“Daysonly？“interruptedmymother。Then，withaglanceatmyfather，shecontinued，“Youhadbetterleaveus，mydear，tohaveourtalktogether。“
“Youaretobemarried，dearchild，“theDuchessthenbeganinalowvoice，“inthreedays。Itbecomesmyduty，therefore，withoutsillywhimpering，whichwouldbeunfittingourrankinlife，togiveyoutheseriousadvicewhicheverymotherowestoherdaughter。Youaremarryingamanwhomyoulove，andthereisnoreasonwhyIshouldpityyouormyself。Ihaveonlyknownyouforayear；andifthisperiodhasbeenlongenoughformetolearntoloveyou，itishardlysufficienttojustifyfloodsoftearsattheideaoflosingyou。Yourmentalgiftsareevenmoreremarkablethanthoseofyourperson；youhavegratifiedmaternalpride，andhaveshownyourselfasweetandlovingdaughter。I，inmyturn，canpromiseyouthatyouwillalwaysfindastaunchfriendinyourmother。Yousmile？Alas!ittoooftenhappensthatamotherwhohaslivedonexcellenttermswithherdaughter，aslongasthedaughterisameregirl，comestocrosspurposeswithherwhentheyarebothwomentogether。
“ItisyourhappinesswhichIwant，solistentomywords。Thelovewhichyounowfeelisthatofayounggirl，andisnaturaltousall，foritiswoman’sdestinytoclingtoaman。Unhappily，prettyone，thereisbutonemanintheworldforawoman!Andsometimesthisman，whomfatehasmarkedoutforus，isnottheonewhomwe，mistakingapassingfancyforlove，chooseashusband。StrangeaswhatIsaymayappeartoyou，itisworthnoting。Ifwecannotlovethemanwehavechosen，thefaultisnotexclusivelyours，itlieswithboth，orsometimeswithcircumstancesoverwhichwehavenocontrol。Yetthereisnoreasonwhythemanchosenforusbyourfamily，themantowhomourfancyhasgoneout，shouldnotbethemanwhomwecanlove。Thebarrierswhichariselaterbetweenhusbandandwifeareoftenduetolackofperseveranceonbothsides。Thetaskoftransformingahusbandintoaloverisnotlessdelicatethanthatothertaskofmakingahusbandofthelover，inwhichyouhavejustprovedyourselfmarvelouslysuccessful。
“Irepeatit，yourhappinessismyobject。Neverallowyourself，then，toforgetthatthefirstthreemonthsofyourmarriedlifemayworkyourmiseryifyoudonotsubmittotheyokewiththesameforbearance，tenderness，andintelligencethatyouhaveshownduringthedaysofcourtship。For，mylittlerogue，youknowverywellthatyouhaveindulgedinalltheinnocentpleasuresofaclandestineloveaffair。Iftheculminationofyourlovebeginswithdisappointment，dislike，nay，evenwithpain，well，comeandtellmeaboutit。Don’thopefortoomuchfrommarriageatfirst；itwillperhapsgiveyoumorediscomfortthanjoy。Thehappinessofyourliferequiresatleastaspatientcherishingastheearlyshootsoflove。
“Toconclude，ifbychanceyoushouldlosethelover，youwillfindinhisplacethefatherofyourchildren。Inthis，mydearchild，liesthewholesecretofsociallife。Sacrificeeverythingtothemanwhosenameyoubear，themanwhosehonorandreputationcannotsufferintheleastdegreewithoutinvolvingyouinfrightfulconsequences。Suchsacrificeisthusnotonlyanabsolutedutyforwomenofourrank，itisalsotheirwisestpolicy。This，indeed，isthedistinctivemarkofgreatmoralprinciples，thattheyholdgoodandareexpedientfromwhateveraspecttheyareviewed。ButIneedsaynomoretoyouonthispoint。