thefamily,asSirWalterconsideredhimunworthyofit:allacquaintancebetweenthemhadceased.
ThisveryawkwardhistoryofMrElliotwasstill,afteranintervalofseveralyears,feltwithangerbyElizabeth,whohadlikedthemanforhimself,andstillmoreforbeingherfather’sheir,andwhosestrongfamilypridecouldseeonlyinhimapropermatchforSirWalterElliot’seldestdaughter.TherewasnotabaronetfromAtoZwhomherfeelingscouldhavesowillinglyacknowledgedasanequal.Yetsomiserablyhadheconductedhimself,thatthoughshewasatthispresenttime(thesummerof1814)wearingblackribbonsforhiswife,shecouldnotadmithimtobeworththinkingofagain.Thedisgraceofhisfirstmarriagemight,perhaps,astherewasnoreasontosupposeitperpetuatedbyoffspring,havebeengotover,hadhenotdoneworsebuthehad,asbytheaccustomaryinterventionofkindfriends,theyhadbeeninformed,spokenmostdisrespectfullyofthemall,mostslightinglyandcontemptuouslyoftheverybloodhebelongedto,andthehonourswhichwerehereaftertobehisown.Thiscouldnotbepardoned.
SuchwereElizabethElliot’ssentimentsandsensationssuchthecarestoalloy,theagitationstovary,thesamenessandtheelegance,theprosperityandthenothingnessofhersceneoflifesuchthefeelingstogiveinteresttoalong,uneventfulresidenceinonecountrycircle,tofillthevacancieswhichtherewerenohabitsofutilityabroad,notalentsoraccomplishmentsforhome,tooccupy.
Butnow,anotheroccupationandsolicitudeofmindwasbeginningtobeaddedtothese.Herfatherwasgrowingdistressedformoney.Sheknew,thatwhenhenowtookuptheBaronetage,itwastodrivetheheavybillsofhistradespeople,andtheunwelcomehintsofMrShepherd,hisagent,fromhisthoughts.TheKellynchpropertywasgood,butnotequaltoSirWalter’sapprehensionofthestaterequiredinitspossessor.WhileLadyElliotlived,therehadbeenmethod,moderation,andeconomy,whichhadjustkepthimwithinhisincomebutwithherhaddiedallsuchright-mindedness,andfromthatperi