memoirs of carwin the biloquist-第12章

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The　sole　condition　is　your　consent　to　receive　them。　　Not　even　the　airy　obligation　of　gratitude　will　be　created　by　acceptance。　　On　the　contrary；　by　accepting　them；　you　will　confer　the　highest　benefit　upon　another。

I　do　not　comprehend　you。　　Something　surely　must　be　given　in　return。

Nothing。　　It　may　seem　strange　that；　in　accepting　the　absolute　controul　of　so　much　property；　you　subject　yourself　to　no　conditions；　that　no　claims　of　gratitude　or　service　will　accrue；　but　the　wonder　is　greater　still。　　The　law　equitably　enough　fetters　the　gift　with　no　restraints；　with　respect　to　you　that　receive　it；　but　not　so　with　regard　to　the　unhappy　being　who　bestows　it。　　That　being　must　part；　not　only　with　property　but　liberty。　　In　accepting　the　property；　you　must　consent　to　enjoy　the　services　of　the　present　possessor。　　They　cannot　be　disjoined。

Of　the　true　nature　and　extent　of　the　gift；　you　should　be　fully　apprized。　　Be　aware；　therefore；　that；　together　with　this　property；　you　will　receive　absolute　power　over　the　liberty　and　person　of　the　being　who　now　possesses　it。　　That　being　must　become　your　domestic　slave；　be　governed；　in　every　particular；　by　your　caprice。

Happily　for　you；　though　fully　invested　with　this　power；　the　degree　and　mode　in　which　it　will　be　exercised　will　depend　upon　yourself。　。　。　。　。　　You　may　either　totally　forbear　the　exercise；　or　employ　it　only　for　the　benefit　of　your　slave。　　However　injurious；　therefore；　this　authority　may　be　to　the　subject　of　it；　it　will；　in　some　sense；　only　enhance　the　value　of　the　gift　to　you。

The　attachment　and　obedience　of　this　being　will　be　chiefly　evident　in　one　thing。　　Its　duty　will　consist　in　conforming；　in　every　instance；　to　your　will。　　All　the　powers　of　this　being　are　to　be　devoted　to　your　happiness；　but　there　is　one　relation　between　you；　which　enables　you　to　confer；　while　exacting；　pleasure。　。　。　。　。　　This　relation　is　~~sexual~~。　　Your　slave　is　a　woman；　and　the　bond；　which　transfers　her　property　and　person　to　you；　is　。　。　。　。　~~marriage~~。

My　knowledge　of　Ludloe；　his　principles；　and　reasonings；　ought　to　have　precluded　that　surprise　which　I　experienced　at　the　conclusion　of　his　discourse。　　I　knew　that　he　regarded　the　present　institution　of　marriage　as　a　contract　of　servitude；　and　the　terms　of　it　unequal　and　unjust。　　When　my　surprise　had　subsided；　my　thoughts　turned　upon　the　nature　of　his　scheme。　　After　a　pause　of　reflection；　I　answered：

Both　law　and　custom　have　connected　obligations　with　marriage；　which；　though　heaviest　on　the　female；　are　not　light　upon　the　male。　Their　weight　and　extent　are　not　immutable　and　uniform；　they　are　modified　by　various　incidents；　and　especially　by　the　mental　and　personal　qualities　of　the　lady。

I　am　not　sure　that　I　should　willingly　accept　the　property　and　person　of　a　woman　decrepid　with　age；　and　enslaved　by　perverse　habits　and　evil　passions：　　whereas　youth；　beauty；　and　tenderness　would　be　worth　accepting；　even　for　their　own　sake；　and　disconnected　with　fortune。

As　to　altar　vows；　I　believe　they　will　not　make　me　swerve　from　equity。　　I　shall　exact　neither　service　nor　affection　from　my　spouse。　　The　value　of　these；　and；　indeed；　not　only　the　value；　but　the　very　existence；　of　the　latter　depends　upon　its　spontaneity。　　A　promise　to　love　tends　rather　to　loosen　than　strengthen　the　tie。

As　to　myself；　the　age　of　illusion　is　past。　　I　shall　not　wed；　till　I　find　one　whose　moral　and　physical　constitution　will　make　personal　fidelity　easy。　　I　shall　judge　without　mistiness　or　passion；　and　habit　will　come　in　aid　of　an　enlightened　and　deliberate　choice。

I　shall　not　be　fastidious　in　my　choice。　　I　do　not　expect；　and　scarcely　desire；　much　intellectual　similitude　between　me　and　my　wife。　　Our　opinions　and　pursuits　cannot　be　in　common。　　While　women　are　formed　by　their　education；　and　their　education　continues　in　its　present　state；　tender　hearts　and　misguided　understandings　are　all　that　we　can　hope　to　meet　with。

What　are　the　character；　age；　and　person　of　the　woman　to　whom　you　allude？　　and　what　prospect　of　success　would　attend　my　exertions　to　obtain　her　favour？

