Viewing page 18 of 100

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

30
[[red underline]] quite an intimacy of late between Nina and [[/red underline]] [[double red underline]] Bennet. [[/double red underline]] I have no objection to him. Believe him better than most young men I know. If anything [[red underline]] I fear that he has some of the shortcomings which has been such a hindrance to Willem Hendrik Van Loon namely, a rather high opinion of himself [[/red underline]] which vents itself in sarcasm and trying to be too witty and smart when it comes to criticize others. Maybe I am mistaken as I do not know him much. The boy looks healthy and strong and seems honest and has a good reputation. I [[red underline]] pity him if he takes Nina as his wife, unless he succeeds in mastering her impudence [[/red underline]] presumption and unpleasant temper, which vents itself in faultfinding and ever
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
31
complaining. Maybe she would change. What is my bitterest disappointment of Nina is that this far she [[red underline]] has shown none of those lovely traits which make her mother such a cheerful, [[/red underline]] [[strikethrough]] he [[/strikethrough]] generous, disinterested, unselfish and ever active woman, beloved and honored by all who know her. She has to an accentuated degree some of my defects, and many of those of my sisters and of Celine's sister and unfortunately [[red underline]] none of those magnificent qualities of her mother. [[/red underline]] Very ignorant and not inclined to study, she has [[red underline]] disdain for learning [[/red underline]] and thus feeds her presumption. [[red underline]] I dread the idea that if George remains behind in this war, [[/red underline]] and Celine and I should die, she would be first in the possession of my whole fortune and this would simply feed her arrogance and