To one resolution she came very quickly. The
period of her aunt's illness could not be a proper time for marriage
vows, or the amenities of love-making. She did not feel that he, being
a man, had offended; but she was quite sure that were she, a woman, the
niece of so kind an aunt, the nurse at the bedside of such an invalid
were she at such a time to consent to talk of love, she would never
deserve to have a lover. And from this resolve she got great comfort.
It would give her an excuse for making no more assured answer at
present, and would enable her to reflect at leisure as to the reply she
would give him, should he ever, by any chance, renew his offer. If he
did not, and probably he would not, then it would have been very well
that he should not have been made the victim of a momentary generosity.
She had complained of the dullness of her life, and that complaint from
her had produced his noble, kind, generous, dear, enthusiastic
benevolence towards her. As she thought of it all, and by degrees she
took great pleasure in thinking of it, her mind bestowed upon him all
manner of eulogies.
Pages:
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889