CHAPTER III.

ds,contrarytomyjudgement,submittedtoanamicablecompromise.Veryoddindeed!” Afterwaitinganothermoment— “YoumeanMrWentworth,Isuppose?”saidAnne. MrShepherdwasallgratitude. “Wentworthwastheveryname!MrWentworthwastheveryman.HehadthecuracyofMonkford,youknow,SirWalter,sometimeback,fortwoorthreeyears.Camethereabouttheyear—-5,Itakeit.Yourememberhim,Iamsure.” “Wentworth?Oh!ay,—MrWentworth,thecurateofMonkford.Youmisledmebythetermgentleman.Ithoughtyouwerespeakingofsomemanofproperty:MrWentworthwasnobody,IrememberquiteunconnectednothingtodowiththeStraffordfamily.Onewondershowthenamesofmanyofournobilitybecomesocommon.” AsMrShepherdperceivedthatthisconnexionoftheCroftsdidthemnoservicewithSirWalter,hementioneditnomorereturning,withallhiszeal,todwellonthecircumstancesmoreindisputablyintheirfavourtheirage,andnumber,andfortunethehighideatheyhadformedofKellynchHall,andextremesolicitudefortheadvantageofrentingitmakingitappearasiftheyrankednothingbeyondthehappinessofbeingthetenantsofSirWalterElliot:anextraordinarytaste,certainly,couldtheyhavebeensupposedinthesecretofSirWalter’sestimateoftheduesofatenant. Itsucceeded,howeverandthoughSirWaltermusteverlookwithanevileyeonanyoneintendingtoinhabitthathouse,andthinktheminfinitelytoowelloffinbeingpermittedtorentitonthehighestterms,hewastalkedintoallowingMrShepherdtoproceedinthetreaty,andauthorisinghimtowaitonAdmiralCroft,whostillremainedatTaunton,andfixadayforthehousebeingseen. SirWalterwasnotverywisebutstillhehadexperienceenoughoftheworldtofeel,thatamoreunobjectionabletenant,inallessentials,thanAdmiralCroftbidfairtobe,couldhardlyoffer.Sofarwenthisunderstandingandhisvanitysuppliedalittleadditionalsoothing,intheAdmiral’ssituationinlife,whichwasjusthighenough,andnottoohigh.“IhaveletmyhousetoAdmiralCroft,”wouldsoundextremelywellverymuchbetterthantoanymereMr.——aMr.(save,perhaps,somehalfdozeninthenation,)alwaysneedsanoteofexplanation.Anadmiralspeakshisownconsequence,and,atthesametime,cannevermakeabaronetlooksmall.Inalltheirdealingsandintercourse,SirWalterElliotmusteverhavetheprecedence. NothingcouldbedonewithoutareferencetoElizabeth:butherinclinationwasgrowingsostrongforaremoval,thatshewashappytohaveitfixedandexpeditedbyatenantathandandnotawordtosuspenddecisionwasutteredbyher. MrShepherdwascompletelyempoweredtoactandnosoonerhadsuchanendbeenreached,thanAnne,whohadbeenamostattentivelistenertothewhole,lefttheroom,toseekthecomfortofcoolairforherflushedcheeksandasshewalkedalongafavouritegrove,said,withagentlesigh,“Afewmonthsmore,andhe,perhaps,maybewalkinghere.”