Доводы рассудка
Chapter 7
Alas!withallherreasoning,shefound,thattoretentivefeelingseightyearsmaybelittlemorethannothing.
Now,howwerehissentimentstoberead?Wasthislikewishingtoavoidher?Andthenextmomentshewashatingherselfforthefollywhichaskedthequestion.
Ononeotherquestionwhichperhapsherutmostwisdommightnothaveprevented,shewassoonsparedallsuspense;for,aftertheMissMusgroveshadreturnedandfinishedtheirvisitattheCottageshehadthisspontaneousinformationfromMary:—
“CaptainWentworthisnotverygallantbyyou,Anne,thoughhewassoattentivetome.Henriettaaskedhimwhathethoughtofyou,whentheywentaway,andhesaid,‘Youweresoalteredheshouldnothaveknownyouagain.’”
Maryhadnofeelingstomakeherrespecthersister’sinacommonway,butshewasperfectlyunsuspiciousofbeinginflictinganypeculiarwound.
“Alteredbeyondhisknowledge.”Annefullysubmitted,insilent,deepmortification.Doubtlessitwasso,andshecouldtakenorevenge,forhewasnotaltered,ornotfortheworse.Shehadalreadyacknowledgedittoherself,andshecouldnotthinkdifferently,lethimthinkofherashewould.No:theyearswhichhaddestroyedheryouthandbloomhadonlygivenhimamoreglowing,manly,openlook,innorespectlesseninghispersonaladvantages.ShehadseenthesameFrederickWentworth.
“Soalteredthatheshouldnothaveknownheragain!”Thesewerewordswhichcouldnotbutdwellwithher.Yetshesoonbegantorejoicethatshehadheardthem.
