Whisper’d; — thus treated, he had had his own.”
Mr. Bolingbroke waited with impatience1 for Griselda’s appearance the next morning; but he waited in vain: the lady breakfasted in her own apartment, and for two hours afterwards remained in close consultation2 with Mrs. Nettleby, whom she had summoned the preceding night by the following note:
“I have been prevented from spending this evening with you, my dearest Mrs. Nettleby, by the strangest conduct imaginable: am sure you will not believe it when I tell it to you. Come to me, I conjure3 you, as early to-morrow as you possibly can, that I may explain to you all that has passed, and consult as to the future. My dearest friend, I never was so much in want of an adviser4. Ever yours,
“GRISELDA.”
At this consultation, Mrs. Nettleby expressed the utmost astonishment5 at Mr. Bolingbroke’s strange conduct, and assured Griselda, that if she did not exert herself, all was lost, and she must give up the hope of ever having her own way again as long as she lived.
“My dear,” said she, “I have had some experience in these things; a wife must be either a tyrant6 or a slave: make your choice; now is your time.”
“But I never knew him say or do any thing unkind before,” said Griselda.
“Then the first offence should be properly resented. If he finds you forgiving, he will become encroaching; ’tis the nature of man, depend upon it.”
“He always yielded to me till now,” said Griselda; “but even when I was ready to go into fits, he left me, and what could I do then?”
“You astonish me beyond expression! you who have every advantage — youth, wit, accomplishments7, beauty! My dear, if you cannot keep a husband’s heart, who can ever hope to succeed?”
“Oh! as to his heart, I have no doubts of his heart, to do him justice,” said Griselda; “I know he loves me — passionately8 loves me.”
“And yet you cannot manage him! And you expect me to pity you? Bless me, if I had half your advantages, what I would make of them! But if you like to be a tame wife, my dear — if you are resolved upon it, tell me so at once, and I will hold my tongue.”
“I do not know well what I am resolved upon,” said Griselda, leaning her head in a melancholy9 posture10 upon her hand: “I am vexed11, out of spirits, and out of sorts.”
“Out of sorts! I am not surprised at that: but out of spirits! My dear creature, you who have every thing to put you in spirits. I am never so much myself as when I have a quarrel to fight out.”
“I cannot say that is the case with me, unless where I am sure of the victory.”
“And it is your own fault if you are not always sure of it.”
“I thought so till last night; but I assure you last night he showed such a spirit!”
“Break that spirit, my dear, break it, or else it will break your heart.”
“The alternative is terrible,” said Griselda, “and more terrible perhaps than you could imagine, or I either till now: for would you believe it, I never loved him in my life half so well as I did last night in the midst of my anger, and when he was doing every thing to provoke me?”
“Very natural, my dear; because you saw him behave with spirit, and you love spirit; so does every woman; so does every body; show him that you have spirit too, and he will be as angry as you were, and love you as well in the midst of his anger, whilst you are doing every thing to provoke him.”
Griselda appeared determined12 to take this good advice one moment, and the next hesitated.
“But, my dear Mrs. Nettleby, did you always find this succeed yourself?”
“Yes, always.”
This lady had the reputation indeed of having broken the heart of her first husband; how she would manage her second was yet to be seen, as her honeymoon13 was but just over. The pure love of mischief14 was not her only motive15 in the advice which she gave to our heroine; she had, like most people, mixed motives16 for her conduct. She disliked Mr. Bolingbroke, because he disliked her; yet she wished that an acquaintance should be kept up between him and her husband, because Mr. Bolingbroke was a man of fortune and fashion.
Griselda promised that she would behave with that proper spirit, which was to make her at once amiable17 and victorious18; and the friends parted.
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收听单词发音
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1
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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2
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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adviser
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| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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6
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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7
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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11
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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12
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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14
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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15
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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16
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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17
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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