Доводи розуму
Chapter 22
Thevisitorstooktheirleave;andCharles,havingcivillyseenthemoff,andthenmadeafaceatthem,andabusedthemforcoming,beganwith—
“Well,mother,Ihavedonesomethingforyouthatyouwilllike.Ihavebeentothetheatre,andsecuredaboxforto-morrownight.A’n’tIagoodboy?Iknowyouloveaplay;andthereisroomforusall.Itholdsnine.IhaveengagedCaptainWentworth.Annewillnotbesorrytojoinus,Iamsure.Wealllikeaplay.HavenotIdonewell,mother?”
MrsMusgrovewasgoodhumouredlybeginningtoexpressherperfectreadinessfortheplay,ifHenriettaandalltheotherslikedit,whenMaryeagerlyinterruptedherbyexclaiming—
“Goodheavens,Charles!howcanyouthinkofsuchathing?Takeaboxforto-morrownight!HaveyouforgotthatweareengagedtoCamdenPlaceto-morrownight?andthatweweremostparticularlyaskedtomeetLadyDalrympleandherdaughter,andMrElliot,andalltheprincipalfamilyconnexions,onpurposetobeintroducedtothem?Howcanyoubesoforgetful?”
“Phoo!phoo!”repliedCharles,“what’saneveningparty?Neverworthremembering.Yourfathermighthaveaskedustodinner,Ithink,ifhehadwantedtoseeus.Youmaydoasyoulike,butIshallgototheplay.”
“Oh!Charles,Ideclareitwillbetooabominableifyoudo,whenyoupromisedtogo.”
“No,Ididnotpromise.Ionlysmirkedandbowed,andsaidtheword‘happy.’Therewasnopromise.”
“Butyoumustgo,Charles.Itwouldbeunpardonabletofail.Wewereaskedonpurposetobeintroduced.
