The husband, thunderstruck, let fall the key, and offered her the longed-for chain on bended knee, and promised to bring to his darling Fatima all the jewels brought by the caravan in a year, if she would refrain from winning the _Diadeste_ by such cruel stratagems. Then, as he was an Arab, and did not like forfeiting a chain of gold, although his wife had fairly won it, he mounted his horse again, and galloped off, to complain at his will, in the desert, for he loved Fatima too well to let her see his annoyance. The young woman then drew forth the philosopher from the chest, and gravely said to him, “Do not forget, Master Doctor, to put this feminine trick into your collection.” “Madame,” said I to the duchess, “I understand! If I marry, I am bound to be unexpectedly outwitted by some infernal trick or other; but I shall in that case, you may be quite sure, furnish a model household for the admiration of my contemporaries.” PARIS, 1824-29. PETTY TROUBLES OF MARRIED LIFE BY HONORÉ DE BALZAC PART FIRST 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-times-too-happy husband, at the baptism of his eleventh, called the little last newcomer,—a phrase with which women beguile their families. “What trouble is this?” you ask me. Well! this is, like many petty troubles of married life, a blessing for some one.