Доводы рассудка
Chapter 5
Shehadlittlehopeofsuccess;butElizabeth,whointheeventofsuchareversewouldbesomuchmoretobepitiedthanherself,shouldnever,shethought,havereasontoreproachherforgivingnowarning.
Shespoke,andseemedonlytooffend.Elizabethcouldnotconceivehowsuchanabsurdsuspicionshouldoccurtoher,andindignantlyansweredforeachparty’sperfectlyknowingtheirsituation.
“MrsClay,”saidshe,warmly,“neverforgetswhosheis;andasIamratherbetteracquaintedwithhersentimentsthanyoucanbe,Icanassureyou,thatuponthesubjectofmarriagetheyareparticularlynice,andthatshereprobatesallinequalityofconditionandrankmorestronglythanmostpeople.Andastomyfather,Ireallyshouldnothavethoughtthathe,whohaskepthimselfsinglesolongforoursakes,needbesuspectednow.IfMrsClaywereaverybeautifulwoman,Igrantyou,itmightbewrongtohavehersomuchwithme;notthatanythingintheworld,Iamsure,wouldinducemyfathertomakeadegradingmatch,buthemightberenderedunhappy.ButpoorMrsClaywho,withallhermerits,canneverhavebeenreckonedtolerablypretty,IreallythinkpoorMrsClaymaybestayinghereinperfectsafety.Onewouldimagineyouhadneverheardmyfatherspeakofherpersonalmisfortunes,thoughIknowyoumustfiftytimes.Thattoothofher’sandthosefreckles.Frecklesdonotdisgustmesoverymuchastheydohim.Ihaveknownafacenotmateriallydisfiguredbyafew,butheabominatesthem.YoumusthaveheardhimnoticeMrsClay’sfreckles.
