按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 your actions。 You may even be cold to him without
danger； for you can modify coldness at will。 Besides； nothing is more
easy to maintain than our dignity。 The words； 'It is not becoming in
your wife to do thus and so；' is a great talisman。 The life of a woman
lies in the words； 'I will not。' They are the final argument。 Feminine
power is in them； and therefore they should only be used on real
occasions。 But they constitute a means of governing far beyond that of
argument or discussion。 I； my dear child； reigned over your father by
his faith in me。 If your husband believes in you； you can do all
things with him。 To inspire that belief you must make him think that
you understand him。 Do not suppose that that is an easy thing to do。 A
woman can always make a man think that he is loved； but to make him
admit that he is understood is far more difficult。 I am bound to tell
you all now； my child； for to…morrow life with its complications； life
with two wills which MUST be made one； begins for you。 Bear in mind；
at all moments； that difficulty。 The only means of harmonizing your
two wills is to arrange from the first that there shall be but one；
and that will must be yours。 Many persons declare that a wife creates
her own unhappiness by changing sides in this way； but； my dear； she
can only become the mistress by controlling events instead of bearing
them； and that advantage compensates for any difficulty。〃
Natalie kissed her mother's hands with tears of gratitude。 Like all
women in whom mental emotion is never warmed by physical emotion； she
suddenly comprehended the bearings of this feminine policy； but； like
a spoiled child that never admits the force of reason and returns
obstinately to its one desire； she came back to the charge with one of
those personal arguments which the logic of a child suggests：
〃Dear mamma；〃 she said； 〃it is only a few days since you were talking
of Paul's advancement； and saying that you alone could promote it；
why； then； do you suddenly turn round and abandon us to ourselves？〃
〃I did not then know the extent of my obligations nor the amount of my
debts；〃 replied the mother； who would not suffer her real motive to be
seen。 〃Besides； a year or two hence I can take up that matter again。
Come； let us dress； Paul will be here soon。 Be as sweet and caressing
as you were；you know？that night when we first discussed this fatal
contract； for to…day we must save the last fragments of our fortune；
and I must win for you a thing to which I am superstitiously attached。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃The 'Discreto。'〃
Paul arrived about four o'clock。 Though he endeavored to meet his
mother…in…law with a gracious look upon his face； Madame Evangelista
saw traces of the clouds which the counsels of the night and the
reflections of the morning had brought there。
〃Mathias has told him！〃 she thought； resolving to defeat the old
notary's action。 〃My dear son；〃 she said； 〃you left your diamonds in
the drawer of the console； and I frankly confess that I would rather
not see again the things that threatened to bring a cloud between us。
Besides； as Monsieur Mathias said； they ought to be sold at once to
meet the first payment on the estates you have purchased。〃
〃They are not mine；〃 he said。 〃I have given them to Natalie； and when
you see them upon her you will forget the pain they caused you。〃
Madame Evangelista took his hand and pressed it cordially； with a tear
of emotion。
〃Listen to me； my dear children；〃 she said； looking from Paul to
Natalie； 〃since you really feel thus； I have a proposition to make to
both of you。 I find myself obliged to sell my pearl necklace and my
earrings。 Yes； Paul； it is necessary； I do not choose to put a penny
of my fortune into an annuity； I know what I owe to you。 Well； I admit
a weakness； to sell the 'Discreto' seems to me a disaster。 To sell a
diamond which bears the name of Philip the Second and once adorned his
royal hand； an historic stone which the Duke of Alba touched for ten
years in the hilt of his swordno； no； I cannot！ Elie Magus estimates
my necklace and ear…rings at a hundred and some odd thousand francs
without the clasps。 Will you exchange the other jewels I made over to
you for these？ you will gain by the transaction； but what of that？ I
am not selfish。 Instead of those mere fancy jewels； Paul； your wife
will have fine diamonds which she can really enjoy。 Isn't it better
that I should sell those ornaments which will surely go out of
fashion； and that you should keep in the family these priceless
stones？〃
〃But； my dear mother； consider yourself；〃 said Paul。
〃I；〃 replied Madame Evangelista； 〃I want such things no longer。 Yes；
Paul； I am going to be your bailiff at Lanstrac。 It would be folly in
me to go to Paris at the moment when I ought to be here to liquidate
my property and settle my affairs。 I shall grow miserly for my