CHAPTER I.

sperityandthenothingnessofhersceneoflifesuchthefeelingstogiveinteresttoalong,uneventfulresidenceinonecountrycircle,tofillthevacancieswhichtherewerenohabitsofutilityabroad,notalentsoraccomplishmentsforhome,tooccupy. Butnow,anotheroccupationandsolicitudeofmindwasbeginningtobeaddedtothese.Herfatherwasgrowingdistressedformoney.Sheknew,thatwhenhenowtookuptheBaronetage,itwastodrivetheheavybillsofhistradespeople,andtheunwelcomehintsofMrShepherd,hisagent,fromhisthoughts.TheKellynchpropertywasgood,butnotequaltoSirWalter’sapprehensionofthestaterequiredinitspossessor.WhileLadyElliotlived,therehadbeenmethod,moderation,andeconomy,whichhadjustkepthimwithinhisincomebutwithherhaddiedallsuchright-mindedness,andfromthatperiodhehadbeenconstantlyexceedingit.IthadnotbeenpossibleforhimtospendlesshehaddonenothingbutwhatSirWalterElliotwasimperiouslycalledontodobutblamelessashewas,hewasnotonlygrowingdreadfullyindebt,butwashearingofitsooften,thatitbecamevaintoattemptconcealingitlonger,evenpartially,fromhisdaughter.Hehadgivenhersomehintsofitthelastspringintownhehadgonesofarevenastosay,“Canweretrench?Doesitoccurtoyouthatthereisanyonearticleinwhichwecanretrench?”andElizabeth,todoherjustice,had,inthefirstardouroffemalealarm,setseriouslytothinkwhatcouldbedone,andhadfinallyproposedthesetwobranchesofeconomy,tocutoffsomeunnecessarycharities,andtorefrainfromnewfurnishingthedrawing-roomtowhichexpedientssheafterwardsaddedthehappythoughtoftheirtakingnopresentdowntoAnne,ashadbeentheusualyearlycustom.Butthesemeasures,howevergoodinthemselves,wereinsufficientfortherealextentoftheevil,thewholeofwhichSirWalterfoundhimselfobligedtoconfesstohersoonafterwards.Elizabethhadnothingtoproposeofdeeperefficacy.Shefeltherselfill-usedandunfortunate,asdidherfatherandtheywereneitherofthemabletodeviseanymeansoflesseningtheirexpenseswithoutcompromisingtheirdignity,orrelinquishingtheircomfortsinawaynottobeborne. TherewasonlyasmallpartofhisestatethatSirWaltercoulddisposeofbuthadeveryacrebeenalienable,itwouldhavemadenodifference.Hehadcondescendedtomortgageasfarashehadthepower,buthewouldnevercondescendtosell.Nohewouldneverdisgracehisnamesofar.TheKellynchestateshouldbetransmittedwholeandentire,ashehadreceivedit. Theirtwoconfidentialfriends,MrShepherd,wholivedintheneighbouringmarkettown,andLadyRussell,werecalledtoadvisethemandbothfatheranddaughterseemedtoexpectthatsomethingshouldbestruckoutbyoneortheothertoremovetheirembarrassmentsandreducetheirexpenditure,withoutinvolvingthelossofanyindulgenceoftasteorpride.