andSirWalteraslongagoasSeptember(inshortwhentheyfirstcamethemselves),andhasbeenstayingthereeversincethatsheisaclever,insinuating,handsomewoman,poorandplausible,andaltogethersuchinsituationandmanner,astogiveageneralidea,amongSirWalter’sacquaintance,ofhermeaningtobeLadyElliot,andasgeneralasurprisethatMissElliotshouldbeapparently,blindtothedanger.”
HereMrsSmithpausedamomentbutAnnehadnotawordtosay,andshecontinued—
“Thiswasthelightinwhichitappearedtothosewhoknewthefamily,longbeforeyoureturnedtoitandColonelWallishadhiseyeuponyourfatherenoughtobesensibleofit,thoughhedidnotthenvisitinCamdenPlacebuthisregardforMrElliotgavehimaninterestinwatchingallthatwasgoingonthere,andwhenMrElliotcametoBathforadayortwo,ashehappenedtodoalittlebeforeChristmas,ColonelWallismadehimacquaintedwiththeappearanceofthings,andthereportsbeginningtoprevail.Nowyouaretounderstand,thattimehadworkedaverymaterialchangeinMrElliot’sopinionsastothevalueofabaronetcy.Uponallpointsofbloodandconnexionheisacompletelyalteredman.Havinglonghadasmuchmoneyashecouldspend,nothingtowishforonthesideofavariceorindulgence,hehasbeengraduallylearningtopinhishappinessupontheconsequenceheisheirto.Ithoughtitcomingonbeforeouracquaintanceceased,butitisnowaconfirmedfeeling.HecannotbeartheideaofnotbeingSirWilliam.Youmayguess,therefore,thatthenewsheheardfromhisfriendcouldnotbeveryagreeable,andyoumayguesswhatitproducedtheresolutionofcomingbacktoBathassoonaspossible,andoffixinghimselfhereforatime,withtheviewofrenewinghisformeracquaintance,andrecoveringsuchafootinginthefamilyasmightgivehimthemeansofascertainingthedegreeofhisdanger,andofcircumventingtheladyifhefounditmaterial.ThiswasagreeduponbetweenthetwofriendsastheonlythingtobedoneandColonelWalliswastoassistineverywaythathecould.Hewastobeintroduced,andMrsWalliswastobeintroduced,andeverybodywastobeintroduced.MrElliotcamebackaccordinglyandonapplicationwasforgiven,asyouknow,andre-admittedintothefamilyandthereitwashisconstantobject,andhisonlyobject(tillyourarrivaladdedanothermotive),towatchSirWalterandMrsClay.Heomittednoopportunityofbeingwiththem,threwhimselfintheirway,calledatallhoursbutIneednotbeparticularonthissubject.Youcanimaginewhatanartfulmanwoulddoandwiththisguide,perhaps,mayrecollectwhatyouhaveseenhimdo.”
“Yes,”saidAnne,“youtellmenothingwhichdoesnotaccordwithwhatIhaveknown,orcouldimagine.Thereisalwayssomethingoffensiveinthedetailsofcunning.Theman?uvresofselfishnessandduplicitymusteverberevolting,butIhaveheardnothingwhichreallysurprisesme.IknowthosewhowouldbeshockedbysucharepresentationofMrElliot,whowouldhavedifficultyinbelievingitbutIhaveneverbeensatisfied.Ihavealwayswantedsomeothermotiveforhisconductthanappeared.Ishouldliketoknowhispresentopinion,astotheprobabilityoftheeventhehasbeenindreadofwhetherheconsidersthedangertobelesseningornot.”
“Lessening,Iunderstand,”repliedMrsSmith.“HethinksMrsClayafraidofhim,awarethatheseesthroughher,andnotdaringtoproceedasshemightdoinhisabsence.Butsincehemustbeabsentsometimeorother,Idonotperceivehowhecaneverbesecurewhilesheholdsherpresentinfluence.MrsWallishasanamusingidea,asnursetellsme,thatitistobeputintothemarriagearticleswhenyouandMrEllio