Тяжёлые времена

Father and Daughter

           

           Shepasseditawaywithaslightmotionofherhand,andconcentratingherattentionuponhimagain,said,‘Father,Ihaveoftenthoughtthatlifeisveryshort.’Thiswassodistinctlyoneofhissubjectsthatheinterposed.

           ‘Itisshort,nodoubt,mydear.Still,theaveragedurationofhumanlifeisprovedtohaveincreasedoflateyears.Thecalculationsofvariouslifeassuranceandannuityoffices,amongotherfigureswhichcannotgowrong,haveestablishedthefact.’

           ‘Ispeakofmyownlife,father.’

           ‘Oindeed?Still,’saidMr.Gradgrind,‘Ineednotpointouttoyou,Louisa,thatitisgovernedbythelawswhichgovernlivesintheaggregate.’

           ‘Whileitlasts,IwouldwishtodothelittleIcan,andthelittleIamfitfor.Whatdoesitmatter?’

           Mr.Gradgrindseemedratheratalosstounderstandthelastfourwords;replying,‘How,matter?Whatmatter,mydear?’

           ‘Mr.Bounderby,’shewentoninasteady,straightway,withoutregardingthis,‘asksmetomarryhim.ThequestionIhavetoaskmyselfis,shallImarryhim?Thatisso,father,isitnot?Youhavetoldmeso,father.Haveyounot?’

           ‘Certainly,mydear.’

           ‘Letitbeso.SinceMr.Bounderbylikestotakemethus,Iamsatisfiedtoaccepthisproposal.Tellhim,father,assoonasyouplease,thatthiswasmyanswer.Repeatit,wordforword,ifyoucan,becauseIshouldwishhimtoknowwhatIsaid.’

           ‘Itisquiteright,mydear,’retortedherfatherapprovingly,‘tobeexact.Iwillobserveyourveryproperrequest.

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