"Bram Stoker - Dracula" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stoker Bram)

how dear I was to him, though he had known me so little,
and what his life would be with me to help and cheer him.
He was going to tell me how unhappy he would be if I
did not care for him, but when he saw me cry he said
he was a brute and would not add to my present trouble.
Then he broke off and asked if I could love him in time,
and when I shook my head his hands trembled, and then with some
hesitation he asked me if I cared already for any one else.
He put it very nicely, saying that he did not want to wring
my confidence from me, but only to know, because if a woman's
heart was free a man might have hope. And then, Mina, I felt
a sort of duty to tell him that there was some one.
I only told him that much, and then he stood up, and he looked
very strong and very grave as he took both my hands in his
and said he hoped I would be happy, and that If I ever wanted
a friend I must count him one of my best.

Oh, Mina dear, I can't help crying, and you must excuse this letter being
all blotted. Being proposed to is all very nice and all that sort of thing,
but it isn't at all a happy thing when you have to see a poor fellow,
whom you know loves you honestly, going away and looking all broken hearted,
and to know that, no matter what he may say at the moment, you are passing
out of his life. My dear, I must stop here at present, I feel so miserable,
though I am so happy.

Evening.


Arthur has just gone, and I feel in better spirits than when I left off,
so I can go on telling you about the day.

Well, my dear, number Two came after lunch. He is such a nice fellow,and
American from Texas, and he looks so young and so fresh that it seems almost
impossible that he has been to so many places and has such adventures.
I sympathize with poor Desdemona when she had such a stream poured
in her ear, even by a black man. I suppose that we women are such
cowards that we think a man will save us from fears, and we marry him.
I know now what I would do if I were a man and wanted to make a girl
love me. No, I don't, for there was Mr. Morris telling us his stories,
and Arthur never told any, and yet. . .

My dear, I am somewhat previous. Mr. Quincy P. Morris found
me alone. It seems that a man always does find a girl alone.
No, he doesn't, for Arthur tried twice to make a chance,
and I helping him all I could, I am not ashamed to say it now.
I must tell you beforehand that Mr. Morris doesn't always
speak slang, that is to say, he never does so to strangers
or before them, for he is really well educated and has
exquisite manners, but he found out that it amused me
to hear him talk American slang,and whenever I was present,