Доводы рассудка
Chapter 23
Ibelieveyouequaltoeveryimportantexertion,andtoeverydomesticforbearance,solongas—ifImaybeallowedtheexpression—solongasyouhaveanobject.Imeanwhilethewomanyoulovelives,andlivesforyou.AlltheprivilegeIclaimformyownsex(itisnotaveryenviableone;youneednotcovetit),isthatoflovinglongest,whenexistenceorwhenhopeisgone.”
Shecouldnotimmediatelyhaveutteredanothersentence;herheartwastoofull,herbreathtoomuchoppressed.
“Youareagoodsoul,”criedCaptainHarville,puttinghishandonherarm,quiteaffectionately.“Thereisnoquarrellingwithyou.AndwhenIthinkofBenwick,mytongueistied.”
Theirattentionwascalledtowardstheothers.MrsCroftwastakingleave.
“Here,Frederick,youandIpartcompany,Ibelieve,”saidshe.“Iamgoinghome,andyouhaveanengagementwithyourfriend.To-nightwemayhavethepleasureofallmeetingagainatyourparty,”(turningtoAnne.)“Wehadyoursister’scardyesterday,andIunderstoodFrederickhadacardtoo,thoughIdidnotseeit;andyouaredisengaged,Frederick,areyounot,aswellasourselves?”
CaptainWentworthwasfoldingupaletteringreathaste,andeithercouldnotorwouldnotanswerfully.
“Yes,”saidhe,“verytrue;hereweseparate,butHarvilleandIshallsoonbeafteryou;thatis,Harville,ifyouareready,Iaminhalfaminute.Iknowyouwillnotbesorrytobeoff.Ishallbeatyourserviceinhalfaminute.
