252 THE EVENING BEFORE MARRIAGE. 
thou always as fresh and beautiful as to-day, still 
thy husband's eye. would by custom of years be- 
come indifferent to these advantages. Custom is 
the greatest enchantress in the world, and in the 
house one of the most benevolent of fairies. She 
renders that which is the most beautiful, as well 
as the ugliest, familiar. A wife is young, and be- 
comes old : it is custom which hinders the husband 
from perceiving the change. On the contrary, did 
she remain young, while he became old, it might 
bring consequences which would render the man in 
years jealous. It is better as kind Providence has 
ordered it. Imagine that thou hadst grown to be 
an old woman, and thy husband were a blooming 
youth ; how wouldst thou then feel ? " 
Louise rubbed her chin, and said, " I cannot 
tell." 
Her aunt continued. " But I will call thy at- 
tention to a secret which " 
" That is it," interrupted Louise, hastily, " that 
is it which I long so much to hear." 
Her aunt said, " Listen to me attentively. 
What I now tell thee I have proved. It consists 
of two parts. The first part of the means to ren- 
der a marriage happy of itself prevents every 
possibility of dissension, and would even at last 
make the spider and the fly the best of friends 
with each other. The second part is the best and 
surest method of preserving feminine attractions." 
" Ah ! " exclaimed Louise. 
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