ithout allowing
himself to be goaded by the fire of a devouring impetuosity, without
experiencing all the revolutions which it necessarily occasions? No,
undoubtedly. Well! who can see all these disturbances in a beloved
object without a secret pleasure? While complaining of its injustice
and its transports, one feels no less deliciously at heart that he is
loved, and with passion, and that these same aggravations are most
convincing proofs that it is voluntary.

There, Marquis, is what constitutes the secret charm of the troubles
which lovers sometimes suffer, of the tears they shed. But if you are
going to believe that I wished to tell you that a woman of bad temper,
capricious, can make you happy, undeceive yourself. I said, and I
shall always persist in my idea, that diversity is necessary,
caprices, bickerings, in a gallant intercourse, to drive away
weariness, and to perpetuate the strength of it. But consider that
these spices do not produce that effect except when love itself is the
source. If temper is born of a natural brusqueness, or of a restless,
envious, unjust disposition, I am the first one to say that such a
woman will become hateful, she will be the cause of disheartening
quarrels. A connection of the heart becomes then a veritable torment,
from which it is desirable to free oneself as quickly as possible.

VI

Certain Maxims Concerning Love

You think, then, Marquis, that you have brought up an invincible
argument, when you tell me that one is not the master of his own
heart, in disposing of it where he wishes, and that consequently you
are not at liberty to choose the object of your attachment? Morals of
the opera! Abandon this commonplace to women who expect, in saying so,
to justify their weaknesses. It is very necessary that they should
have something to which to cling: like the gentleman of whom our
friend Montaigne speaks who, when the gout attacked him, would have
been very angry if he had not been able to say: "Cursed ham!" They say
it is a sympathetic stroke. That is too strong for me. Is anyone
master of his heart? He is no longer permitted to reply when such good
reasons are given. They have even so well sanctioned these maxims that
they wish to attract everyone to their arms in order to try to
overcome them. But these same maxims find so much approbation only
because everyone is interested in having them received. No one
suspects that such excuses, far from justifying caprices