besupposedtobepayinghisaddressestoanyone.”
“Oh!iftheseareyouronlyobjections,”criedMrsSmith,archly,“MrElliotissafe,andIshallgivemyselfnomoretroubleabouthim.Donotforgetmewhenyouaremarried,that’sall.Lethimknowmetobeafriendofyours,andthenhewillthinklittleofthetroublerequired,whichitisverynaturalforhimnow,withsomanyaffairsandengagementsofhisown,toavoidandgetridofashecanverynatural,perhaps.Ninety-nineoutofahundredwoulddothesame.Ofcourse,hecannotbeawareoftheimportancetome.Well,mydearMissElliot,Ihopeandtrustyouwillbeveryhappy.MrElliothassensetounderstandthevalueofsuchawoman.Yourpeacewillnotbeshipwreckedasminehasbeen.Youaresafeinallworldlymatters,andsafeinhischaracter.Hewillnotbeledastrayhewillnotbemisledbyotherstohisruin.”
“No,”saidAnne,“Icanreadilybelieveallthatofmycousin.Heseemstohaveacalmdecidedtemper,notatallopentodangerousimpressions.Iconsiderhimwithgreatrespect.Ihavenoreason,fromanythingthathasfallenwithinmyobservation,todootherwise.ButIhavenotknownhimlongandheisnotaman,Ithink,tobeknownintimatelysoon.Willnotthismannerofspeakingofhim,MrsSmith,convinceyouthatheisnothingtome?Surelythismustbecalmenough.And,uponmyword,heisnothingtome.Shouldheeverproposetome(whichIhaveverylittlereasontoimaginehehasanythoughtofdoing),Ishallnotaccepthim.IassureyouIshallnot.Iassureyou,MrElliothadnotthesharewhichyouhavebeensupposing,inwhateverpleasuretheconcertoflastnightmightafford:notMrElliotitisnotMrElliotthat—”
Shestopped,regrettingwithadeepblushthatshehadimpliedsomuchbutlesswouldhardlyhavebeensufficient.MrsSmithwouldhardlyhavebelievedsosooninMrElliot’sfailure,butfromtheperceptionoftherebeingasomebodyelse.Asitwas,sheinstantlysubmitted,andwithallthesemblanceofseeingnothingbeyondandAnne,eagertoescapefarthernotice,wasimpatienttoknowwhyMrsSmithshouldhavefanciedshewastomarryMrElliotwhereshecouldhavereceivedtheidea,orfromwhomshecouldhaveheardit.
“Dotellmehowitfirstcameintoyourhead.”
“Itfirstcameintomyhead,”repliedMrsSmith,“uponfindinghowmuchyouweretogether,andfeelingittobethemostprobablethingintheworldtobewishedforbyeverybodybelongingtoeitherofyouandyoumaydependuponitthatallyouracquaintancehavedisposedofyouinthesameway.ButIneverhearditspokenoftilltwodaysago.”
“Andhasitindeedbeenspokenof?”
“Didyouobservethewomanwhoopenedthedoortoyouwhenyoucalledyesterday?”
“No.WasnotitMrsSpeed,asusual,orthemaid?Iobservednooneinparticular.”
“ItwasmyfriendMrsRookeNurseRookewho,by-the-bye,hadagreatcuriositytoseeyou,andwasdelightedtobeinthewaytoletyouin.ShecameawayfromMarlboroughBuildingsonlyonSundayandsheitwaswhotoldmeyouweretomarryMrElliot.ShehadhaditfromMrsWallisherself,whichdidnotseembadauthority.ShesatanhourwithmeonMondayevening,andgavemethewholehistory.”“Thewholehistory,”repeatedAnne,laughing.“Shecouldnotmakeaverylonghistory,Ithink,ofonesuchlittlearticleofunfoundednews.”
MrsSmithsaidnothing.
“But,”continuedAnne,presently,“thoughthereisnotruthinmyhavingthisclaimonMrElliot,IshouldbeextremelyhappytobeofusetoyouinanywaythatIcould.ShallImentiontohimyourbeinginBath?ShallItakeanymessage?”
“No,Ithankyou:no,certainlynot.Inthewarmthofthemoment,andunderamistakenimpression,Imight,perhaps,havee