many　women　who　do　not　see

the　importance　of　the　first　hours　of　their　sway；that　of　wasting　your

power　on　trifles；　on　silly　things　with　no　result。　Use　the　empire　your

husband's　first　emotions　give　you　to　accustom　him　to　obedience。　And

when　you　make　him　yield；　choose　that　it　be　on　some　unreasonable　point；

so　as　to　test　the　measure　of　your　power　by　the　measure　of　his

concession。　What　victory　would　there　be　in　making　him　agree　to　a

reasonable　thing？　Would　that　be　obeying　you？　We　must　always；　as　the

Castilian　proverb　says；　take　the　bull　by　the　horns；　when　a　bull　has

once　seen　the　inutility　of　his　defence　and　of　his　strength　he　is

beaten。　When　your　husband　does　a　foolish　thing　for　you；　you　can　govern

him。〃



〃Why　so？〃



〃Because；　my　child；　marriage　lasts　a　lifetime；　and　a　husband　is　not　a

man　like　other　men。　Therefore；　never　commit　the　folly　of　giving

yourself　into　his　power　in　everything。　Keep　up　a　constant　reserve　in

your　speech　and　in　y