ow,Ihadcompassiononhim.”
Anneadmiredthegoodactingofthefriend,inbeingabletoshewsuchpleasureasshedid,intheexpectationandintheactualarrivaloftheverypersonwhosepresencemustreallybeinterferingwithherprimeobject.ItwasimpossiblebutthatMrsClaymusthatethesightofMrElliotandyetshecouldassumeamostobliging,placidlook,andappearquitesatisfiedwiththecurtailedlicenseofdevotingherselfonlyhalfasmuchtoSirWalterasshewouldhavedoneotherwise.
ToAnneherselfitwasmostdistressingtoseeMrElliotentertheroomandquitepainfultohavehimapproachandspeaktoher.Shehadbeenusedbeforetofeelthathecouldnotbealwaysquitesincere,butnowshesawinsincerityineverything.Hisattentivedeferencetoherfather,contrastedwithhisformerlanguage,wasodiousandwhenshethoughtofhiscruelconducttowardsMrsSmith,shecouldhardlybearthesightofhispresentsmilesandmildness,orthesoundofhisartificialgoodsentiments.
Shemeanttoavoidanysuchalterationofmannersasmightprovokearemonstranceonhisside.Itwasagreatobjecttohertoescapeallenquiryoreclatbutitwasherintentiontobeasdecidedlycooltohimasmightbecompatiblewiththeirrelationshipandtoretrace,asquietlyasshecould,thefewstepsofunnecessaryintimacyshehadbeengraduallyledalong.Shewasaccordinglymoreguarded,andmorecool,thanshehadbeenthenightbefore.
Hewantedtoanimatehercuriosityagainastohowandwherehecouldhaveheardherformerlypraisedwantedverymuchtobegratifiedbymoresolicitationbutthecharmwasbroken:hefoundthattheheatandanimationofapublicroomwasnecessarytokindlehismodestcousin’svanityhefound,atleast,thatitwasnottobedonenow,byanyofthoseattemptswhichhecouldhazardamongthetoo-commandingclaimsoftheothers.Helittlesurmisedthatitwasasubjectactingnowexactlyagainsthisinterest,bringingimmediatelytoherthoughtsallthosepartsofhisconductwhichwereleastexcusable.
ShehadsomesatisfactioninfindingthathewasreallygoingoutofBaththenextmorning,goingearly,andthathewouldbegonethegreaterpartoftwodays.HewasinvitedagaintoCamdenPlacetheveryeveningofhisreturnbutfromThursdaytoSaturdayeveninghisabsencewascertain.ItwasbadenoughthataMrsClayshouldbealwaysbeforeherbutthatadeeperhypocriteshouldbeaddedtotheirparty,seemedthedestructionofeverythinglikepeaceandcomfort.ItwassohumiliatingtoreflectontheconstantdeceptionpractisedonherfatherandElizabethtoconsiderthevarioussourcesofmortificationpreparingforthem!MrsClay’sselfishnesswasnotsocomplicatenorsorevoltingashisandAnnewouldhavecompoundedforthemarriageatonce,withallitsevils,tobeclearofMrElliot’ssubtletiesinendeavouringtopreventit.
OnFridaymorningshemeanttogoveryearlytoLadyRussell,andaccomplishthenecessarycommunicationandshewouldhavegonedirectlyafterbreakfast,butthatMrsClaywasalsogoingoutonsomeobligingpurposeofsavinghersistertrouble,whichdeterminedhertowaittillshemightbesafefromsucha