CHAPTER I.

lysupportedbyherfather,haddisappointedher. Shehad,whileaveryyounggirl,assoonasshehadknownhimtobe,intheeventofherhavingnobrother,thefuturebaronet,meanttomarryhim,andherfatherhadalwaysmeantthatsheshould.HehadnotbeenknowntothemasaboybutsoonafterLadyElliot’sdeath,SirWalterhadsoughttheacquaintance,andthoughhisovertureshadnotbeenmetwithanywarmth,hehadperseveredinseekingit,makingallowanceforthemodestdrawing-backofyouthand,inoneoftheirspringexcursionstoLondon,whenElizabethwasinherfirstbloom,MrElliothadbeenforcedintotheintroduction. Hewasatthattimeaveryyoungman,justengagedinthestudyofthelawandElizabethfoundhimextremelyagreeable,andeveryplaninhisfavourwasconfirmed.HewasinvitedtoKellynchHallhewastalkedofandexpectedalltherestoftheyearbuthenevercame.Thefollowingspringhewasseenagainintown,foundequallyagreeable,againencouraged,invited,andexpected,andagainhedidnotcomeandthenexttidingswerethathewasmarried.InsteadofpushinghisfortuneinthelinemarkedoutfortheheirofthehouseofElliot,hehadpurchasedindependencebyunitinghimselftoarichwomanofinferiorbirth. SirWalterhadresentedit.Astheheadofthehouse,hefeltthatheoughttohavebeenconsulted,especiallyaftertakingtheyoungmansopubliclybythehand“Fortheymusthavebeenseentogether,”heobserved,“onceatTattersall’s,andtwiceinthelobbyoftheHouseofCommons.”Hisdisapprobationwasexpressed,butapparentlyverylittleregarded.MrElliothadattemptednoapology,andshewnhimselfasunsolicitousofbeinglongernoticedbythefamily,asSirWalterconsideredhimunworthyofit:allacquaintancebetweenthemhadceased. ThisveryawkwardhistoryofMrElliotwasstill,afteranintervalofseveralyears,feltwithangerbyElizabeth,whohadlikedthemanforhimself,andstillmoreforbeingherfather’sheir,andwhosestrongfamilypridecouldseeonlyinhimapropermatchforSirWalterElliot’seldestdaughter.TherewasnotabaronetfromAtoZwhomherfeelingscouldhavesowillinglyacknowledgedasanequal.Yetsomiserablyhadheconductedhimself,thatthoughshewasatthispresenttime(thesummerof1814)wearingblackribbonsforhiswife,shecouldnotadmithimtobeworththinkingofagain.Thedisgraceofhisfirstmarriagemight,perhaps,astherewasnoreasontosupposeitperpetuatedbyoffspring,havebeengotover,hadhenotdoneworsebuthehad,asbytheaccustomaryinterventionofkindfriends,theyhadbeeninformed,spokenmostdisrespectfullyofthemall,mostslightinglyandcontemptuouslyoftheverybloodhebelongedto,andthehonourswhichwerehereaftertobehisown.Thiscouldnotbepardoned. SuchwereElizabethElliot’ssentimentsandsensationssuchthecarestoalloy,theagitationstovary,thesamenessandtheelegance,thepro