o,asElizabeththrewopenthefolding-doorsandwalkedwithexultationfromonedrawing-roomtotheother,boastingoftheirspaceatthepossibilityofthatwoman,whohadbeenmistressofKellynchHall,findingextenttobeproudofbetweentwowalls,perhapsthirtyfeetasunder.
Butthiswasnotallwhichtheyhadtomakethemhappy.TheyhadMrElliottoo.AnnehadagreatdealtohearofMrElliot.Hewasnotonlypardoned,theyweredelightedwithhim.HehadbeeninBathaboutafortnight(hehadpassedthroughBathinNovember,inhiswaytoLondon,whentheintelligenceofSirWalter’sbeingsettledtherehadofcoursereachedhim,thoughonlytwenty-fourhoursintheplace,buthehadnotbeenabletoavailhimselfofit)buthehadnowbeenafortnightinBath,andhisfirstobjectonarriving,hadbeentoleavehiscardinCamdenPlace,followingitupbysuchassiduousendeavourstomeet,andwhentheydidmeet,bysuchgreatopennessofconduct,suchreadinesstoapologizeforthepast,suchsolicitudetobereceivedasarelationagain,thattheirformergoodunderstandingwascompletelyre-established.
Theyhadnotafaulttofindinhim.Hehadexplainedawayalltheappearanceofneglectonhisownside.Ithadoriginatedinmisapprehensionentirely.Hehadneverhadanideaofthrowinghimselfoffhehadfearedthathewasthrownoff,butknewnotwhy,anddelicacyhadkepthimsilent.Uponthehintofhavingspokendisrespectfullyorcarelesslyofthefamilyandthefamilyhonours,hewasquiteindignant.He,whohadeverboastedofbeinganElliot,andwhosefeelings,astoconnection,wereonlytoostricttosuittheunfeudaltoneofthepresentday.Hewasastonished,indeed,buthischaracterandgeneralconductmustrefuteit.HecouldreferSirWaltertoallwhoknewhimandcertainly,thepainshehadbeentakingonthis,thefirstopportunityofreconciliation,toberestoredtothefootingofarelationandheir-presumptive,wasastrongproofofhisopinionsonthesubject.
Thecircumstancesofhismarriage,too,werefoundtoadmitofmuchextenuation.Thiswasanarticlenottobeenteredonbyhimselfbutaveryintimatefriendofhis,aColonelWallis,ahighlyrespec