ning,withallhiszeal,todwellonthecircumstancesmoreindisputablyintheirfavourtheirage,andnumber,andfortunethehighideatheyhadformedofKellynchHall,andextremesolicitudefortheadvantageofrentingitmakingitappearasiftheyrankednothingbeyondthehappinessofbeingthetenantsofSirWalterElliot:anextraordinarytaste,certainly,couldtheyhavebeensupposedinthesecretofSirWalter’sestimateoftheduesofatenant.
Itsucceeded,howeverandthoughSirWaltermusteverlookwithanevileyeonanyoneintendingtoinhabitthathouse,andthinktheminfinitelytoowelloffinbeingpermittedtorentitonthehighestterms,hewastalkedintoallowingMrShepherdtoproceedinthetreaty,andauthorisinghimtowaitonAdmiralCroft,whostillremainedatTaunton,andfixadayforthehousebeingseen.
SirWalterwasnotverywisebutstillhehadexperienceenoughoftheworldtofeel,thatamoreunobjectionabletenant,inallessentials,thanAdmiralCroftbidfairtobe,couldhardlyoffer.Sofarwenthisunderstandingandhisvanitysuppliedalittleadditionalsoothing,intheAdmiral’ssituationinlife,whichwasjusthighenough,andnottoohigh.“IhaveletmyhousetoAdmiralCroft,”wouldsoundextremelywellverymuchbetterthantoanymereMr.——aMr.(save,perhaps,somehalfdozeninthenation,)alwaysneedsanoteofexplanation.Anadmiralspeakshisownconsequence,and,atthesametime,cannevermakeabaronetlooksmall.Inalltheirdealingsandintercourse,SirWalterElliotmusteverhavetheprecedence.
NothingcouldbedonewithoutareferencetoElizabeth:butherinclinationwasgrowingsostrongforaremoval,thatshewashappytohaveitfixedandexpeditedbyatenantathandandnotawordtosuspenddecisionwasutteredbyher.
MrShepherdwascompletelyempoweredtoactandnosoonerhadsuchanendbeenreached,thanAnne,whohadbeenamostattentivelistenertothewhole,lefttheroom,toseekthecomfortofcoolairforherflushedcheeksandasshewalkedalongafavouritegrove,said,withagentlesigh,“Afewmonthsmore,andhe,perhaps,maybewalkinghere.”