The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Petty Troubles of Married Life, Complete, by
Honore de Balzac

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Petty Troubles of Married Life, Complete

Author: Honore de Balzac

Translator: Katharine Prescott Wormeley

Release Date: Release Date: June 29, 2005 [EBook #16146]
Posting Date: March 7, 2010

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARRIED LIFE ***

Produced by Dagny

PETTY TROUBLES OF MARRIED LIFE

By Honore De Balzac

PART FIRST

PREFACE

IN WHICH EVERY ONE WILL FIND HIS OWN IMPRESSIONS OF MARRIAGE.

A friend, in speaking to you of a young woman, says: "Good family,
well bred, pretty, and three hundred thousand in her own right."
You have expressed a desire to meet this charming creature.

Usually, chance interviews are premeditated. And you speak with
this object, who has now become very timid.

YOU.--"A delightful evening!"

SHE.--"Oh! yes, sir."

You are allowed to become the suitor of this young person.

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW (to the intended groom).--"You can't imagine how
susceptible the dear girl is of attachment."

Meanwhile there is a delicate pecuniary question to be discussed
by the two families.

YOUR FATHER (to the mother-in-law).--"My property is valued at
five hundred thousand francs, my dear madame!"

YOUR FUTURE MOTHER-IN-LAW.--"And our house, my dear sir, is on a
corner lot."

A contract follows, drawn up by two hideous notaries, a small one,
and a big one.

Then the two families judge it necessary to convoy you to the
civil magistrate's and to the church, before conducting the bride
to her chamber.

Then what?... Why, then come a crowd of petty unforeseen
troubles, like the following:

PETTY TROUBLES OF MARRIED LIFE

THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL.

Is it a petty or a profound trouble? I knew not; it is profound for your
sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, but exceedingly petty for you.

"Petty! You must be joking; why, a child costs terribly dear!" exclaims
a ten-times-too-happy husband, at the baptism of his eleventh, called
the little last newcomer,--a phrase with whic