Привычка усладила горе,
A habit had delighted sorrow,
Не отразимое ничем;
That’s irresistible for good;
Открытие большое вскоре
A big discovery’d before long
Ее утешило совсем:
Made her unworried like a wood:
Она меж делом и досугом
Between a business and a leisure
Открыла тайну, как супругом
Had opened she a secret how
Самодержавно управлять,
Her spouse to control with pleasure
И все тогда пошло на стать.
And autocratic then and now.
Она езжала по работам,
She supervised whatever duties,
Солила на зиму грибы,
Did salt mushrooms to winter too,
Вела расходы, брила лбы,
Kept books and also gave recruits,
Ходила в баню по субботам,
Went to the bath weekends all through,
Служанок била осердясь –
Her maids did beat being angry quite –
Все это мужа не спросясь.
All things she did as if all right.