CHAPTER XV.

vourstomeet,andwhentheydidmeet,bysuchgreatopennessofconduct,suchreadinesstoapologizeforthepast,suchsolicitudetobereceivedasarelationagain,thattheirformergoodunderstandingwascompletelyre-established. Theyhadnotafaulttofindinhim.Hehadexplainedawayalltheappearanceofneglectonhisownside.Ithadoriginatedinmisapprehensionentirely.Hehadneverhadanideaofthrowinghimselfoffhehadfearedthathewasthrownoff,butknewnotwhy,anddelicacyhadkepthimsilent.Uponthehintofhavingspokendisrespectfullyorcarelesslyofthefamilyandthefamilyhonours,hewasquiteindignant.He,whohadeverboastedofbeinganElliot,andwhosefeelings,astoconnection,wereonlytoostricttosuittheunfeudaltoneofthepresentday.Hewasastonished,indeed,buthischaracterandgeneralconductmustrefuteit.HecouldreferSirWaltertoallwhoknewhimandcertainly,thepainshehadbeentakingonthis,thefirstopportunityofreconciliation,toberestoredtothefootingofarelationandheir-presumptive,wasastrongproofofhisopinionsonthesubject. Thecircumstancesofhismarriage,too,werefoundtoadmitofmuchextenuation.Thiswasanarticlenottobeenteredonbyhimselfbutaveryintimatefriendofhis,aColonelWallis,ahighlyrespectableman,perfectlythegentleman,(andnotanill-lookingman,SirWalteradded),whowaslivinginverygoodstyleinMarlboroughBuildings,andhad,athisownparticularrequest,beenadmittedtotheiracquaintancethroughMrElliot,hadmentionedoneortwothingsrelativetothemarriage,whichmadeamaterialdifferenceinthediscreditofit. ColonelWallishadknownMrElliotlong,hadbeenwellacquaintedalsowithhiswife,hadperfectlyunderstoodthewholestory.Shewascertainlynotawomanoffamily,butwelleducated,accomplished,rich,andexcessivelyinlovewithhisfriend.Therehadbeenthecharm.Shehadsoughthim.Withoutthatattraction,notallhermoneywouldhavetemptedElliot,andSirWalterwas,moreover,assuredofherhavingbeenaveryfinewoman.Herewasagreatdealtosoftenthebusiness.Averyfinewomanwithalargefortune,inlovewithhim!SirWalterseemedtoadmititascompleteapologyandthoughElizabethcouldnotseethecircumstanceinquitesofavourablealight,shealloweditbeagreatextenuation. MrElliothadcalledrepeatedly,haddinedwiththemonce,evidentlydelightedbythedistinctionofbeingasked,fortheygavenodinnersingeneraldelighted,inshort,byeveryproofofcousinlynotice,andplacinghiswholehappinessinbeingonintimatetermsinCamdenPlace. Annelistened,butwithoutquiteunderstandingit.Allowances,largeallowances,sheknew,mustbemadefortheideasofthosewhospoke.Shehearditallunderembellishment.Allthatsoundedextravagantorirrationalintheprogressofthereconciliationmighthavenooriginbutinthelanguageoftherelators.Still,however,shehadthesensationoftherebeingsomethingmorethanimmediatelyappeare