Letters of Two Brides

第31章

Icanrecalltheday,nownearlyfourteenyearsago,whenIembarkedonalifeofself-sacrificewiththedespairofashipwreckedmarinerclingingtothemastofhisvessel;now,asIinvokethememoryofpastyears,IfeelthatIwouldmakethesamechoiceagain。Nootherguidingprincipleissosafe,orleadstosuchrichreward。Thespectacleofyourlife,which,foralltheromanceandpoetrywithwhichyouinvestit,stillremainsbasedonnothingbutaruthlessselfishness,hashelpedtostrengthenmyconvictions。ThisisthelasttimeIshallspeaktoyouinthisway;butIcouldnotrefrainfromoncemorepleadingwithyouwhenIfoundthatyourhappinesshadbeenproofagainstthemostsearchingofalltrials。

AndonemorepointImusturgeonyou,suggestedbymymeditationsonyourretirement。Life,whetherofthebodyortheheart,consistsincertainbalancedmovements。Anyexcessintroducedintotheworkingofthisroutinegivesriseeithertopainortopleasure,bothofwhichareamerefeverofthesoul,boundtobefugitivebecausenatureisnotsoframedastosupportitlong。Buttomakeoflifeonelongexcessissurelytochoosesicknessforone’sportion。Youaresickbecauseyoumaintainatthetemperatureofpassionafeelingwhichmarriageoughttoconvertintoasteadying,purifyinginfluence。

Yes,mysweet,Iseeitclearlynow;thegloryofahomeconsistsinthisverycalm,thisintimacy,thissharingalikeofgoodandevil,whichthevulgarridicule。HownoblewasthereplyoftheDuchessedeSully,thewifeofthegreatSully,tosomeonewhoremarkedthatherhusband,forallhisgraveexterior,didnotscrupletokeepamistress。“Whatofthat?“shesaid。“Irepresentthehonorofthehouse,andshoulddeclinetoplaythepartofacourtesanthere。“

Butyou,Louise,whoarenaturallymorepassionatethantender,wouldbeatoncethewifeandthemistress。WiththesoulofaHeloiseandthepassionsofaSaintTheresa,yousliptheleashonallyourimpulses,solongastheyaresanctionedbylaw;inaword,youdegradethemarriagerite。Surelythetablesareturned。Thereproachesyouonceheapedonmeforimmorally,asyousaid,seizingthemeansofhappinessfromtheveryoutsetofmyweddedlife,mightbedirectedagainstyourselfforgraspingateverythingwhichmayserveyourpassion。What!mustnatureandsocietyalikebeinbondagetoyourcaprice?YouaretheoldLouise;youhaveneveracquiredthequalitieswhichoughttobeawoman’s;self-willedandunreasonableasagirl,youintroducewithalintoyourlovethekeenestandmostmercenaryofcalculations!Areyousurethat,afterall,thepriceyouaskforyourtoiletsisnottoohigh?Alltheseprecautionsaretomymindverysuggestiveofmistrust。

Oh,dearLouise,ifonlyyouknewthesweetnessofamother’seffortstodisciplineherselfinkindnessandgentlenesstoallabouther!Myproud,self-sufficingtempergraduallydissolvedintoasoftmelancholy,whichinturnhasbeenswallowedupbythosedelightsofmotherhoodwhichhavebeenitsreward。Iftheearlyhoursweretoilsome,theeveningwillbetranquilandclear。Mydreadislestthedayofyourlifeshouldtaketheoppositecourse。

WhenIhadreadyourlettertoaclose,IprayedGodtosendyouamongusforaday,thatyoumightseewhatfamilylifereallyis,andlearnthenatureofthosejoys,whicharelastingandsweeterthantonguecantell,becausetheyaregenuine,simple,andnatural。But,alas!

whatchancehaveIwiththebestofargumentsagainstafallacywhichmakesyouhappy?AsIwritethesewords,myeyesfillwithtears。I

hadfeltsosurethatsomemonthsofhoneymoonwouldproveasurfeitandrestoreyoutoreason。ButIseethatthereisnolimittoyourappetite,andthat,havingkilledamanwholovedyou,youwillnotceasetillyouhavekilledloveitself。Farewell,dearmisguidedfriend。IamindespairthattheletterwhichIhopedmightreconcileyoutosocietybyitspictureofmyhappinessshouldhavebroughtforthonlyapaeanofselfishness。Yes,yourloveisselfish;youloveGastonfarlessforhimselfthanforwhathei

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