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

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Title: Petty Troubles of Married Life, Part First

Author: Honore de Balzac

Release Date: June 28, 2005 [EBook #6033]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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

Produced by Dagny; and John Bickers

PETTY TROUBLES OF MARRIED LIFE

PART FIRST

BY

HONORE DE BALZAC

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-ti