"Colin Wilson - The Glass Cage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson Colin)

"You're going home then?"
"Of course." He looked up in surprise.
"Sarah will be disappointed."
He stirred his coffee without comment.
Lewis said, "I hear that I have to congratulate you."
"What?" He stared across at Lewis.
"Sarah couldn't resist telling me before she left for school."
"Oh, I see."
"May I ask you a question? Did you propose, or did she?"
"Er. . . she did."
"I. . . see. And you said yes, of course, being a polite and good-natured sort of chap."
Reade asked, "Have you any objections?"
"Oh no. Of course not. She had to marry somebody. I'd rather it was you than any of the local
youths."
"Thanks."
"And I presume you really want to marry her, and didn't say yes simply to avoid upsetting her?"
"Oh no."
"Forgive me prying, but are you in love with her?"
He smiled, saying "I hadn't really thought of it much, but. . . I suppose so. I'm very fond of her.
She has a sweet nature. I've no doubt I'll get much more fond of her when we're married."
"And when were you thinking of marrying her?"
"I don't know. How do you feel about it?"
"Oh, tomorrow if you like. I suppose if it's all settled, it may as well be as soon as possible."
Reade understood his attitude, and felt relieved. He was also beginning to feel sorry for Lewis,
and distrusted the feeling. He finished the coffee and stood up, saying, "I think I'd better go. I feel rather
guilty about all this."
"Don't," Lewis said, but there was no conviction in his voice.
"I. . . expect you'll see a great deal of us. . . if you want to, of course. . ."
 "You mean to go on living in your cottage then?"
"I expect so. For the time being, anyway."
Lewis poured himself more coffee. His voice seemed cool and steady enough, but Reade noticed
that he had not yet looked at him directly. Again it struck him that Lewis should have been an actor.
Lewis stirred his coffee carefully, and took a sip, before he said, "How long do you think a girl of her age
will want to live in a place like that?"
"I hadn't intended to stay there all the time. I thought I might take up an offer from Wisconsin
University to lecture there in the winter. Then there was a tentative offer from the new university at
Southampton."
Lewis asked sardonically, "Do you want to become a university hack?"
He preferred to ignore the challenge in this, and replied evenly, "Not really. They'd want me to
teach literature and perhaps specialize in Blake, and I'd much rather teach philosophy and specialize in
Whitehead. But I suppose that's rather much to ask."
He found it hard not to feel a certain vague irritation with Lewis for making things so difficult.
They were old friends; they had always been on the footing of equals. This formality seemed absurd. He
sat down again suddenly, and helped himself to more coffee. He said, "Look here, Hugh, I'd much rather
you were quite frank. If you think I'm a wildly unsuitable husband for Sarah, then say so, and I'll. . . well.
. ."
Lewis looked up at him for the first time; his eyes were flat and inexpressive. He said, "You'd
what? Give her up?"
He felt himself reddening as he said, "I suppose so. After all, you're her guardian, and she is a
minor."