Кажется, если запостить сюда очередную цитату из Барбары Пим, этот живой, но аутичный журнал станет невыносимым. Но иначе я ее потеряю.
'Oh, poor Helena. I think she might love you,’ I said rashly.
‘I’m sure she does,’ said Everard in what seemed to be a satisfied tone. ‘She has told me so.’
‘Oh, no! Not without encouragement! Do women declare themselves like that?’
‘Oh, yes. It is not very unusual.’
‘But what did you tell her?’
‘I told her that it was quite impossible that I should love her.’
‘You must have been rather startled,’ I said. ‘Unless you had expected it, and perhaps you had if it can happen. But it must have been like having something like a large white rabbit thrust into your arms and not knowing what to do with it.’
‘A white rabbit? What do you mean?’
‘Oh, if you don’t see I can’t explain,’ I said.
“Excellent Women”, p.145