Тяжкі часи

Father and Daughter

           Ifind,onreferencetothefigures,thatalargeproportionofthesemarriagesarecontractedbetweenpartiesofveryunequalages,andthattheelderofthesecontractingpartiesis,inrathermorethanthree-fourthsoftheseinstances,thebridegroom.Itisremarkableasshowingthewideprevalenceofthislaw,thatamongthenativesoftheBritishpossessionsinIndia,alsoinaconsiderablepartofChina,andamongtheCalmucksofTartary,thebestmeansofcomputationyetfurnishedusbytravellers,yieldsimilarresults.ThedisparityIhavementioned,therefore,almostceasestobedisparity,and(virtually)allbutdisappears.’

           ‘Whatdoyourecommend,father,’askedLouisa,herreservedcomposurenotintheleastaffectedbythesegratifyingresults,‘thatIshouldsubstituteforthetermIusedjustnow?Forthemisplacedexpression?’

           ‘Louisa,’returnedherfather,‘itappearstomethatnothingcanbeplainer.ConfiningyourselfrigidlytoFact,thequestionofFactyoustatetoyourselfis:DoesMr.Bounderbyaskmetomarryhim?Yes,hedoes.Thesoleremainingquestionthenis:ShallImarryhim?Ithinknothingcanbeplainerthanthat?’

           ‘ShallImarryhim?’repeatedLouisa,withgreatdeliberation.

           ‘Precisely.Anditissatisfactorytome,asyourfather,mydearLouisa,toknowthatyoudonotcometotheconsiderationofthatquestionwiththeprevioushabitsofmind,andhabitsoflife,thatbelongtomanyyoungwomen.’

           ‘No,father,’shereturned,‘Idonot.’

           ‘Inowleaveyoutojudgeforyourself,’saidMr.

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