Доводы рассудка
Chapter 3
BythereportwhichhehastenedovertoKellynchtomake,AdmiralCroftwasanativeofSomersetshire,whohavingacquiredaveryhandsomefortune,waswishingtosettleinhisowncountry,andhadcomedowntoTauntoninordertolookatsomeadvertisedplacesinthatimmediateneighbourhood,which,however,hadnotsuitedhim;thataccidentallyhearing—(itwasjustashehadforetold,MrShepherdobserved,SirWalter’sconcernscouldnotbekeptasecret,)—accidentallyhearingofthepossibilityofKellynchHallbeingtolet,andunderstandinghis(MrShepherd’s)connectionwiththeowner,hehadintroducedhimselftohiminordertomakeparticularinquiries,andhad,inthecourseofaprettylongconference,expressedasstronganinclinationfortheplaceasamanwhoknewitonlybydescriptioncouldfeel;andgivenMrShepherd,inhisexplicitaccountofhimself,everyproofofhisbeingamostresponsible,eligibletenant.
“AndwhoisAdmiralCroft?”wasSirWalter’scoldsuspiciousinquiry.
MrShepherdansweredforhisbeingofagentleman’sfamily,andmentionedaplace;andAnne,afterthelittlepausewhichfollowed,added—
“Heisarearadmiralofthewhite.HewasintheTrafalgaraction,andhasbeenintheEastIndiessince;hewasstationedthere,Ibelieve,severalyears.”
“ThenItakeitforgranted,”observedSirWalter,“thathisfaceisaboutasorangeasthecuffsandcapesofmylivery.
