第59章

Thesurprisewasnowcomplete；for，inspiteofwhateverhisconsciousnessmightsuggest，asuspicionofhishavinganysuchviewshadneverenteredhissister’simagination；

andshelookedsotrulytheastonishmentshefelt，thathewasobligedtorepeatwhathehadsaid，andmorefullyandmoresolemnly。Theconvictionofhisdeterminationonceadmitted，itwasnotunwelcome。Therewasevenpleasurewiththesurprise。MarywasinastateofmindtorejoiceinaconnexionwiththeBertramfamily，andtobenotdispleasedwithherbrother’smarryingalittlebeneathhim。

“Yes，Mary，“wasHenry’sconcludingassurance。“Iamfairlycaught。YouknowwithwhatidledesignsIbegan；

butthisistheendofthem。Ihave，Iflattermyself，madenoinconsiderableprogressinheraffections；

butmyownareentirelyfixed。“

“Lucky，luckygirl!“criedMary，assoonasshecouldspeak；

“whatamatchforher!MydearestHenry，thismustbemy_first_feeling；butmy_second_，whichyoushallhaveassincerely，is，thatIapproveyourchoicefrommysoul，andforeseeyourhappinessasheartilyasI

wishanddesireit。Youwillhaveasweetlittlewife；

allgratitudeanddevotion。Exactlywhatyoudeserve。

Whatanamazingmatchforher!Mrs。Norrisoftentalksofherluck；whatwillshesaynow？Thedelightofallthefamily，indeed!Andshehassome_true_friendsinit!

How_they_willrejoice!Buttellmeallaboutit!

Talktomeforever。Whendidyoubegintothinkseriouslyabouther？“

Nothingcouldbemoreimpossiblethantoanswersuchaquestion，thoughnothingcouldbemoreagreeablethantohaveitasked。“Howthepleasingplaguehadstolenonhim“hecouldnotsay；andbeforehehadexpressedthesamesentimentwithalittlevariationofwordsthreetimesover，hissistereagerlyinterruptedhimwith，“Ah，mydearHenry，andthisiswhattookyoutoLondon!

Thiswasyourbusiness!YouchosetoconsulttheAdmiralbeforeyoumadeupyourmind。“

Butthishestoutlydenied。Heknewhisuncletoowelltoconsulthimonanymatrimonialscheme。TheAdmiralhatedmarriage，andthoughtitneverpardonableinayoungmanofindependentfortune。

“WhenFannyisknowntohim，“continuedHenry，“hewilldoatonher。SheisexactlythewomantodoawayeveryprejudiceofsuchamanastheAdmiral，forshehewoulddescribe，ifindeedhehasnowdelicacyoflanguageenoughtoembodyhisownideas。Buttillitisabsolutelysettled——

settledbeyondallinterference，heshallknownothingofthematter。No，Ma

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