y especially,
is never to expect of life more than it can give. Therefore, prepare
your nest in such a way that the provisions will not be exhausted in a
few weeks. From the very beginning, put on the brake, or the car will go
too fast, and will get smashed.

* * * * *

Economize your caresses, rule your passions so as never to make more
promises than you can keep. You cannot always work unless now and then
you take a rest, a holiday; neither can you always love unless you
proceed quietly and occasionally take a holiday. Be sure that a holiday
is as necessary to make you enjoy blissful times as it is to make you
endure hard ones.

* * * * *

Do not for a moment believe that happiness in matrimony can go on for
ever and ever without calculation, without a great display of diplomacy
on the part of both husband and wife. Avoid being too constantly the
lover of your wife, because the lover-husband is such a revelation to a
woman that when the day arrives--the fatal day!--on which the husband
remains alone and the lover has ceased to exist, your wife will forget
everything you may have done for her: your constant attentions, your
assiduity to your profession or business, your forethought for her
future and that for her children--all that will count for nothing when
she realizes that the lover is gone.

* * * * *

Never allow a third person to interfere with your private affairs. Never
confide your little troubles and grievances to anybody. Beware of the
advising lady who would say to you: 'If I were in your place, I would
not allow him to do this or to do that.' First of all, she is not in
your place; secondly, she cannot be in your place, because she is
neither in your heart nor in that of your husband.

* * * * *

You are the best judge--in fact, you are the only judge--of what is best
for you to do in the presence of the many little difficulties that arise
in married life. Whether you are happy or unhappy, keep the secrets of
your married life to yourself; neither your happiness nor your
misfortune will cause you to increase the number of your friends.
Indeed, if you are perfectly happy, it is only by remaining silent
about it that you will get people to forgive you your happiness.

* * * * *

Accept a life of abnegation and devotion. There is in devotion a