ice being once broke in some unguarded humour either on the one or the
other side, I cannot pretend to affirm on which, the torrent of their
mutual disgust burst out with the greater force, for having been so
long pent up: it is hard to tell which testified the most virulence,
or expressed themselves in the most bitter terms:--all that can be
determined is, that those of Natura shewed most of _rage_, and those
his wife made use of, most of _hatred_.

After having fully vented all that was in their souls against each
other, both became more calm; and agreed in this, as the only resource
for ease in their present unhappy situation, to banish for the future
all deceit between them, and never more pretend the least kindness or
good-will to each other when in private, to lie in separate beds, and
to be as seldom as possible alone together; but for the sake of both
their reputations to continue in the same house, and before company to
behave with reciprocal politeness.

These terms rid Natura of a great part of that insupportable
constraint he had been under, but gave not the least satisfaction, as
to his jealousy of honour; he doubted not but she would be guilty of
many things, injurious in the highest degree to their public
character, and which yet it would not so well become him to exert his
authority in opposing, and these reflections gave him the most
terrible inquietude; which shews, that though _jealousy_ is called the
child of _love_, it is very possible to feel all the tortures of the
_one_, without being sensible of any of the douceurs of the _other_
passion.

How dearly now did Natura pay for the gratification of his
ambition!--What availed his grandeur, the respect paid him by his
equals, and the homage of the inferior world!--What the pride of
having it in his power to confer favours, when he had himself a heart
torn with the most fierce convulsions, and less capable of enjoying
the goods of fortune, than the most abject of those indigent
creatures, who petitioned for relief from him!--By day, by night,
alone, or in company, he was haunted with ideas the most distracting
to his peace.--A smile on the face of his wife, seemed to him to
proceed from the joy of having made some new conquest; a grave or
melancholly look, from a disappointment on the account of a favourite
gallant: yet as her person was the least thing he was tenacious of,
the behaviour of others gave him greater pain than any thing she could
do h