CHAPTER XXI.

tmarry,thatyourfatherisnottomarryMrsClay.Ascheme,worthyofMrsWallis’sunderstanding,byallaccountsbutmysensiblenurseRookeseestheabsurdityofit.‘Why,tobesure,ma’am,’saidshe,‘itwouldnotpreventhismarryinganybodyelse.’And,indeed,toownthetruth,Idonotthinknurse,inherheart,isaverystrenuousopposerofSirWalter’smakingasecondmatch.Shemustbeallowedtobeafavourerofmatrimony,youknowand(sinceselfwillintrude)whocansaythatshemaynothavesomeflyingvisionsofattendingthenextLadyElliot,throughMrsWallis’srecommendation?” “Iamverygladtoknowallthis,”saidAnne,afteralittlethoughtfulness.“Itwillbemorepainfultomeinsomerespectstobeincompanywithhim,butIshallknowbetterwhattodo.Mylineofconductwillbemoredirect.MrElliotisevidentlyadisingenuous,artificial,worldlyman,whohasneverhadanybetterprincipletoguidehimthanselfishness.” ButMrElliotwasnotdonewith.MrsSmithhadbeencarriedawayfromherfirstdirection,andAnnehadforgotten,intheinterestofherownfamilyconcerns,howmuchhadbeenoriginallyimpliedagainsthimbutherattentionwasnowcalledtotheexplanationofthosefirsthints,andshelistenedtoarecitalwhich,ifitdidnotperfectlyjustifytheunqualifiedbitternessofMrsSmith,provedhimtohavebeenveryunfeelinginhisconducttowardsherverydeficientbothinjusticeandcompassion. Shelearnedthat(theintimacybetweenthemcontinuingunimpairedbyMrElliot’smarriage)theyhadbeenasbeforealwaystogether,andMrElliothadledhisfriendintoexpensesmuchbeyondhisfortune.MrsSmithdidnotwanttotakeblametoherself,andwasmosttenderofthrowinganyonherhusbandbutAnnecouldcollectthattheirincomehadneverbeenequaltotheirstyleofliving,andthatfromthefirsttherehadbeenagreatdealofgeneralandjointextravagance.Fromhiswife’saccountofhimshecoulddiscernMrSmithtohavebeenamanofwarmfeelings,easytemper,carelesshabits,andnotstrongunderstanding,muchmoreamiablethanhisfriend,andveryunlikehim,ledbyhim,andprobablydespisedbyhim.MrElliot,raisedbyhismarriagetogreataffluence,anddisposedtoeverygratificationofpleasureandvanitywhichcouldbecommandedwithoutinvolvinghimself,(forwithallhisself-indulgencehehadbecomeaprudentman),andbeginningtoberich,justashisfriendoughttohavefoundhimselftobepoor,seemedtohavehadnoconcernatallforthatfriend’sprobablefinances,but,onthecontrary,hadbeenpromptingandencouragingexpenseswhichcouldendonlyinruinandtheSmithsaccordinglyhadbeenruined. Thehusbandhaddiedjustintimetobesparedthefullknowledgeofit.Theyhadpreviouslyknownembarrassmentsenoughtotrythefriendshipoftheirfriends,andtoprovethatMrElliot’shadbetternotbetriedbutitwasnottillhisdeaththatthewretchedstateofhisaffairswasfullyknown.WithaconfidenceinMrElliot’sregard,morecreditabletohisfeelingsthanhisjudgement,MrSmithhadappointedhimtheexecutorofhiswillbutMrElliotwouldnotact,andthedifficultiesanddistresswhichthisrefusalhadheapedonher,inadditiontotheinevitablesufferingsofhersituation,hadbeensuchascouldnotberelatedwithoutanguishofspirit,orlistenedtowithoutcorrespondingindignation. Annewasshewnsomelettersofhisontheoccasion,answerstourgentapplicationsfromMrsSmith,whichallbreathedthesamesternresolutionofnotengaginginafruitlesstrouble,and,underacoldcivility,thesamehard-heartedindifferencetoanyoftheevilsitmightbringonher.ItwasadreadfulpictureofingratitudeandinhumanityandAnnefelt,atsomemoments,thatnoflagrantopencrimecouldhavebeenworse.Shehadagreatdealtolistentoalltheparticularsofpastsadscenes,alltheminutiaeofdistressupondistress,whichinformerconversationshadbeenmerelyhintedat,weredweltonnowwithanaturalindulgence.Annecouldperfectlycomprehendtheexquisiterelief,andwasonlythemoreinclinedtowonderatthecomposureofherfriend’susualstateofmind. Therewasonecircumstanceinthehistoryofhergrievancesofparticularirritation.ShehadgoodreasontobelievethatsomepropertyofherhusbandintheWestIndies,whichhadbeenformanyyearsunderasortofsequestrationforthepaymentofitsownincumbrances,mightberecoverablebypropermeasuresandthisproperty,thoughnotlarge,wouldbeenoughtomakehercomparativelyrich.Buttherewasnobodytostirinit.MrElliotwoulddonothing,andshecoulddonothingherself,equallydisabledfrompersonalexertionbyherstateofbodilyweakness,andfromemployingothersbyherwantofmoney.Shehadnonaturalconnexionstoassistherevenwiththeircounsel,andshecouldnotaffordtopurchasetheassistanceofthelaw.Thiswasacruelaggravationofactuallystraitenedmeans.Tofeelthatsheoughttobeinbettercircumstances,thatalittletroubleintherightplacemightdoit,andtofearthatdelaymightbeevenweakeningherclaims,washardtobear. ItwasonthispointthatshehadhopedtoengageAnne’sgoodofficeswithMrElliot.Shehadpreviously,intheanticipationoftheirmarriage,beenveryapprehensiveoflosingherfriendbyitbutonbeingassuredthathecouldhavemadenoattemptofthatnature,sincehedidnotevenknowhertobeinBath,itimmediatelyoccurred,thatsomethingmightbedoneinherfavourbytheinfluenceofthewomanheloved,andshehadbeenhastilypreparingtointerestAnne’sfeelings,asfarastheobservancesduetoMrElliot’scharacterwouldallow,whenAnne’srefutationofthesupposedengagementchangedthefaceofeverythingandwhileittookfromherthenew-formedhopeofsucceedingintheobjectofherfirstanxiety,leftheratleastthecomfortoftellingthewholestoryherownway. AfterlisteningtothisfulldescriptionofMrElliot,AnnecouldnotbutexpresssomesurpriseatMrsSmith’shavingspokenofhimsofavourablyinthebeginningoftheirconversation.“Shehadseemedtorecommendandpraisehim!” “Mydear,”wasMrsSmith’sreply,“therewasnothingelsetobedone.Iconsideredyourmarryinghimascertain,thoughhemightnotyethavemadetheoffer,andIcouldnomorespeakthetruthofhim,thanifhehadbeenyourhusband.Myheartbledforyou,asItalkedofhappinessandyetheissensible,heisagreeable,andwithsuchawomanasyou,itwasnotabsolutelyhopeless.Hewasveryunkindtohisfirstwife.Theywerewretchedtogether.Butshewastooignorantandgiddyforrespect,andhehadneverlovedher.Iwaswillingtohopethatyoumustfarebetter.” Annecouldjustacknowledgewithinherselfsuchapossibilityofhavingbeeninducedtomarryhim,asmadehershudderattheideaofthemiserywhichmusthavefollowed.ItwasjustpossiblethatshemighthavebeenpersuadedbyLadyRussell!Andundersuchasupposition,whichwouldhavebeenmostmiserable,whentimehaddisclosedall,toolate? ItwasverydesirablethatLadyRussellshouldbenolongerdeceivedandoneoftheconcludingarrangementsofthisimportantconference,whichcarriedthemthroughthegreaterpartofthemorning,was,thatAnnehadfulllibertytocommunicatetoherfriendeverythingrelativetoMrsSmith,inwhichhisconductwasinvolved.