ndeavouredtointerestyouinsomecircumstancesbutnotnow.No,Ithankyou,Ihavenothingtotroubleyouwith.”
“IthinkyouspokeofhavingknownMrElliotmanyyears?”
“Idid.”
“Notbeforehewasmarried,Isuppose?”
“YeshewasnotmarriedwhenIknewhimfirst.”
“And—wereyoumuchacquainted?”
“Intimately.”
“Indeed!Thendotellmewhathewasatthattimeoflife.IhaveagreatcuriositytoknowwhatMrElliotwasasaveryyoungman.Washeatallsuchasheappearsnow?”
“IhavenotseenMrElliotthesethreeyears,”wasMrsSmith’sanswer,givensogravelythatitwasimpossibletopursuethesubjectfartherandAnnefeltthatshehadgainednothingbutanincreaseofcuriosity.Theywerebothsilent:MrsSmithverythoughtful.Atlast—
“Ibegyourpardon,mydearMissElliot,”shecried,inhernaturaltoneofcordiality,“IbegyourpardonfortheshortanswersIhavebeengivingyou,butIhavebeenuncertainwhatIoughttodo.IhavebeendoubtingandconsideringastowhatIoughttotellyou.Thereweremanythingstobetakenintotheaccount.Onehatestobeofficious,tobegivingbadimpressions,makingmischief.Eventhesmoothsurfaceoffamily-unionseemsworthpreserving,thoughtheremaybenothingdurablebeneath.However,IhavedeterminedIthinkIamrightIthinkyououghttobemadeacquaintedwithMrElliot’srealcharacter.ThoughIfullybelievethat,atpresent,youhavenotthesmallestintentionofacceptinghim,thereisnosayingwhatmayhappen.Youmight,sometimeorother,bedifferentlyaffectedtowardshim.Hearthetruth,therefore,now,whileyouareunprejudiced.MrElliotisamanwithoutheartorconscienceadesigning,wary,cold-bloodedbeing,whothinksonlyofhimselfwhomforhisowninterestorease,wouldbeguiltyofanycruelty,oranytreachery,thatcouldbeperpetratedwithoutriskofhisgeneralcharacter.Hehasnofeelingforothers.Thosewhomhehasbeenthechiefcauseofleadingintoruin,hecanneglectanddesertwithoutthesmallestcompunction.Heistotallybeyondthereachofanysentimentofjusticeorcompassion.Oh!heisblackatheart,hollowandblack!”
Anne’sastonishedair,andexclamationofwonder,madeherpause,andinacalmermanner,sheadded,
“Myexpressionsstartleyou.Youmustallowforaninjured,angrywoman.ButIwilltrytocommandmyself.Iwillnotabusehim.IwillonlytellyouwhatIhavefoundhim.Factsshallspeak.Hewastheintimatefriendofmydearhusband,whotrustedandlovedhim,andthoughthimasgoodashimself.Theintimacyhadbeenformedbeforeourmarriage.IfoundthemmostintimatefriendsandI,too,becameexcessivelypleasedwithMrElliot,andentertainedthehighestopinionofhim.Atnineteen,youknow,onedoesnotthinkveryseriouslybutMrElliotappearedtomequiteasgoodasothers,andmuchmoreagreeablethanmostothers,andwewerealmostalwaystogether.Wewereprincipallyintown,livinginverygoodstyle.HewasthentheinferiorincircumstanceshewasthenthepooronehehadchambersintheTemple,anditwasasmuchashecoulddotosupporttheappearanceofagentleman.Hehadalwaysahomewithuswheneverhechoseithewasalwayswelcomehewaslikeabrother.MypoorCharles,whohadthefinest,mostgenerousspiritintheworld,wouldhavedividedhislastfarthingwithhimandIknowthathispursewasopentohimIknowthatheoftenassistedhim.”
“ThismusthavebeenaboutthatveryperiodofMrElliot’slife,”saidAnne,“whichhasalwaysexcitedmyparticularcuriosity.Itmusthavebeenaboutthesametimethathebecameknowntomyfatherandsister.IneverknewhimmyselfIonlyheardofhimbuttherewasasomethinginhisconduct