Доводи розуму
Chapter 23
Icouldthinkofyouonlyasonewhohadyielded,whohadgivenmeup,whohadbeeninfluencedbyanyoneratherthanbyme.Isawyouwiththeverypersonwhohadguidedyouinthatyearofmisery.Ihadnoreasontobelieveheroflessauthoritynow.Theforceofhabitwastobeadded.”
“Ishouldhavethought,”saidAnne,“thatmymannertoyourselfmighthavesparedyoumuchorallofthis.”
“No,no!yourmannermightbeonlytheeasewhichyourengagementtoanothermanwouldgive.Ileftyouinthisbelief;andyet,Iwasdeterminedtoseeyouagain.Myspiritsralliedwiththemorning,andIfeltthatIhadstillamotiveforremaininghere.”
AtlastAnnewasathomeagain,andhappierthananyoneinthathousecouldhaveconceived.Allthesurpriseandsuspense,andeveryotherpainfulpartofthemorningdissipatedbythisconversation,shere-enteredthehousesohappyastobeobligedtofindanalloyinsomemomentaryapprehensionsofitsbeingimpossibletolast.Anintervalofmeditation,seriousandgrateful,wasthebestcorrectiveofeverythingdangerousinsuchhigh-wroughtfelicity;andshewenttoherroom,andgrewsteadfastandfearlessinthethankfulnessofherenjoyment.
Theeveningcame,thedrawing-roomswerelightedup,thecompanyassembled.Itwasbutacardparty,itwasbutamixtureofthosewhohadnevermetbefore,andthosewhomettoooften;acommonplacebusiness,toonumerousforintimacy,toosmallforvariety;butAnnehadneverfoundaneveningshorter.
