CHAPTER V.

try,andherowndearcountry,readilyagreedtostay. ThisinvitationofMary’sremovedallLadyRussell’sdifficulties,anditwasconsequentlysoonsettledthatAnneshouldnotgotoBathtillLadyRusselltookher,andthatalltheinterveningtimeshouldbedividedbetweenUppercrossCottageandKellynchLodge. SofarallwasperfectlyrightbutLadyRussellwasalmoststartledbythewrongofonepartoftheKellynchHallplan,whenitburstonher,whichwas,MrsClay’sbeingengagedtogotoBathwithSirWalterandElizabeth,asamostimportantandvaluableassistanttothelatterinallthebusinessbeforeher.LadyRussellwasextremelysorrythatsuchameasureshouldhavebeenresortedtoatall,wondered,grieved,andfearedandtheaffrontitcontainedtoAnne,inMrsClay’sbeingofsomuchuse,whileAnnecouldbeofnone,wasaverysoreaggravation. AnneherselfwasbecomehardenedtosuchaffrontsbutshefelttheimprudenceofthearrangementquiteaskeenlyasLadyRussell.Withagreatdealofquietobservation,andaknowledge,whichsheoftenwishedless,ofherfather’scharacter,shewassensiblethatresultsthemostserioustohisfamilyfromtheintimacyweremorethanpossible.Shedidnotimaginethatherfatherhadatpresentanideaofthekind.MrsClayhadfreckles,andaprojectingtooth,andaclumsywrist,whichhewascontinuallymakingsevereremarksupon,inherabsencebutshewasyoung,andcertainlyaltogetherwell-looking,andpossessed,inanacutemindandassiduouspleasingmanners,infinitelymoredangerousattractionsthananymerelypersonalmighthavebeen.Annewassoimpressedbythedegreeoftheirdanger,thatshecouldnotexcuseherselffromtryingtomakeitperceptibletohersister.ShehadlittlehopeofsuccessbutElizabeth,whointheeventofsuchareversewouldbesomuchmoretobepitiedthanherself,shouldnever,shethought,havereasontoreproachherforgivingnowarning. Shespoke,andseemedonlytooffend.Elizabethcouldnotconceivehowsuchanabsurdsuspicionshouldoccurtoher,andindignantlyansweredforeachparty’sperfectlyknowingtheirsituation. “MrsClay,”saidshe,warmly,“neverforgetswhosheisandasIamratherbetteracquaintedwithhersentimentsthanyoucanbe,Icanassureyou,thatuponthesubjectofmarriagetheyareparticularlynice,andthatshereprobatesallinequalityofconditionandrankmorestronglythanmostpeople.Andastomyfather,Ireallyshouldnothavethoughtthathe,whohaskepthimselfsinglesolongforoursakes,needbesuspectednow.IfMrsClaywereaverybeautifulwoman,Igrantyou,itmightbewrongtohavehersomuchwithmenotthatanythingintheworld,Iamsure,wouldinducemyfathertomakeadegradingmatch,buthemightberenderedunhappy.ButpoorMrsClaywho,withallhermerits,canneverhavebeenreckonedtolerablypretty,IreallythinkpoorMrsClaymaybestayinghereinperfectsafety.Onewouldimagineyouhadneverheardmyfatherspeakofherpersonalmisfortunes,thoughIknowyoumustfiftytimes.Thattoothofher’sandthosefreckles.Frecklesdonotdisgustmesoverymuchastheydohim.Ihaveknownafacenotmateriallydisfiguredbyafew,butheabominatesthem.YoumusthaveheardhimnoticeMrsClay’sfreckles.” “Thereishardlyanypersonaldefect,”repliedAnne,“whichanagreeablemannermightnotgraduallyreconcileoneto.” “Ithinkverydifferently,”answeredElizabeth,shortly“anagreeablemannermaysetoffhandsomefeatures,butcanneveralterplainones.However,atanyrat