rother,marrysuitably.
Itsometimeshappensthatawomanishandsomerattwenty-ninethanshewastenyearsbeforeand,generallyspeaking,iftherehasbeenneitherillhealthnoranxiety,itisatimeoflifeatwhichscarcelyanycharmislost.ItwassowithElizabeth,stillthesamehandsomeMissElliotthatshehadbeguntobethirteenyearsago,andSirWaltermightbeexcused,therefore,inforgettingherage,or,atleast,bedeemedonlyhalfafool,forthinkinghimselfandElizabethasbloomingasever,amidstthewreckofthegoodlooksofeverybodyelseforhecouldplainlyseehowoldalltherestofhisfamilyandacquaintanceweregrowing.Annehaggard,Marycoarse,everyfaceintheneighbourhoodworsting,andtherapidincreaseofthecrow’sfootaboutLadyRussell’stempleshadlongbeenadistresstohim.
Elizabethdidnotquiteequalherfatherinpersonalcontentment.ThirteenyearshadseenhermistressofKellynchHall,presidinganddirectingwithaself-possessionanddecisionwhichcouldneverhavegiventheideaofherbeingyoungerthanshewas.Forthirteenyearshadshebeendoingthehonours,andlayingdownthedomesticlawathome,andleadingthewaytothechaiseandfour,andwalkingimmediatelyafterLadyRusselloutofallthedrawing-roomsanddining-roomsinthecountry.Thirteenwinters’revolvingfrostshadseenheropeningeveryballofcreditwhichascantyneighbourhoodafforded,andthirteenspringsshewntheirblossoms,asshetravelleduptoLondonwithherfather,forafewweeks’annualenjoymentofthegreatworld.Shehadtheremembranceofallthis,shehadtheconsciousnessofbeingnine-and-twentytogivehersomeregretsandsomeapprehensionsshewasfullysatisfiedofbeingstillquiteashandsomeasever,butshefeltherapproachtotheyearsofdanger,andwouldhaverejoicedtobecertainofbeingproperlysolicitedbybaronet-bloodwithinthenexttwelvemonthortwo.Thenmightsheagaintakeupthebookofbookswithasmuchenjoymentasinherearlyyouth,butnowshelikeditnot.Alwaystobepresentedwiththedateofherownbirthandseenomarriage