Риф, или Там, где разбивается счастье

XXI

           IfonlyOwencouldbemadetoseethat—ifonecouldgetatafewfacts,Imean.Shesays,forinstance,thatshehasasister;butitseemsshedoesn’tevenknowheraddress!”

           “Ifshedoes,shemaynotwanttogiveittoyou.Idaresaythesister’soneofthedreadfulpeople.I’venodoubtthatwithalittletimeyoucouldrakeupdozensofthem:haveher‘traced’,astheycallitindetectivestories.Idon’tthinkyou’dfrightenOwen,butyoumight:it’snaturalenoughheshouldhavebeencorruptedbythoseforeignideas.Youmightevenmanagetoparthimfromthegirl;butyoucouldn’tkeephimfrombeinginlovewithher.IsawthatwhenIlookedthemoverlastevening.Isaidtomyself:‘It’sarealold-fashionedAmericancase,assweetandsoundashome-madebread.’Well,ifyoutakehisloafawayfromhim,whatareyougoingtofeedhimwithinstead?WhichofyournastyParispoisonsdoyouthinkhe’llturnto?Supposingyousucceedinkeepinghimoutofareallybadmess—and,knowingtheyoungmanasIdo,Iratherthinkthat,atthiscrisis,theonlywaytodoitwouldbetomarryhimslapofftosomebodyelse—well,then,who,mayIask,wouldyoupickout?OneofyoursweetFrenchingenues,Isuppose?Withasmuchmindasaminnowandasmuchsnapasasoft-boiledegg.Youmighthustlehimintothatkindofmarriage;Idaresayyoucould—butifIknowOwen,thenaturalthingwouldhappenbeforethefirstbabywasweaned.

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