Il faut que je l’appelle et mon coeur et ma mie.”
Our heroine was still meditating1 upon the extraordinary method by which Emma had acquired power over her husband, when a carriage drove down the lane, and Mr. Bolingbroke’s head appeared looking out of the chaise window. His face did not express so much joy as she thought it ought to display at the sight of her, after three weeks’ absence. She was vexed2, and received him coldly. He turned to Mr. and Mrs. Granby, and was not miserable3. Griselda did not speak one word during their walk home; still her husband continued in good spirits: she was more and more out of humour, and took no pains to conceal4 her displeasure. He bore it well, but then he seemed to feel it so little, that she was exasperated5 beyond measure; she seized the first convenient opportunity, when she found him alone, of beginning a direct attack.
“This is not the way in which you used to meet me, after an absence ever so short.” He replied, that he was really very glad to see her, but that she, on the contrary, seemed sorry to see him.
“Because you are quite altered now,” continued she, in a querulous tone. “I always prophesied6, that you would cease to love me.”
“Take care, my dear,” said he, smiling; “some prophecies are the cause of their own accomplishment7 — the sole cause. Come, my Griselda,” continued he, in a serious tone, “do not let us begin to quarrel the moment we meet.” He offered to embrace her, but she drew back haughtily8. “What! do you confess that you no longer love me?” cried she.
“Far from it: but it is in your own power,” said he, hesitating, “to diminish or increase my love.”
“Then it is no love, if it can be either increased or diminished,” cried she; “it is no love worth having. I remember the day when you swore to me, that your affection could not be increased or diminished.”
“I was in love in those days, my dear, and did not know what I swore,” said Mr. Bolingbroke, endeavouring to turn the conversation: “never reproach a man, when he is sober, with what he said when he was drunk.”
“Then you are sober now, are you?” cried she angrily.
“It is to be hoped I am,” said he, laughing.
“Cruel, barbarous man!” cried she.
“For being sober?” said he: “have not you been doing all you could to sober me these eighteen months, my dear? and now do not be angry if you have in some degree succeeded.”
“Succeeded! — Oh, wretched woman! this is thy lot!” exclaimed Griselda, clasping her hands in an agony of passion. “Oh, that my whole unfortunate sex could see me — could hear you at this instant! Never, never did the love of man endure one twelvemonth after marriage. False, treacherous9, callous10, perjured11 tyrant12! leave me! leave me!”
He obeyed; she called him back, with a voice half suffocated13 with rage, but he returned not.
Never was departing love recalled by the voice of reproach. It is not, as the poet fables14, at the sight of human ties, that Cupid is frightened, for he is blind; but he has the most delicate ears imaginable: scared at the sound of female objurgation, Love claps his wings and urges his irrevocable flight.
Griselda remained for some time in her apartment to indulge her ill-humour; she had leisure for this indulgence; she was not now, as formerly15, disturbed by the fond interruptions of a husband. Longer had her angry fit lasted, but for a circumstance, which may to many of our readers appear unnatural16: our heroine became hungry. The passions are more under the control of the hours of meals20 than any one, who has not observed human life out of novels, can easily believe. Dinner-time came, and Mrs. Bolingbroke appeared at dinner as usual. In the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Granby pride compelled Griselda to command herself, and no one could guess what had passed between her and her husband: but no sooner was she again tête-à-tête with him, than her reproaches recommenced with fresh violence. —“Will you only do me the justice to tell me, Mr. Bolingbroke,” cried she, “what reason you have to love me less?”
20 De Retz’ Memoirs17.]
“Reason, my dear,” said he; “you know love is independent of reason, according to your own definition: love is involuntary, you cannot therefore blame me for its caprices.”
“Insulting casuistry!” said she, weeping; “sophistical nonsense! Have you any rational complaint to make against me, Bolingbroke?”
“I make no complaints, rational or irrational18, my dear; they are all on your side.”
“And well they may be,” cried Griselda, “when you treat me in such a barbarous manner: but I do not complain; the world shall be my judge; the world will do me justice, if you will not. I appeal to every body who knows me, have I ever given you the slightest cause for ill-usage? Can you accuse me of any extravagance, of any imprudence, sir?”
“I accuse you of neither, Mrs. Bolingbroke.”
“No, because you cannot, sir; my character, my fidelity19 is unimpeached, unimpeachable20: the world will do me justice.”
Griselda contrived21 to make even her virtues22 causes of torment23. Upon the strength of this unimpeachable fidelity, she thought she might be as ill-humoured as she pleased; she seemed now to think that she had acquired an indefeasible right to reproach her husband, since she had extorted24 from him the confession25 that he loved her less, and that he had no crime to lay to her charge. Ten days passed on in this manner; the lady becoming every hour more irritable26, the gentleman every hour more indifferent.
To have revived or killed affection secundem artem, the fair practitioner27 should now have thrown in a little jealousy28: but, unluckily, she was so situated29 that this was impossible. No object any way fit for the purpose was at hand; nothing was to be found within ten miles of her but honest country squires30; and,
“With all the powers of nature and of art,
She could not break one stubborn country heart.”
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1
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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2
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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3
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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8
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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9
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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10
callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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perjured
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| adj.伪证的，犯伪证罪的v.发假誓，作伪证( perjure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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13
suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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14
fables
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| n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说 | |
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15
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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18
irrational
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| adj.无理性的，失去理性的 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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unimpeachable
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| adj.无可指责的；adv.无可怀疑地 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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23
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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24
extorted
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| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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practitioner
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| n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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29
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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