Whocanbeindoubtofwhatfollowed?Whenanytwoyoungpeopletakeitintotheirheadstomarry,theyareprettysurebyperseverancetocarrytheirpoint,betheyeversopoor,oreversoimprudent,oreversolittlelikelytobenecessarytoeachother’sultimatecomfort.Thismaybebadmoralitytoconcludewith,butIbelieveittobetruthandifsuchpartiessucceed,howshouldaCaptainWentworthandanAnneElliot,withtheadvantageofmaturityofmind,consciousnessofright,andoneindependentfortunebetweenthem,failofbearingdowneveryopposition?Theymightinfact,havebornedownagreatdealmorethantheymetwith,fortherewaslittletodistressthembeyondthewantofgraciousnessandwarmth.SirWaltermadenoobjection,andElizabethdidnothingworsethanlookcoldandunconcerned.CaptainWentworth,withfive-and-twentythousandpounds,andashighinhisprofessionasmeritandactivitycouldplacehim,wasnolongernobody.Hewasnowesteemedquiteworthytoaddressthedaughterofafoolish,spendthriftbaronet,whohadnothadprincipleorsenseenoughtomaintainhimselfinthesituationinwhichProvidencehadplacedhim,andwhocouldgivehisdaughteratpresentbutasmallpartoftheshareoftenthousandpoundswhichmustbehershereafter.
SirWalter,indeed,thoughhehadnoaffectionforAnne,andnovanityflattered,tomakehimreallyhappyontheoccasion,wasveryfarfromthinkingitabadmatchforher.Onthecontrary,whenhesawmoreofCaptainWentworth,sawhimrepeatedlybydaylight,andeyedhimwell,hewasverymuchstruckbyhispersonalclaims,andfeltthathissuperiorityofappearancemightbenotunfairlybalancedagainsthersuperiorityofrankandallthis,assistedbyhiswell-soundingname,enabledSirWalteratlasttopreparehispen,withaverygoodgrace,fortheinsertionofthemarriageinthevolumeofhonour.
Theonlyoneamongthem,whoseoppositionoffeelingcouldexciteanyseriousanxietywasLadyRussell.AnneknewthatLadyRussellmustbesufferingsomepaininunderstandingandrelinquishingMrElliot,andbemakingsomestrugglestobecometrulyacquaintedwith,anddojusticetoCaptainWentworth.Thishoweverwaswha