I could not find it in my heart long to be offended with her

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi everybody!

I have another doubt about a sentence I found.

The speech was as follows:

“Her evasion was conducted with so pretty a melancholy and deprecation, with so many, and even passionate declaration of her liking for me, and trust in my honor, and with so many promises that I should at last know all, that I could not find it in my heart long to be offended with her.”

What it is not clear for me is the last sentence: “I could not find it in my heart long to be offended with her”

What is the meaning or the sense of such a sentence? What is the function of the word long in it? What does to be offended with her mean?

I hope you can help me understand.

Regards.

2

I could not find it in my heart long / to be offended with her.

I could not find it in myself to be upset by her actions/demeanor for very long.
(In other words, despite the fact that the gentleman feels he should probably be upset by her previous behaviour, her manner was now so inoffensive and flattering that he couldn’t remain annoyed with her.)

3

OK, thank you for the explanation.

Now the sentence has sense for me.

Regards.