LXXXV.
A husband should never allow himself to address a single disparaging
remark to his wife, in presence of a third party.
LXXXVI.
The moment a wife decides to break her marriage vow she reckons her
husband as everything or nothing. All defensive operations must start
from this proposition.
LXXXVII.
The life of a woman is either of the head, of the heart, or of passion.
When a woman reaches the age to form an estimate of life, her husband
ought to find out whether the primary cause of her intended infidelity
proceeds from vanity, from sentiment or from temperament. Temperament
may be remedied like disease; sentiment is something in which the
husband may find great opportunities of success; but vanity is
incurable. A woman whose life is of the head may be a terrible scourge.
She combines the faults of a passionate woman with those of the
tender-hearted woman, without having their palliations. She is destitute
alike of pity, love, virtue or sex.
LXXXVIII.
A woman whose life is of the head will strive to inspire her husband
with indifference; the woman whose life is of the heart, with hatred;
the passionate woman, with disgust.
LXXXIX.
A husband never loses anything by appearing to believe in the fidelity
of his wife, by preserving an air of patience and by keeping silence.
Silence especially troubles a woman amazingly.
XC.
To show himself aware of the passion of his wife is the mark of a fool;
but to affect ignorance of all proves that a man has sense, and this
is in fact the only attitude to take. We are taught, moreover, that
everybody in France is sensible.
XCI.
The rock most to be avoided is ridicule.—“At least, let us
be affectionate in public,” ought to be the maxim of a married
establishment. For both the married couple to lose honor, esteem,
consideration, respect and all that is worth living for in society, is
to become a nonentity.
These axioms relate to the contest alone. As for the catastrophe, others will be needed for that.
We have called this crisis Civil War for two reasons; never was a war more really intestine and at the same time so polite as this war. But in what point and in what manner does this fatal war break out? You do not believe that your wife will call out regiments and sound the trumpet, do you? She will, perhaps, have a commanding officer, but that is all. And this feeble army corps will be sufficient to destroy the peace of your establishment.
“You forbid me to see the people that I like!” is an exordium which has served for a manifesto in most homes. This phrase, with all the ideas that are concomitant, is oftenest employed by vain and artificial women.