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thousand francs a year will suffice for such a life and your
antecedents will enable you to marry some rich English woman hungry
for a title。 That's an aristocratic life which seems to me thoroughly
French； the only life in which we can retain the respect and
friendship of a woman； the only life which distinguishes a man from
the present crowd；in short； the only life for which a young man
should even think of resigning his bachelor blessings。 Thus
established； the Comte de Manerville may advise his epoch； place
himself above the world； and be nothing less than a minister or an
ambassador。 Ridicule can never touch him； he has gained the social
advantages of marriage while keeping all the privileges of a
bachelor。〃
〃But； my good friend； I am not de Marsay； I am plainly； as you
yourself do me the honor to say； Paul de Manerville； worthy father and
husband； deputy of the Centre； possibly peer of France；a destiny
extremely commonplace； but I am modest and I resign myself。〃
〃Yes； but your wife；〃 said the pitiless de Marsay； 〃will she resign
herself？〃
〃My wife； my dear fellow； will do as I wish。〃
〃Ah！ my poor friend； is that where you are？ Adieu； Paul。 Henceforth； I
refuse to respect you。 One word more； however； for I cannot agree
coldly to your abdication。 Look and see in what the strength of our
position lies。 A bachelor with only six thousand francs a year
remaining to him has at least his reputation for elegance and the
memory of success。 Well； even that fantastic shadow has enormous value
in it。 Life still offers many chances to the unmarried man。 Yes； he
can aim at anything。 But marriage； Paul； is the social 'Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther。' Once married you can never be anything but
what you then areunless your wife should deign to care for you。〃
〃But；〃 said Paul； 〃you are crushing me down with exceptional theories。
I am tired of living for others； of having horses merely to exhibit
them； of doing all things for the sake of what may be said of them； of
wasting my substance to keep fools from crying out： 'Dear； dear！ Paul
is still driving the same carriage。 What has he done with his fortune？
Does he squander it？ Does he gamble at the Bourse？ No； he's a
millionaire。 Madame such a one is mad about him。 He sent to England
for a harness which is certainly the handsomest in all Paris。 The
four…horse equipages of Messieurs de Marsay and de Manerville were
much noticed at Longchamps； the harness was perfect'in short； the
thousand silly things with which a crowd of idiots lead us by the
nose。 Believe me； my dear Henri； I admire your power； but I don't envy
it。 You know how to judge of life； you think and act as a statesman；
you are able to place yourself above all ordinary laws； received
ideas； adopted conventions； and acknowledged prejudices； in short； you
can grasp the profits of a situation in which I should find nothing
but ill…luck。 Your cool； systematic； possibly true deductions are； to
the eyes of the masses； shockingly immoral。 I belong to the masses。 I
must play my game of life according to the rules of the society in
which I am forced to live。 While putting yourself above all human
things on peaks of ice； you still have feelings； but as for me； I
should freeze to death。 The life of that great majority； to which I
belong in my commonplace way； is made up of emotions of which I now
have need。 Often a man coquets with a dozen women and obtains none。
Then； whatever be his strength； his cleverness； his knowledge of the
world； he undergoes convulsions； in which he is crushed as between two
gates。 For my part； I like the peaceful chances and changes of life； I
want that wholesome existence in which we find a woman always at our
side。〃
〃A trifle indecorous； your marriage！〃 exclaimed de Marsay。
Paul was not to be put out of countenance； and continued： 〃Laugh if
you like； I shall feel myself a happy man when my valet enters my room
in the morning and says： 'Madame is awaiting monsieur for breakfast'；
happier still at night； when I return to find a heart〃
〃Altogether indecorous； my dear Paul。 You are not yet moral enough to
marry。〃
〃a heart in which to confide my interests and my secrets。 I wish to
live in such close union with a woman that our affection shall not
depend upon a yes or a no； or be open to the disillusions of love。 In
short； I have the necessary courage to become； as you say； a worthy
husband and father。 I feel myself fitted for family joys； I wish to
put myself under the conditions prescribed by society； I desire to
have a wife and children。〃
〃You remind me of a hive of honey…bees！ But go your way； you'll be a
dupe all your life。 Ha； ha！ you wish to marry to have a wife！ In other
words； you wish to solve satisfactorily to your own profit the most
difficult problem invented by those bourgeois morals which were
created by the French Revolution； and； what is more； you mean to begin
your attempt by a life of retirement。 Do you think your wife won't
crave the life you say you despise？ Will SHE be disgusted with it； as
you are？ If you won't accept the noble conjugality just formulated for
your benefit by your friend de Marsay； listen； at any rate； to his
final advice。 Remain a bachelor for the next thirteen years； amuse
yourself like a lost soul； then； at forty； on your first attack of
gout； marry a widow of thirty…six。 Then you may possibly be happy。 If
you now take a young girl to wife； you'll die a madman。〃
〃Ah ca！ tell me why！〃 cried Paul； somewhat piqued。
〃My dear fellow；〃 replied de Marsay； 〃Boileau's satire against women
is a tissue of poetical commonplaces。 Why shouldn't women have
defects？ Why condemn them for having the most obvious thing in human
nature？ To my mind； the problem of marriage is not at all at the point
where Boileau puts it。 Do you suppose that marriage is the same thing
as love； and that being a man suffices to make a wife love you？ Have
you gathered nothing in your boudoir experience but pleasant memories？
I tell you that everything in our bachelor life leads to fatal errors
in the married man unless he is a profound observer of the human
heart。 In the happy days of his youth a man； by the caprice of our
customs； is always lucky； he triumphs over women who are all ready to
be triumphed over and who obey their own desires。 One thing after
anotherthe obstacles created by the laws； the sentiments and natural
defences of womenall engender a mutuality of sensations which
deceives superficial persons as to their future relations in marriage；
where obstacles no longer exist； where the wife submits to love
instead of permitting it； and frequently repulses pleasure instead of
desiring it。 Then； the whole aspect of a man's life changes。 The
bachelor； who is free and without a care； need never fear repulsion；
in marriage； repulsion is almost certain and irreparable。 It may be
possible for a lover to make a woman reverse an unfavorable decision；