Annecouldnotimmediatelygetovertheshockandmortificationoffindingsuchwordsappliedtoherfather.Shewasobligedtorecollectthatherseeingtheletterwasaviolationofthelawsofhonour,thatnooneoughttobejudgedortobeknownbysuchtestimonies,thatnoprivatecorrespondencecouldbeartheeyeofothers,beforeshecouldrecovercalmnessenoughtoreturntheletterwhichshehadbeenmeditatingover,andsay—
“Thankyou.Thisisfullproofundoubtedlyproofofeverythingyouweresaying.Butwhybeacquaintedwithusnow?”
“Icanexplainthistoo,”criedMrsSmith,smiling.
“Canyoureally?”
“Yes.IhaveshewnyouMrElliotashewasadozenyearsago,andIwillshewhimasheisnow.Icannotproducewrittenproofagain,butIcangiveasauthenticoraltestimonyasyoucandesire,ofwhatheisnowwanting,andwhatheisnowdoing.Heisnohypocritenow.Hetrulywantstomarryyou.Hispresentattentionstoyourfamilyareverysincere:quitefromtheheart.Iwillgiveyoumyauthority:hisfriendColonelWallis.”
“ColonelWallis!youareacquaintedwithhim?”
“No.Itdoesnotcometomeinquitesodirectalineasthatittakesabendortwo,butnothingofconsequence.Thestreamisasgoodasatfirstthelittlerubbishitcollectsintheturningsiseasilymovedaway.MrElliottalksunreservedlytoColonelWallisofhisviewsonyou,whichsaidColonelWallis,Iimaginetobe,inhimself,asensible,careful,discerningsortofcharacterbutColonelWallishasaveryprettysillywife,towhomhetellsthingswhichhehadbetternot,andherepeatsitalltoher.Sheintheoverflowingspiritsofherrecovery,repeatsitalltohernurseandthenurseknowingmyacquaintancewithyou,verynaturallybringsitalltome.OnMondayevening,mygoodfriendMrsRookeletmethusmuchintothesecretsofMarlboroughBuildings.WhenItalkedofawholehistory,therefore,youseeIwasnotromancingsomuchasyousupposed.”
“MydearMrsSmith,yourauthorityisdeficient.Thiswillnotdo.MrElliot’shavinganyviewsonmewillnotintheleastaccountfortheeffortshemadetowardsareconciliationwithmyfather.ThatwasallpriortomycomingtoBath.IfoundthemonthemostfriendlytermswhenIarrived.”
“IknowyoudidIknowitallperfectly,but—”
“Indeed,MrsSmith,wemustnotexpecttogetrealinformationinsuchaline.Factsoropinionswhicharetopassthroughthehandsofsomany,tobemisconceivedbyfollyinone,andignoranceinanother,canhardlyhavemuchtruthleft.”
“Onlygivemeahearing.Youwillsoonbeabletojudgeofthegeneralcreditdue,bylisteningtosomeparticularswhichyoucanyourselfimmediatelycontradictorconfirm.Nobodysupposesthatyouwerehisfirstinducement.Hehadseenyouindeed,beforehecametoBath,andadmiredyou,butwithoutknowingittobeyou.Sosaysmyhistorian,atleast.Isthistrue?Didheseeyoulastsummerorautumn,‘somewheredowninthewest,’touseherownwords,withoutknowingittobeyou?”
“Hecertainlydid.Sofaritisverytrue.AtLyme.IhappenedtobeatLyme.”
“Well,”continuedMrsSmith,triumphantly,“grantmyfriendthecreditduetotheestablishmentofthefirstpointasserted.HesawyouthenatLyme,andlikedyousowellastobeexceedinglypleasedtomeetwithyouagaininCamdenPlace,asMissAnneElliot,andfromthatmoment,Ihavenodoubt,hadadoublemotiveinhisvisitsthere.Buttherewasanother,andanearlier,whichIwillnowexplain.Ifthereisanythinginmystorywhichyouknowtobeeitherfalseorimprobable,stopme.Myaccountstates,thatyoursister’sfriend,theladynowstayingwithyou,whomIhaveheardyoumention,cametoBathwithMissElliot