“None at all; my darling。”
“Fine; then。 My guardian has no claims of money or gold on you。 Please
excuse the impropriety of my discussing marital circumstances on my own
209
behalf; but I have certain prerequisites that I must; unfortunately; explain to
you。”
As I fell silent for a while; Black said; “Yes;” in a manner that suggested an
apology for his hesitation。
“First;” I began; “you must swear before two witnesses that if you behave
badly toward me in our marriage; to a degree that I find unbearable; or if you
take a second wife; you will grant me a divorce with alimony。 Second; you
must swear before two witnesses that if for whatever reason you are absent
from the house for more than a six…month period without a visit; I will also be
granted a divorce with alimony。 Third; after we are married; you will of course
move into my home; however; until the villain who has murdered my father
has been caught or until you find him—how I’d love to torture him myself!—
and until Our Sultan’s book; pleted under the guidance of your talents
and efforts; has been honorably presented to Him; you will not share my bed。
Fourth; you will love my sons; who do share my bed with me; as if they were
your own children。”
“I agree。”
“Good。 If all of the obstacles that still lie before us disappear this quickly;
we’ll soon be wed。”
“Yes; wed; but not in the same bed。”
“The first step is marriage;” I said。 “Let’s see to that first。 Love es after
marriage。 Don’t forget: Marriage douses love’s flame; leaving nothing but a
barren and melancholy blackness。 Of course; after marriage; love itself will
vanish anyway; but happiness fills the void。 Still; there are those hasty fools
who fall in love before marrying and; burning with emotion; exhaust all their
feeling; believing love to be the highest goal in life。”
“What; then; is the truth of the matter?”
“The truth is contentment。 Love and marriage are but a means to obtaining
it: a husband; a house; children; a book。 Can’t you see that even in my state;
with a missing husband and a deceased father; I’m better off than you in your
isolation? I’d die without my sons; with whom I spend my days laughing;
tussling and loving。 Moreover; since you long for me even in my present
predicament; since you secretly ache to spend the night with me—even if not
in the same bed—under the same roof with my father’s body and my unruly
children; you’re pelled to listen with all your heart to what I now have to
say。”
https://www.du8.org https://www.shuhuangxs.com www.baquge.ccabxsw.net dingdianshu.com bxwx9.net
kenshu.tw pashuba.com quanshu.la
tlxsw.cc qudushu.net zaidudu.org
duyidu.org baquge.cc kenshuge.cc
qushumi.com xepzw.com 3dllc.net