第47部分(第2/7 頁)

y 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。”

210

“I’m　listening。”

“There　are　various　ways　that　I　might　secure　a　divorce。　False　witnesses　could

swear　that　before　my　husband　set　out　on　campaign；　they　witnessed　him　grant

me a conditional divorce； for example； that he’d pledged that if he didn’t

return within two years； I should be considered free。 Or； more simply； they

might swear they’d seen my husband’s corpse in the field of battle； citing

various convincing and descriptive details。 But taking my father’s body and

the objections of my in…laws into consideration； to rely on false witnesses

would be an unsound way to proceed； as no judge of any i