CHAPTER I.

benothinginthem,nowthatshewasfadedandthin,toexcitehisesteem.Hehadneverindulgedmuchhope,hehadnownone,ofeverreadinghernameinanyotherpageofhisfavouritework.AllequalityofalliancemustrestwithElizabeth,forMaryhadmerelyconnectedherselfwithanoldcountryfamilyofrespectabilityandlargefortune,andhadthereforegivenallthehonourandreceivednone:Elizabethwould,onedayorother,marrysuitably. Itsometimeshappensthatawomanishandsomerattwenty-ninethanshewastenyearsbeforeand,generallyspeaking,iftherehasbeenneitherillhealthnoranxiety,itisatimeoflifeatwhichscarcelyanycharmislost.ItwassowithElizabeth,stillthesamehandsomeMissElliotthatshehadbeguntobethirteenyearsago,andSirWaltermightbeexcused,therefore,inforgettingherage,or,atleast,bedeemedonlyhalfafool,forthinkinghimselfandElizabethasbloomingasever,amidstthewreckofthegoodlooksofeverybodyelseforhecouldplainlyseehowoldalltherestofhisfamilyandacquaintanceweregrowing.Annehaggard,Marycoarse,everyfaceintheneighbourhoodworsting,andtherapidincreaseofthecrow’sfootaboutLadyRussell’stempleshadlongbeenadistresstohim. Elizabethdidnotquiteequalherfatherinpersonalcontentment.ThirteenyearshadseenhermistressofKellynchHall,presidinganddirectingwithaself-possessionanddecisionwhichcouldneverhavegiventheideaofherbeingyoungerthanshewas.Forthirteenyearshadshebeendoingthehonours,andlayingdownthedomesticlawathome,andleadingthewaytothechaiseandfour,andwalkingimmediatelyafterLadyRusselloutofallthedrawing-roomsanddining-roomsinthecountry.Thirteenwinters’revolvingfrostshadseenheropeningeveryballofcreditwhichascantyneighbourhoodafforded,andthirteenspringsshewntheirblossoms,asshetravelleduptoLondonwithherfather,forafewweeks’annualenjoymentofthegreatworld.Shehadtheremembranceofallthis,shehadtheconsciousnessofbeingnine-and-twentytogivehersomeregretsandsomeapprehensionsshewasfullysatisfiedofbeingstillquiteashandsomeasever,butshefeltherapproachtotheyearsofdanger,andwouldhaverejoicedtobecertainofbeingproperlysolicitedbybaronet-bloodwithinthenexttwelvemonthortwo.Thenmightsheagaintakeupthebookofbookswithasmuchenjoymentasinherearlyyouth,butnowshelikeditnot.Alwaystobepresentedwiththedateofherownbirthandseenomarriagefollowbutthatofayoungestsister,madethebookanevilandmorethanonce,whenherfatherhadleftitopenonthetablenearher,hadsheclosedit,withavertedeyes,andpusheditaway. Shehadhadadisappointment,moreover,whichthatbook,andespeciallythehistoryofherownfamily,musteverpresenttheremembranceof.Theheirpresumptive,theveryWilliamWalterElliot,Esq.,whoserightshadbeensogenerous