“It is not the feeling with which I shall marry John,” she said. “Nature has given us another sentiment, and I shall not endeavour to be superior to all of my sex and class. I love John Wilmeter, I own; and I hope to make him happy.”
“To be a dutiful, obedient wife, for ever studying his tastes and caprices!”
“I trust I shall not be for ever studying the indulgence of my own. I see nothing degrading to a woman, in her filling the place nature and Christianity have assigned to her, and in her doing her duty, as a wife.”
“These are not my feelings, receiving your terms as you wish them to be understood. But several have told me I ought never to have married; I myself know that I should have been an American, and not a French wife.”
“I have ever heard that greater latitude is given to our sex, in France, than in this country.”
“That is true in part only. Nothing can exceed the retenue of a French girl, or anything that is decent exceed the want of it that is manifested by many Americans. On the other hand, a married woman here, has no privileges at all, not even in society; while in France, under an air of great seeming propriety, she does very much as she sees fit. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that faithful wives, and devoted mothers, most especially the last, are not to be found all over Europe—in France, in particular.”
“I am glad to hear it,” cried Anna, with a really gratified air; “it gives me pleasure when I hear of any of our sex behaving as they should behave.”
“Should behave! I fear, Anna, a little covert reproach is intended, in that remark. Our estimate of the conduct of our friends must depend on our notions of our own duties. Now, hearken to my manner of reasoning on this subject. In a physical sense, man is strong, woman is weak; while, in a moral sense, woman is strong and man is weak. You admit my premises?”
“The first part of them, certainly,” said Anna, laughing, “while I pretend to no knowledge of the last.”
“You surely do not believe that John Wilmeter is as pure, ingenuous, good, as you are yourself?”