Cette lettre était fort longue ; certains passages, tels que le je vous l’ordonne, que nous venons de transcrire, donnèrent des moments d’espoir délicieux à l’amour de Fabrice. Il lui semblait que le fond des sentiments était assez tendre, si les expressions étaient remarquablement prudentes.
This letter was very long; certain passages, such as the I command you which we have just quoted, gave moments of exquisite hope to Fabrizio's love; it seemed to him that the sentiments underlying the words were distinctly tender, if the expressions used were remarkably prudent.