Pagina 392 di 817

Elizabeth's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared,

coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient

encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long

felt for her immediately followed. He spoke well; but there were

feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he was

not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His

sense of her inferiority, of its being a degradation, of the

family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to

inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the

consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend

his suit.