Page:Marquis de Sade - Adelaide of Brunswick.djvu/31

 "I believe, to the contrary, Milord, that these bonds when they are well selected, are the means of assuring happiness; but I also believe that when conditions are not suitable, they become very painful."

"Ah, my dear count, how right you are! The greatest misfortune in life is not to be loved as one loves, and the fear of not being loved, combined with jealousy, is indeed very painful."

"Your Highness is so far from any such situation that it would seem impossible that he would ever experience it."

"Yes, my dear count, I am happy; at least I think I am, but the more one believes he possesses happiness, the more he dreads losing it."

"Certainly there is nothing which could cause you to have any jealousy?"

"One can be jealous in spite of not having any reason to be so. The more charms the loved one has, the more one is susceptible to its stings. Perhaps one often wishes that the loved one had fewer charms in order to have fewer rivals to fear."

"On the other hand, is there a single being who would wish, who would dare, try to take from Your Highness that which he possesses? You have too many things to captivate the wife who shares your throne to fear that any mortal could ever cause her to stray from her duties; especially since those duties become such a pleasure with you."

"I want to believe what you are saying, Mersburg, but one is not so easily cured of this overpowering feeling; this jealousy which is not known except by those who do really love. One says in vain that it causes a man to love even more the object of his affections. The very fact that he adores a woman makes him think that another man will have the same idea. If he has this idea then jealousy is justified; if he doesn't, then love is not justified."

"But has Your Highness seen in his virtuous wife anything which would cause him to have any suspicions?"

"No, my friend," said Frederick with a kind of uneasiness which he could not conceal. "But I am sure that her love is not equal to mine. Everything in her appears to be duty and obedience. I can never find in her any of those little