Quote by Jane Austen

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W.I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.

Summary

In this quote, the speaker expresses their deep longing and affection for someone they love. They cannot continue to remain silent and must convey their emotions through any means possible. The speaker's soul is deeply moved by this person, experiencing a mixture of agony and hope. They implore the person not to tell them it is too late for their love or that their feelings are gone. The speaker reveals that they have loved only this person, despite their shortcomings, and that they have made decisions based solely on their desires. They have hoped that the person would have understood their wishes and reciprocated their feelings. Now, filled with overwhelming emotions, they must leave for some time, not knowing what the future holds. However, they express their willingness to return or join the person's party based on their response, which will decide whether they can enter the person's father's house that evening or not.