Salta il testo dell’articolo
Elinor’s heart thanked her for such kindness towards Edward , though she could not forbear smiling at the form of it . “ If he would only have done as well by himself , ” said John Dashwood , “ as all his friends were disposed to do by him , he might now have been in his proper situation , and would have wanted for nothing . But as it is , it must be out of anybody’s power to assist him . And there is one thing more preparing against him , which must be worse than all — his mother has determined , with a very natural kind of spirit , to settle that estate upon Robert immediately , which might have been Edward’s , on proper conditions . I left her this morning with her lawyer , talking over the business . ” “ Well ! ” said Mrs . Jennings , “ that is her revenge . Everybody has a way of their own . But I don’t think mine would be , to make one son independent , because another had plagued me . ” Marianne got up and walked about the room . “ Can anything be more galling to the spirit of a man , ” continued John , “ than to see his younger brother in possession of an estate which might have been his own ? Poor Edward ! I feel for him sincerely . ” A few minutes more spent in the same kind of effusion , concluded his visit ; and with repeated assurances to his sisters that he really believed there was no material danger in Fanny’s indisposition , and that they need not therefore be very uneasy about it , he went away ; leaving the three ladies unanimous in their sentiments on the present occasion , as far at least as it regarded Mrs . Ferrars’s conduct , the Dashwoods ’ , and Edward’s . Marianne’s indignation burst forth as soon as he quitted the room ; and as her vehemence made reserve impossible in Elinor , and unnecessary in Mrs . Jennings , they all joined in a very spirited critique upon the party . CHAPTER XXXVIII . Mrs . Jennings was very warm in her praise of Edward’s conduct , but only Elinor and Marianne understood its true merit . They only knew how little he had had to tempt him to be disobedient , and how small was the consolation , beyond the consciousness of doing right , that could remain to him in the loss of friends and fortune . Elinor gloried in his integrity ; and Marianne forgave all his offences in compassion for his punishment . But though confidence between them was , by this public discovery , restored to its proper state , it was not a subject on which either of them were fond of dwelling when alone . Elinor avoided it upon principle , as tending to fix still more upon her thoughts , by the too warm , too positive assurances of Marianne , that belief of Edward’s continued affection for herself which she rather wished to do away ; and Marianne’s courage soon failed her , in trying to converse upon a topic which always left her more dissatisfied with herself than ever , by the comparison it necessarily produced between Elinor’s conduct and her own .
Indietro Pagina 166 di 239 Pagina 166 di 239 Avanti Continua a leggere con le traduzioni Crea un account gratuito: 7 giorni di Pro, poi 20 traduzioni di parole al giorno oppure un piano a pagamento.
