Доводы рассудка
Chapter 8
“AndIdoassureyou,ma’am,”pursuedMrsCroft,“thatnothingcanexceedtheaccommodationsofaman-of-war;Ispeak,youknow,ofthehigherrates.Whenyoucometoafrigate,ofcourse,youaremoreconfined;thoughanyreasonablewomanmaybeperfectlyhappyinoneofthem;andIcansafelysay,thatthehappiestpartofmylifehasbeenspentonboardaship.Whileweweretogether,youknow,therewasnothingtobefeared.ThankGod!Ihavealwaysbeenblessedwithexcellenthealth,andnoclimatedisagreeswithme.Alittledisorderedalwaysthefirsttwenty-fourhoursofgoingtosea,butneverknewwhatsicknesswasafterwards.TheonlytimeIeverreallysufferedinbodyormind,theonlytimethatIeverfanciedmyselfunwell,orhadanyideasofdanger,wasthewinterthatIpassedbymyselfatDeal,whentheAdmiral(CaptainCroftthen)wasintheNorthSeas.Ilivedinperpetualfrightatthattime,andhadallmannerofimaginarycomplaintsfromnotknowingwhattodowithmyself,orwhenIshouldhearfromhimnext;butaslongaswecouldbetogether,nothingeverailedme,andInevermetwiththesmallestinconvenience.”
“Aye,tobesure.Yes,indeed,ohyes!Iamquiteofyouropinion,MrsCroft,”wasMrsMusgrove’sheartyanswer.“Thereisnothingsobadasaseparation.Iamquiteofyouropinion.Iknowwhatitis,forMrMusgrovealwaysattendstheassizes,andIamsogladwhentheyareover,andheissafebackagain.”
Theeveningendedwithdancing.
