صفحة 237 من 817

"My dear madam," replied he, "let us be for ever silent on this

point. Far be it from me," he presently continued, in a voice

that marked his displeasure, "to resent the behaviour of your

daughter. Resignation to inevitable evils is the duty of us all:

the peculiar duty of a young man who has been so fortunate as I

have been, in early preferment; and, I trust, I am resigned.

Perhaps not the less so from feeling a doubt of my positive

happiness had my fair cousin honoured me with her hand; for I

have often observed, that resignation is never so perfect as when

the blessing denied begins to lose somewhat of its value in our

estimation. You will not, I hope, consider me as showing any

disrespect to your family, my dear madam, by thus withdrawing my

pretensions to your daughter's favour, without having paid

yourself and Mr. Bennet the compliment of requesting you to

interpose your authority in my behalf.