Who could be angry with him?
--I was, indeed, thinking to chide him for this--As if I were not to be
trusted to buy my own clothes; but he looked at me with so good-natured
an eye, that I relented, and accepted, with a bow of graciousness, his
present; only calling him an odd creature--And that he is, you know, my
dear.
We live very whimsically, in the main: not above four quarrels, however,
and as many more chidings, in a day. What does the man stay at home for
then so much, when I am at home?--Married people, by frequent absences,
may have a chance for a little happiness. How many debatings, if not
direct quarrels, are saved by the good man's and his meek wife's seeing
each other but once or twice a week! In what can men and women, who are
much together, employ themselves, but in proving and defending,
quarrelling and making up? Especially if they both chance to marry for
love (which, thank Heaven, is not altogether my case); for then both
honest souls, having promised more happiness to each other than they can
possibly meet with, have nothing to do but reproach each other, at least
tacitly, for their disappointment--A great deal of free-masonry in love,
my dear, believe me! The secret, like that, when found out, is hardly
worth the knowing.
Well, but what silly rattle is this, Charlotte! methinks you say, and put
on one of your wisest looks.
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