d,inMrElliot’sgreatdesireofareconciliation.InLadyRussell’sview,itwasperfectlynaturalthatMrElliot,atamaturetimeoflife,shouldfeelitamostdesirableobject,andwhatwouldverygenerallyrecommendhimamongallsensiblepeople,tobeongoodtermswiththeheadofhisfamilythesimplestprocessintheworldoftimeuponaheadnaturallyclear,andonlyerringintheheydayofyouth.Annepresumed,however,stilltosmileaboutit,andatlasttomention“Elizabeth.”LadyRusselllistened,andlooked,andmadeonlythiscautiousreply:—“Elizabeth!verywelltimewillexplain.”
Itwasareferencetothefuture,whichAnne,afteralittleobservation,feltshemustsubmitto.Shecoulddeterminenothingatpresent.InthathouseElizabethmustbefirstandshewasinthehabitofsuchgeneralobservanceas“MissElliot,”thatanyparticularityofattentionseemedalmostimpossible.MrElliot,too,itmustberemembered,hadnotbeenawidowersevenmonths.Alittledelayonhissidemightbeveryexcusable.Infact,Annecouldneverseethecraperoundhishat,withoutfearingthatshewastheinexcusableone,inattributingtohimsuchimaginationsforthoughhismarriagehadnotbeenveryhappy,stillithadexistedsomanyyearsthatshecouldnotcomprehendaveryrapidrecoveryfromtheawfulimpressionofitsbeingdissolved.
Howeveritmightend,hewaswithoutanyquestiontheirpleasantestacquaintanceinBath:shesawnobodyequaltohimanditwasagreatindulgencenowandthentotalktohimaboutLyme,whichheseemedtohaveaslivelyawishtoseeagain,andtoseemoreof,asherself.Theywentthroughtheparticularsoftheirfirstmeetingagreatmanytimes.Hegavehertounderstandthathehadlookedatherwithsomeearnestness.Sheknewitwellandsherememberedanotherperson’slookalso.
Theydidnotalwaysthinkalike.Hisvalueforrankandconnexionsheperceivedwasgreaterthanhers.Itwasnotmerelycomplaisance,itmustbealikingtothecause,whichmadehimenterwarmlyintoherfatherandsister’ssolicitudesonasubjectwhichshethoughtunworthytoexcitethem.TheBathpaperonemorningannouncedthearrivaloftheDowagerViscountessDalrymple,andh