做一个完美的妻子(A Perfect Wife)

afterthirtyyearsofmarriedhappiness,hecouldstillremindhimselfthatvictoriawasendowedwitheverycharmexceptthethrillingtouchofhumanfrailty.

thoughherperfectiondiscouragedpleasures,especiallythepleasuresoflove,hehadlearnedintimetofeeltheprideofahusbandinhernaturalfrigidity.forhestillclung,amidthedecayofmoralplatitudes,tothediscreditedidealofchivalry.inhisyouththeworldwassuffusedwiththeafter-glowofthelongvictorianage,andagracefulfemininestylehadsoftenedthemanners,ifnotthenatures,ofmen.

attheendofthatinterestingepoch,whenwomanhoodwasexaltedfromabiologicalfactintoamiraculouspower,virginiuslittlepage,theyoungersonofanoldandaffluentfamily,hadmarriedvictoriabrooke,thegrand-daughterofatobaccoplanter,whohadmadeasatisfactoryfortunebyforsakinghisplantationandconvertingtobaccointocigarettes.whilevirginiushadbeentrainedbysterntraditiontorespecteverywomanwhohadnotstoopedtofolly,thevirtuepeculiartohersexwasamongtheleastofhisreasonsforadmiringvictoria.shewasnotonlymodest,whichwasusualintheneties,butshewasbeautiful,whichisunusualinanydecade.

inthebeginningoftheiracquaintancehehadgoneevenfurtherandascribedintellecttoher;butafewmonthsofmarriagehadshownthistobemerelyoneofthemanydelusionscreatedbyperfectfeaturesandnobleexpression.everythingaboutherhadbeensmoothanddefinite,eventhetonesofhervoiceandthewayherlightbrownhair,whichshewore?lapompadour,wasrolledstifflybackfromherforeheadandcoiledinaburnishedropeonthetopofherhead.aseriousyoungman,ambitioustoattainaplaceintheworldmorebrilliantthanthesecludedseatofhisancestors,hehadbeenimpressedattheirfirstmeetingbythecompactnessandprecisionofvictoriasorderlymind.

forinthatearnestperiodtheminds,aswellastheemotions,ofloverswereorderly.itwasanagewheneageryoungmenflockedtochurchonsundaymorning,andeloquentdivinesdiscourseduponthevictorianpoetsinthemiddleoftheweek.hecouldaffordtosmilenowwhenherecalledthesolemnbrowningclassinwhichhehadfirstlosthisheart.howpassionatelyhehadadmiredvictoriasvirginalfeatures!howferventlyhehadenviedhercompetentbutcaressingwaywiththepoet!incredibleasitseemedtohimnow,hehadfalleninlovewithherwhilesherecitedfromthemoreponderouspassagesintheringandthebook.

hehadfalleninlovewithherthen,thoughhehadneverreallyenjoyedbrowning,andithadbeenarelieftohimwhentheunseen,incompanywithitsillustriouspoet,hadatlastgoneoutoffashion.yet,sincehewasdisposedtoadmireallthequalitieshedidnotpossess,hehadneverceasedtorespectthefirmnesswithwhichvictoriacontinuedtodealinotherformswiththeabsolute.astheplacidyearspassed,andshecametorelylessuponhervirginalfeatures,itseemedtohimthattheripeopinionsofheryouthbegantoshrinkandflattenasfruitdoesthathashungtoolongonthetree.

shehadneverchanged,herealized,sincehehadfirstknownher;shehadbecomemerelyriper,softer,andsweeterinnature.heradvantagerestedwhereadvantageneverfailstorest,inmoralfervour.tobeinvariablyrightwashersinglewifelyfailing.forhiswife,hesighed,withthevagueunrestofahusbandwhoseinfidelitiesareimaginary,wasagenuinelygoodwoman.shewasasfarremovedfrompretenceasshewasfromtheposturingvirtuesthatflourishinthecredulousworldofthedrama.

thepityofitwasthateventheleastexactinghusbandshouldsooftendesiresomethingmorepiquantthangoodness.