d
Androclee, on her side, be particularly satisfied to see a
man like Menecrate, whom she loves passionately, the husband
of another. Philistion could hardly be any more pleased to
see Menecrate, after promising to marry his sister, actually
marrying another. As for Thrasimede, it is again easy to
perceive that, being as much in love with Arpalice as he is,
and knowing that she loves him, he would have good reason
for thinking himself one of the unhappiest lovers in the
world if his Rival possessed his mistress. Therefore, from
what I have said, you will see that by giving Arpalice to
Menecrate, everybody concerned is made miserable; for even
Parmenides [_not the philosopher, but a friend of Menecrate,
whose sister, however, has rejected him_], though he may
make a show of being still attached to the interests of
Menecrate, will be, unless I mistake, well enough pleased
that his sister should not marry the brother of a person
whom he never wishes to see again, and by whom he has been
ill-treated. Then, if we look at the matter from the other
side and propose to give Arpalice to Thrasimede, it remains
an unalterable fact that these two people will be happy;
that Philistion will be satisfied; that justice will be done
to Androclee; that nothing disobliging will be done to
Parmenides, and that Menecrate will be made by force more
happy than he wishes to be; for we shall give him a wife by
whom he is loved, and take from him one by whom he is hated.
Moreover, things being so, even if he refuses to subject his
whim to his reason, he can wish to come to blows with
Thrasimede alone, and would have nothing to ask of
Philistion; besides which, his sentiments will change as
soon as Thrasimede is Arpalice's husband. One often fights
with a Rival, thinking to profit by his defeat, when he has
not married the beloved object; but one does not so readily
fight the husband of one's mistress, as being her
lover.[182]"

Much about the "Good Rival" (as we may call him) Mazare follows, and
there is an illuminative sentence about our favourite Doralise's _humeur
enjouee et critique_, which, as the rest of her part does, gives us a
"light" as to the origin of those sadly vulgarised lively heroines of
Richardson's whom Lady Mary very justly wanted to "slipper." Doralise
a