CHAPTER II.

onvenientdistancefromKellynch,onlyfiftymiles,andLadyRussell’sspendingsomepartofeverywinterthereandtotheverygreatsatisfactionofLadyRussell,whosefirstviewsontheprojectedchangehadbeenforBath,SirWalterandElizabethwereinducedtobelievethattheyshouldloseneitherconsequencenorenjoymentbysettlingthere. LadyRussellfeltobligedtoopposeherdearAnne’sknownwishes.ItwouldbetoomuchtoexpectSirWaltertodescendintoasmallhouseinhisownneighbourhood.Anneherselfwouldhavefoundthemortificationsofitmorethansheforesaw,andtoSirWalter’sfeelingstheymusthavebeendreadful.AndwithregardtoAnne’sdislikeofBath,sheconsidereditasaprejudiceandmistakearising,first,fromthecircumstanceofherhavingbeenthreeyearsatschoolthere,afterhermother’sdeathandsecondly,fromherhappeningtobenotinperfectlygoodspiritstheonlywinterwhichshehadafterwardsspenttherewithherself. LadyRussellwasfondofBath,inshort,anddisposedtothinkitmustsuitthemallandastoheryoungfriend’shealth,bypassingallthewarmmonthswithheratKellynchLodge,everydangerwouldbeavoidedanditwasinfact,achangewhichmustdobothhealthandspiritsgood.Annehadbeentoolittlefromhome,toolittleseen.Herspiritswerenothigh.Alargersocietywouldimprovethem.Shewantedhertobemoreknown. TheundesirablenessofanyotherhouseinthesameneighbourhoodforSirWalterwascertainlymuchstrengthenedbyonepart,andaverymaterialpartofthescheme,whichhadbeenhappilyengraftedonthebeginning.Hewasnotonlytoquithishome,buttoseeitinthehandsofothersatrialoffortitude,whichstrongerheadsthanSirWalter’shavefoundtoomuch.KellynchHallwastobelet.This,however,wasaprofoundsecret,nottobebreathedbeyondtheirowncircle. SirWaltercouldnothavebornethedegradationofbeingknowntodesignlettinghishouse.MrShepherdhadoncementionedtheword“advertise,”butneverdaredapproachitagain.SirWalterspurnedtheideaofitsbeingofferedinanymannerforbadtheslightesthintbeingdroppedofhishavingsuchanintentionanditwasonlyonthesupposition