: 
250 THE EVENING BEFORE MARRIAGE. 
thus to thee, and to call thy attention to a secret 
which, perhaps, thou dost not yet know; one 
which is not often spoken of to a young and pretty 
maiden ; one, indeed, which does not greatly oc- 
cupy the thoughts of a young man, and still is 
of the utmost importance in every household ; a 
secret from which alone spring lasting love and 
unalterable happiness." 
Louise seized the hand of her aunt in both 
of hers. " Dear aunt, you know I believe you in 
every thing. You mean that enduring happiness 
and lasting love are not insured to us by accident- 
al qualities, by fleeting charms ; but only by those 
virtues of the mind which we bring to each other. 
These are the best dowry which we can possess ; 
these never become old." 
" As it happens, Louise, the virtues, also, like 
the beauties of the body, can grow old, and be- 
come repulsive and hateful with age." 
" How, dearest aunt ? What is it you say ? 
Name to me a virtue which can become hateful 
with years." 
" When they have become so, we no longer call 
them virtues, as a beautiful maiden can no longer 
be called beautiful when time has changed her to 
an old and wrinkled woman." 
" But, aunt, the virtues are nothing earthly." 
" Perhaps." 
" How can gentleness and mildness ever become 
hateful?" 
^ 
