mehardenedtosuchaffrontsbutshefelttheimprudenceofthearrangementquiteaskeenlyasLadyRussell.Withagreatdealofquietobservation,andaknowledge,whichsheoftenwishedless,ofherfather’scharacter,shewassensiblethatresultsthemostserioustohisfamilyfromtheintimacyweremorethanpossible.Shedidnotimaginethatherfatherhadatpresentanideaofthekind.MrsClayhadfreckles,andaprojectingtooth,andaclumsywrist,whichhewascontinuallymakingsevereremarksupon,inherabsencebutshewasyoung,andcertainlyaltogetherwell-looking,andpossessed,inanacutemindandassiduouspleasingmanners,infinitelymoredangerousattractionsthananymerelypersonalmighthavebeen.Annewassoimpressedbythedegreeoftheirdanger,thatshecouldnotexcuseherselffromtryingtomakeitperceptibletohersister.ShehadlittlehopeofsuccessbutElizabeth,whointheeventofsuchareversewouldbesomuchmoretobepitiedthanherself,shouldnever,shethought,havereasontoreproachherforgivingnowarning.
Shespoke,andseemedonlytooffend.Elizabethcouldnotconceivehowsuchanabsurdsuspicionshouldoccurtoher,andindignantlyansweredforeachparty’sperfectlyknowingtheirsituation.
“MrsClay,”saidshe,warmly,“neverforgetswhosheisandasIamratherbetteracquaintedwithhersentimentsthanyoucanbe,Icanassureyou,thatuponthesubjectofmarriagetheyareparticularlynice,andthatshereprobatesallinequalityofconditionandrankmorestronglythanmostpeople.Andastomyfather,Ireallyshouldnothavethoughtthathe,whohaskepthimselfsinglesolongforoursakes,needbesuspectednow.IfMrsClaywereaverybeautifulwoman,Igrantyou,itmightbewrongtohavehersomuchwithmenotthatanythingintheworld,Iamsure,wouldinducemyfathertomakeadegradingmatch,buthemightberenderedunhappy.ButpoorMrsClaywho,withallhermerits,canneverhavebeenreckonedtolerablypretty,IreallythinkpoorMrsClaymaybestayinghereinperfectsafety.Onewouldimagineyouhadneverheardmyfatherspeakofherpersonalmisfortunes,thoughIknowyoumustfiftytimes.Thattoothofher’sandthosefreckles.Frecklesdonotdisgust