tmarry,thatyourfatherisnottomarryMrsClay.Ascheme,worthyofMrsWallis’sunderstanding,byallaccountsbutmysensiblenurseRookeseestheabsurdityofit.‘Why,tobesure,ma’am,’saidshe,‘itwouldnotpreventhismarryinganybodyelse.’And,indeed,toownthetruth,Idonotthinknurse,inherheart,isaverystrenuousopposerofSirWalter’smakingasecondmatch.Shemustbeallowedtobeafavourerofmatrimony,youknowand(sinceselfwillintrude)whocansaythatshemaynothavesomeflyingvisionsofattendingthenextLadyElliot,throughMrsWallis’srecommendation?”
“Iamverygladtoknowallthis,”saidAnne,afteralittlethoughtfulness.“Itwillbemorepainfultomeinsomerespectstobeincompanywithhim,butIshallknowbetterwhattodo.Mylineofconductwillbemoredirect.MrElliotisevidentlyadisingenuous,artificial,worldlyman,whohasneverhadanybetterprincipletoguidehimthanselfishness.”
ButMrElliotwasnotdonewith.MrsSmithhadbeencarriedawayfromherfirstdirection,andAnnehadforgotten,intheinterestofherownfamilyconcerns,howmuchhadbeenoriginallyimpliedagainsthimbutherattentionwasnowcalledtotheexplanationofthosefirsthints,andshelistenedtoarecitalwhich,ifitdidnotperfectlyjustifytheunqualifiedbitternessofMrsSmith,provedhimtohavebeenveryunfeelinginhisconducttowardsherverydeficientbothinjusticeandcompassion.
Shelearnedthat(theintimacybetweenthemcontinuingunimpairedbyMrElliot’smarriage)theyhadbeenasbeforealwaystogether,andMrElliothadledhisfriendintoexpensesmuchbeyondhisfortune.MrsSmithdidnotwanttotakeblametoherself,andwasmosttenderofthrowinganyonherhusbandbutAnnecouldcollectthattheirincomehadneverbeenequaltotheirstyleofliving,andthatfromthefirsttherehadbeenagreatdealofgeneralandjointextravagance.Fromhiswife’saccountofhimshecoulddiscernMrSmithtohavebeenamanofwarmfeelings,easytemper,carelesshabits,andnotstrongunderstanding,muchmoreamiablethanhisfriend,andveryunlikehim,ledbyhim,andprobablydespisedbyhim.MrElliot,raisedbyhismarriagetogreataffluence,anddisposedtoeverygratificationofpleasureandvanitywhichcouldbecommandedwithoutinvolvinghimself,(forwithallhisself-indulgencehehadbecomeaprudentman),andbeginningtoberich,justashisfriendoughttohavefoundhimselftobepoor,seemedtohavehadnoconcernatallforthatfriend’sprobablefinances,but,onthecontrary,hadbeenpromptingandencouragingexpenseswhichcouldendonlyinruinandtheSmithsaccordinglyhadbeenruined.
Thehusbandhaddiedjustintimetobesparedthefullknowledgeofit.Theyhadpreviouslyknownembarrassmentsenoughtotrythefriendshipoftheirfriends,andtoprovethatMrElliot’shadbetternotbetriedbutitwasnottillhisdeaththatthewretchedstateofhisaffairswasfullyknown.WithaconfidenceinMrElliot’sregard,morecreditabletohisfeelingsthanhisjudgement,MrSmithhadappointedhimtheexecutorofhiswillbutMrElliotwouldnotact,andthedifficultiesanddistresswhichthisrefusalhadheapedonher,inadditiontotheinevitablesufferingsofhersituation,hadbeensuchascouldnotberelatedwithoutanguishofspirit,orlistenedtowithoutcorrespondingindignation.
Annewasshewnsomelettersofhisontheoccasion,answerstourgentapplicationsfromMrsSmith,whichallbreathedthesamesternresolutionofnotengaginginafruitlesstrouble,and,underacoldcivility,thesamehard-heartedindifferencetoanyoftheevilsitmightbringonher.Itwasadreadfulpictureo