第74章[第2页/共5页]

er, but without any symptom of peculiar regard, and I remained convinced from the evening's scrutiny,that though she received his attentions with pleasure, she did not invite them by any participation of sentiment.If you have not been mistaken here,I must have been in error.Your superior knowledge of your sister must make the latter probable.If it be so,if I have been misled by such error to inflict pain on her, your resentment has not been unreasonable. But I shall not scruple to assert, that the serenity of your sister's countenance and air was such as might have given the most acute observer a conviction that, however amiable her temper,her heart was not likely to be easily touched. That I was desirous of believing her indifferent is certain―but I will venture to say that my investigation and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes or fears. I did not believe her to be indifferent because I wished it; I believed it on impartial conviction,as truly as I wished it in reason.My objections to the marriage were not merely those which I last night acknowledged to have the utmost required force of passion to put aside,in my own case;the want of connection could not be so great