817ページ中686ページ

Will you be very angry with me, my dear Lizzy, if I take this

opportunity of saying (what I was never bold enough to say

before) how much I like him? His behaviour to us has, in every

respect, been as pleasing as when we were in Derbyshire. His

understanding and opinions all please me; he wants nothing but a

little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife

may teach him. I thought him very sly; he hardly ever mentioned

your name. But slyness seems the fashion. Pray forgive me, if I

have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me so far as

to exclude me from P. I shall never be quite happy till I have

been all round the park. A low phaeton with a nice little pair of

ponies would be the very thing. But I must write no more. The

children have been wanting me this half hour.

"Yours, very sincerely,

"M. GARDINER."