登陆注册
5289000000085

第85章 Chapter 23(3)

If I could explain to you all this, and all that a man can bear and do, and glories to do, for the sake of these treasures of his existence!

I speak, you know, only of such men as have hearts!" pressing his own with emotion.

"Oh!" cried Anne eagerly, "I hope I do justice to all that is felt by you, and by those who resemble you. God forbid that I should undervalue the warm and faithful feelings of any of my fellow-creatures!

I should deserve utter contempt if I dared to suppose that true attachment and constancy were known only by woman. No, I believe you capable of everything great and good in your married lives. I believe you equal to every important exertion, and to every domestic forbearance, so long as--if I may be allowed the expression--so long as you have an object. I mean while the woman you love lives, and lives for you.

All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one; you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone."

She could not immediately have uttered another sentence; her heart was too full, her breath too much oppressed.

"You are a good soul," cried Captain Harville, putting his hand on her arm, quite affectionately. "There is no quarreling with you.

And when I think of Benwick, my tongue is tied."

Their attention was called towards the others. Mrs Croft was taking leave.

"Here, Frederick, you and I part company, I believe," said she.

"I am going home, and you have an engagement with your friend.

To-night we may have the pleasure of all meeting again at your party,"

(turning to Anne.) "We had your sister's card yesterday, and I understood Frederick had a card too, though I did not see it; and you are disengaged, Frederick, are you not, as well as ourselves?"

Captain Wentworth was folding up a letter in great haste, and either could not or would not answer fully.

"Yes," said he, "very true; here we separate, but Harville and I shall soon be after you; that is, Harville, if you are ready, I am in half a minute. I know you will not be sorry to be off.

I shall be at your service in half a minute."

Mrs Croft left them, and Captain Wentworth, having sealed his letter with great rapidity, was indeed ready, and had even a hurried, agitated air, which shewed impatience to be gone. Anne know not how to understand it. She had the kindest "Good morning, God bless you!" from Captain Harville, but from him not a word, nor a look!

He had passed out of the room without a look!

She had only time, however, to move closer to the table where he had been writing, when footsteps were heard returning; the door opened, it was himself. He begged their pardon, but he had forgotten his gloves, and instantly crossing the room to the writing table, he drew out a letter from under the scattered paper, placed it before Anne with eyes of glowing entreaty fixed on her for a time, and hastily collecting his gloves, was again out of the room, almost before Mrs Musgrove was aware of his being in it: the work of an instant!

The revolution which one instant had made in Anne, was almost beyond expression. The letter, with a direction hardly legible, to "Miss A. E.--," was evidently the one which he had been folding so hastily. While supposed to be writing only to Captain Benwick, he had been also addressing her! On the contents of that letter depended all which this world could do for her. Anything was possible, anything might be defied rather than suspense. Mrs Musgrove had little arrangements of her own at her own table; to their protection she must trust, and sinking into the chair which he had occupied, succeeding to the very spot where he had leaned and written, her eyes devoured the following words:

"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.

Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath.

For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this?

Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others.

Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed.

You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men.

Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W.

"I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never."

Such a letter was not to be soon recovered from. Half and hour's solitude and reflection might have tranquillized her; but the ten minutes only which now passed before she was interrupted, with all the restraints of her situation, could do nothing towards tranquillity. Every moment rather brought fresh agitation. It was overpowering happiness.

And before she was beyond the first stage of full sensation, Charles, Mary, and Henrietta all came in.

The absolute necessity of seeming like herself produced then an immediate struggle; but after a while she could do no more.

She began not to understand a word they said, and was obliged to plead indisposition and excuse herself. They could then see that she looked very ill, were shocked and concerned, and would not stir without her for the world. This was dreadful. Would they only have gone away, and left her in the quiet possession of that room it would have been her cure; but to have them all standing or waiting around her was distracting, and in desperation, she said she would go home.

同类推荐
  • 黄华集

    黄华集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 辛白林

    辛白林

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说缘起圣道经

    佛说缘起圣道经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续修台湾府志

    续修台湾府志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 继世纪闻

    继世纪闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 效率在于行动

    效率在于行动

    十个完美的想法也比不上一个实际的行动,因为想象中的成功只能是海市蜃楼、空中楼阁。一位哲人说过:“所谓活着的人,就是不断挑战的人,不断攀登命运险峰的人。”成功的要素有很多,天赋、运气、机遇、才智、好习惯……但最重要的却是这一切要靠行动来实现。好的想法需要行动来支撑,工作效率的提高需要行动来实现,身体力行、极高的效率是通往成功之路的必备条件。
  • 吴越备史

    吴越备史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 咸淳玉峰续志

    咸淳玉峰续志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 惹火妖妃:废柴七小姐

    惹火妖妃:废柴七小姐

    坑了,勿点。给大家跪下磕头了!dbq!!!
  • 驭香

    驭香

    传说,青帝所至之处,芳草如茵,百花怒放,传说,青帝挥手间,枯木回春,肉白骨而医生死,他的名字叫句芒……一次偶然的车祸,一块古怪的花盆残片,引领着慕容纤纤打开仙境之门!一段优美的神话就此展开……推荐本人完本作品:《创神传奇》《新一品修真》《凤临异世》《飘泊在异界的日子里》《唐朝好媳妇》
  • 异之恋

    异之恋

    一个是科研实验的牺牲品,一个是见证生命奇迹的青年,基因的变异,人心的可怖,在真爱面前,他们能否冲破伦理?能否走向幸福的终端?
  • 西游女儿国国王重生记

    西游女儿国国王重生记

    那时你为僧,你说“来世若有缘分”。何解?其实那时你是动心过的,只是奈于身份罢了?今时你为民,不再是僧侣,不再用西天取经,是时候兑现你说过的话了。西梁女王二度穿越,历经二百年孤寂重逢爱人——御弟哥哥(唐僧)。一穿现代,被现代电视剧《西游记》所深深感触,对《女儿情》情有独钟,熟唱于心。二穿古代,因爱独自一人唱着情歌(女儿情)而被人视为脑子不好使,早早被父母出嫁。心里对唐僧却是念念不忘,为此逃婚,却意外发现唐僧转世,从此展开“女追男隔层纱”。
  • 莎士比亚作品鉴赏辞典

    莎士比亚作品鉴赏辞典

    本书为外国文学名家名作鉴赏辞典系列丛书之一,精选莎士比亚戏剧、诗歌的代表作,采用朱生豪、梁宗岱等名家的权威译本。另请研究专家学者为每篇作品撰写鉴赏文章,对作品的写作背景、思想内容、艺术手法等进行赏析,有助于作者更好地领会莎士比亚的独特魅力。
  • 呵护你的梦想

    呵护你的梦想

    本书收录了启迪中学生智慧的哲理美文,是引入深思的品格故事典范。其中每一篇故事都会贴近生活的写照,每一篇故事者哙拓宽你的文化视野,每一篇故事都会激发你的心灵,每一篇故事都会是一对翅膀,使你勇敢飞翔!从这些故事中你会找到一一成长和成才的启发,也会给你最深刻的认识,使你终身受益!这里.有优美而浪漫,让人馨香绕怀久久不忘的心灵独白;这里,有启迪青春、点缀人生、畅想未来的人生感悟;这里,有最具有代表性的或伤感或甜蜜或浪漫或纯情的情感故事;这里,有诗一样的文字,格言一样的论说……
  • 美梦成眞

    美梦成眞

    平凡的生活,也许从未使我感到内心的满足,却是我一生之中最大的幸福。你迷茫、你绝望、你伤心——人生没有那么多时间给你休息,孩子别笑,站起来哭!2333……