Sayfa 225 / 817

"You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that

your refusal of my addresses are merely words of course. My

reasons for believing it are briefly these:--It does not appear

to me that my hand is unworthy of your acceptance, or that the

establishment I can offer would be any other than highly

desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family

of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are circumstances

highly in my favour; and you should take it into further

consideration that, in spite of your manifold attractions, it is

by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be

made you. Your portion is unhappily so small, that it will in all

likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable

qualifications. As I must, therefore, conclude that you are not

serious in your rejection of me, I shall choose to attribute it

to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the

usual practice of elegant females."