Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 18
Prayundeceivehimassoonasyoucan,andtellhimIbeghispardon—thatis—IdonotknowwhatIoughttosay—butmakehimunderstandwhatImean,intheproperestway.Iwouldnotspeakdisrespectfullyofabrotherofyours,Isabella,Iamsure;butyouknowverywellthatifIcouldthinkofonemanmorethananother—heisnottheperson.”Isabellawassilent.“Mydearfriend,youmustnotbeangrywithme.Icannotsupposeyourbrothercaressoverymuchaboutme.And,youknow,weshallstillbesisters.”
“Yes,yes”(withablush),“therearemorewaysthanoneofourbeingsisters.ButwhereamIwanderingto?Well,mydearCatherine,thecaseseemstobethatyouaredeterminedagainstpoorJohn—isnotitso?”
“Icertainlycannotreturnhisaffection,andascertainlynevermeanttoencourageit.”
“Sincethatisthecase,IamsureIshallnotteaseyouanyfurther.Johndesiredmetospeaktoyouonthesubject,andthereforeIhave.ButIconfess,assoonasIreadhisletter,Ithoughtitaveryfoolish,imprudentbusiness,andnotlikelytopromotethegoodofeither;forwhatwereyoutoliveupon,supposingyoucametogether?Youhavebothofyousomething,tobesure,butitisnotatriflethatwillsupportafamilynowadays;andafterallthatromancersmaysay,thereisnodoingwithoutmoney.IonlywonderJohncouldthinkofit;hecouldnothavereceivedmylast.
