Гордість і упередження

           Twicehasshecondescendedtogivemeheropinion(unaskedtoo!)onthissubject; anditwasbuttheverySaturdaynightbeforeIleftHunsford—betweenourpoolsatquadrille,whileMrs.JenkinsonwasarrangingMissdeBourgh’sfootstool,thatshesaid, ‘Mr.Collins,youmustmarry. Aclergymanlikeyoumustmarry. Chooseproperly,chooseagentlewomanformysake;andforyourown,letherbeanactive,usefulsortofperson,notbroughtuphigh,butabletomakeasmallincomegoagoodway. Thisismyadvice. Findsuchawomanassoonasyoucan,bringhertoHunsford,andIwillvisither.’ Allowme,bytheway,toobserve,myfaircousin,thatIdonotreckonthenoticeandkindnessofLadyCatherinedeBourghasamongtheleastoftheadvantagesinmypowertooffer. YouwillfindhermannersbeyondanythingIcandescribe;andyourwitandvivacity,Ithink,mustbeacceptabletoher,especiallywhentemperedwiththesilenceandrespectwhichherrankwillinevitablyexcite. Thusmuchformygeneralintentioninfavourofmatrimony; itremainstobetoldwhymyviewsweredirectedtowardsLongbourninsteadofmyownneighbourhood,whereIcanassureyoutherearemanyamiableyoungwomen. Butthefactis,thatbeing,asIam,toinheritthisestateafterthedeathofyourhonouredfather(who,however,maylivemanyyearslonger),Icouldnotsatisfymyselfwithoutresolvingtochooseawifefromamonghisdaughters,thatthelosstothemmightbeaslittleaspossible,whenthemelancholyeventtakesplace—which,however,asIhavealreadysaid,maynotbeforseveralyears. Thishasbeenmymotive,myfaircousin,andIflattermyselfitwillnotsinkmeinyouresteem. Andnownothingremainsbutformebuttoassureyouinthemostanimatedlanguageoftheviolenceofmyaffection. TofortuneIamperfectlyindifferent,andshallmakenodemandofthatnatureonyourfather,sinceIamwellawarethatitcouldnotbecompliedwith; andthatonethousandpoundsinthefourpercents,whichwillnotbeyourstillafteryourmother’sdecease,isallthatyoumayeverbeentitledto.