I　have　told　you　she　is　rich。　　She　is　a　widow；　and　owes　her　riches　to　the　liberality　of　her　husband；　who　was　a　trader　of　great　opulence；　and　who　died　while　on　a　mercantile　adventure　to　Spain。　He　was　not　unknown　to　you。　　Your　letters　from　Spain　often　spoke　of　him。　　In　short；　she　is　the　widow　of　Benington；　whom　you　met　at　Barcelona。　　She　is　still　in　the　prime　of　life；　is　not　without　many　feminine　attractions；　has　an　ardent　and　credulent　temper；　and　is　particularly　given　to　devotion。　　This　temper　it　would　be　easy　to　regulate　according　to　your　pleasure　and　your　interest；　and　I　now　submit　to　you　the　expediency　of　an　alliance　with　her。

I　am　a　kinsman；　and　regarded　by　her　with　uncommon　deference；　and　my　commendations；　therefore；　will　be　of　great　service　to　you；　and　shall　be　given。

I　will　deal　ingenuously　with　you。　　It　is　proper　you　should　be　fully　acquainted　with　the　grounds　of　this　proposal。　　The　benefits　of　rank；　and　property；　and　independence；　which　I　have　already　mentioned　as　likely　to　accrue　to　you　from　this　marriage；　are　solid　and　valuable　benefits；　but　these　are　not　the　sole　advantages；　and　to　benefit　you；　in　these　respects；　is　not　my　whole　view。

No。　　My　treatment　of　you　henceforth　will　be　regulated　by　one　principle。　　I　regard　you　only　as　one　undergoing　a　probation　or　apprenticeship；　as　subjected　to　trials　of　your　sincerity　and　fortitude。　　The　marriage　I　now　propose　to　you　is　desirable；　because　it　will　make　you　independent　of　me。　　Your　poverty　might　create　an　unsuitable　bias　in　favour　of　proposals；　one　of　whose　effects　would　be　to　set　you　beyond　fortune's　reach。　　That　bias　will　cease；　when　you　cease　to　be　poor　and　dependent。

Love　is　the　strongest　of　all　human　delusions。　　That　fortitude；　which　is　not　subdued　by　the　tenderness　and　blandishments　of　woman；　may　be　trusted；　but　no　fortitude；　which　has　not　undergone　that　test；　will　be　trusted　by　us。

This　woman　is　a　charming　enthusiast。　　She　will　never　marry　but　him　whom　she　passionately　loves。　　Her　power　over　the　heart　that　loves　her　will　scarcely　have　limits。　　The　means　of　prying　into　your　transactions；　of　suspecting　and　sifting　your　thoughts；　which　her　constant　society　with　you；　while　sleeping　and　waking；　her　zeal　and　watchfulness　for　your　welfare；　and　her　curiosity；　adroitness；　and　penetration　will　afford　her；　are　evident。　　Your　danger；　therefore；　will　be　imminent。　　Your　fortitude　will　be　obliged　to　have　recourse；　not　to　flight；　but　to　vigilance。　　Your　eye　must　never　close。

Alas！　what　human　magnanimity　can　stand　this　test！　　How　can　I　persuade　myself　that　you　will　not　fail？　　I　waver　between　hope　and　fear。　　Many；　it　is　true；　have　fallen；　and　dragged　with　them　the　author　of　their　ruin；　but　some　have　soared　above　even　these　perils　and　temptations；　with　their　fiery　energies　unimpaired；　and　great　has　been；　as　great　ought　to　be；　their　recompence。

But　you　are　doubtless　aware　of　your　danger。　　I　need　not　repeat　the　consequences　of　betraying　your　trust；　the　rigour　of　those　who　will　Judge　your　fault；　the　unerring　and　unbounded　scrutiny　to　which　your　actions；　the　most　secret　and　indifferent；　will　be　subjected。

Your　conduct；　however；　will　be　voluntary。　　At　your　own　option　be　it；　to　see　or　not　to　see　this　woman。　　Circumspection；　deliberation　forethought；　are　your　sacred　duties　and　highest　interest。



Chapter　VIII。


Ludloe's　remarks　on　the　seductive　and　bewitching　powers　of　women；　on　the　difficulty　of　keeping　a　secret　which　they　wish　to　know；　and　to　gain　which　they　employ　the　soft　artillery　of　tears　and　prayers；　and　blandishments　and　menaces；　are　familiar　to　all　men；　but　they　had　little　weight　with　me；　because　they　were　unsupported　by　my　own　experience。　　I　had　never　had　any　intellectual　or　sentimental　connection　with　the　sex。　　My　meditations　and　pursuits　had　all　led　a　different　way；　and　a　bias　had　gradually　been　given　to　my　feelings；　very　unfavourable　to　the　refinements　of　love。　　I　acknowledge；　with　shame　and　regret；　that　I　was　accustomed　to　regard　the　physical　and　sensual　consequences　of　the　sexual　relation　as　realities；　and　every　thing　intellectual；　disinterested；　and　heroic；　which　enthusiasts　connect　with　it　as　idle　dreams。　　Besides；　said　I；　I　am　yet　a　stran