Доводи розуму
Chapter 12
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“Puttingalltheseveryextraordinarycircumstancestogether,”saidCaptainWentworth,“wemustconsiderittobethearrangementofProvidence,thatyoushouldnotbeintroducedtoyourcousin.”
WhenshecouldcommandMary’sattention,AnnequietlytriedtoconvinceherthattheirfatherandMrElliothadnot,formanyyears,beenonsuchtermsastomakethepowerofattemptinganintroductionatalldesirable.
Atthesametime,however,itwasasecretgratificationtoherselftohaveseenhercousin,andtoknowthatthefutureownerofKellynchwasundoubtedlyagentleman,andhadanairofgoodsense.Shewouldnot,uponanyaccount,mentionherhavingmetwithhimthesecondtime;luckilyMarydidnotmuchattendtotheirhavingpassedclosebyhimintheirearlierwalk,butshewouldhavefeltquiteill-usedbyAnne’shavingactuallyrunagainsthiminthepassage,andreceivedhisverypoliteexcuses,whileshehadneverbeennearhimatall;no,thatcousinlylittleinterviewmustremainaperfectsecret.
“Ofcourse,”saidMary,“youwillmentionourseeingMrElliot,thenexttimeyouwritetoBath.Ithinkmyfathercertainlyoughttohearofit;domentionallabouthim.”
Anneavoidedadirectreply,butitwasjustthecircumstancewhichsheconsideredasnotmerelyunnecessarytobecommunicated,butaswhatoughttobesuppressed.Theoffencewhichhadbeengivenherfather,manyyearsback,sheknew;Elizabeth’sparticularshareinitshesuspected;andthatMrElliot’sideaalwaysproducedirritationinbothwasbeyondadoubt.
