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before; and she would not allow herself to show half the displeasure she felt, because he had been
conferring an obligation, which no want of delicacy on his part could make a trifle to her. While her heart
was still bounding with joy and gratitude on William's behalf, she could not be severely resentful of
anything that injured only herself; and after having twice drawn back her hand, and twice attempted in
vain to turn away from him, she got up and said only, with much agitation, "Don't, Mr. Crawford, pray
don't. I beg you would not. This is a sort of talking which is very unpleasant to me. I must go away. I
cannot bear it." But he was still talking on, describing his affection, soliciting a return, and, finally, in
words so plain as to bear but one meaning even to her , offering himself, hand, fortune, everything to her
acceptance. It was so; he had said it. Her astonishment and confusion increased; and though still not
knowing how to suppose him serious, she could hardly stand. He pressed for an answer.
"No, no, no," she cried, hiding her face. "This is all nonsense. Do not distress me. I can hear no more of
this. Your kindness to William makes me more obliged to you than words can express; but I do not
want, I cannot bear, I must not listen to such No, no, don't think of me. But you are not thinking of me.
I know it is all nothing."
She had burst away from him, and at that moment Sir Thomas was heard speaking to a servant in his
way towards the room they were in. It was no time for further assurances or entreaty, though to part with
her at a moment when her modesty alone seemed to his sanguine and pre-assured mind to stand in the
way of the happiness he sought, was a cruel necessity. She rushed out at an opposite door from the one
her uncle was approaching, and was walking up and down the east room in the utmost confusion of
contrary feelings, before Sir Thomas's politeness and apologies were over, or he had reached the
beginning of the joyful intelligence, which his visitor came to communicate.
She was feeling, thinking, trembling, about everything; agitated, happy, miserable, infinitely obliged,
absolutely angry. It was all beyond belief! He was inexcusable, incomprehensible! But such were his
habits, that he could do nothing without a mixture of evil. He had previously made her the happiest of
human beings, and now he had insulted she knew not what to say how to class or how to regard it.
She would not have him be serious, and yet what could excuse the use of such words and offers, if they
meant but to trifle?
But William was a Lieutenant. Thatwas a fact beyond a doubt and without an alloy. She would think
of it for ever and forget all the rest. Mr. Crawford would certainly never address her so again: he must
have seen how unwelcome it was to her; and in that case, how gratefully she could esteem him for his
friendship to William!
She would not stir farther from the east-room than the head of the great staircase, till she had satisfied
herself of Mr. Crawford's having left the house; but when convinced of his being gone, she was eager to
go down and be with her uncle, and have all the happiness of his joy as well as her own, and all the
benefit of his information or his conjectures as to what would now be William's destination. Sir Thomas
was as joyful as she could desire, and very kind and communicative; and she had so comfortable a talk
with him about William as to make her feel as if nothing had occurred to vex her, till she found towards
the close that Mr. Crawford was engaged to return and dine there that very day. This was a most
unwelcome hearing, for though he might think nothing of what had passed, it would be quite distressing to
her to see him again so soon.
She tried to get the better of it, tried very hard as the dinner hour approached, to feel and appear as
usual; but it was quite impossible for her not to look most shy and uncomfortable when their visitor
entered the room. She could not have supposed it in the power of any concurrence of circumstances to
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give her so many painful sensations on the first day of hearing of William's promotion.
Mr. Crawford was not only in the room; he was soon close to her. He had a note to deliver from his
sister. Fanny could not look at him, but there was no consciousness of past folly in his voice. She opened
her note immediately, glad to have anything to do, and happy, as she read it, to feel that the fidgetings of
her aunt Norris, who was also to dine there, screened her a little from view.
My Dear Fanny,
For so I may now always call you, to the infinite relief of a tongue that has been stumbling at Miss
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Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
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