Persuasion

by Jane Austen

  Chapter 16

  There was one point which Anne, on returning to her family, would havebeen more thankful to ascertain even than Mr Elliot's being in lovewith Elizabeth, which was, her father's not being in love with MrsClay; and she was very far from easy about it, when she had been athome a few hours. On going down to breakfast the next morning, shefound there had just been a decent pretence on the lady's side ofmeaning to leave them. She could imagine Mrs Clay to have said, that"now Miss Anne was come, she could not suppose herself at all wanted;"for Elizabeth was replying in a sort of whisper, "That must not be anyreason, indeed. I assure you I feel it none. She is nothing to me,compared with you;" and she was in full time to hear her father say,"My dear madam, this must not be. As yet, you have seen nothing ofBath. You have been here only to be useful. You must not run awayfrom us now. You must stay to be acquainted with Mrs Wallis, thebeautiful Mrs Wallis. To your fine mind, I well know the sight ofbeauty is a real gratification."

  He spoke and looked so much in earnest, that Anne was not surprised tosee Mrs Clay stealing a glance at Elizabeth and herself. Hercountenance, perhaps, might express some watchfulness; but the praiseof the fine mind did not appear to excite a thought in her sister. Thelady could not but yield to such joint entreaties, and promise to stay.

  In the course of the same morning, Anne and her father chancing to bealone together, he began to compliment her on her improved looks; hethought her "less thin in her person, in her cheeks; her skin, hercomplexion, greatly improved; clearer, fresher. Had she been using anything in particular?" "No, nothing." "Merely Gowland," he supposed."No, nothing at all." "Ha! he was surprised at that;" and added,"certainly you cannot do better than to continue as you are; you cannotbe better than well; or I should recommend Gowland, the constant use ofGowland, during the spring months. Mrs Clay has been using it at myrecommendation, and you see what it has done for her. You see how ithas carried away her freckles."

  If Elizabeth could but have heard this! Such personal praise mighthave struck her, especially as it did not appear to Anne that thefreckles were at all lessened. But everything must take its chance.The evil of a marriage would be much diminished, if Elizabeth were alsoto marry. As for herself, she might always command a home with LadyRussell.

  Lady Russell's composed mind and polite manners were put to some trialon this point, in her intercourse in Camden Place. The sight of MrsClay in such favour, and of Anne so overlooked, was a perpetualprovocation to her there; and vexed her as much when she was away, as aperson in Bath who drinks the water, gets all the new publications, andhas a very large acquaintance, has time to be vexed.

  As Mr Elliot became known to her, she grew more charitable, or moreindifferent, towards the others. His manners were an immediaterecommendation; and on conversing with him she found the solid so fullysupporting the superficial, that she was at first, as she told Anne,almost ready to exclaim, "Can this be Mr Elliot?" and could notseriously picture to herself a more agreeable or estimable man.Everything united in him; good understanding, correct opinions,knowledge of the world, and a warm heart. He had strong feelings offamily attachment and family honour, without pride or weakness; helived with the liberality of a man of fortune, without display; hejudged for himself in everything essential, without defying publicopinion in any point of worldly decorum. He was steady, observant,moderate, candid; never run away with by spirits or by selfishness,which fancied itself strong feeling; and yet, with a sensibility towhat was amiable and lovely, and a value for all the felicities ofdomestic life, which characters of fancied enthusiasm and violentagitation seldom really possess. She was sure that he had not beenhappy in marriage. Colonel Wallis said it, and Lady Russell saw it;but it had been no unhappiness to sour his mind, nor (she began prettysoon to suspect) to prevent his thinking of a second choice. Hersatisfaction in Mr Elliot outweighed all the plague of Mrs Clay.

  It was now some years since Anne had begun to learn that she and herexcellent friend could sometimes think differently; and it did notsurprise her, therefore, that Lady Russell should see nothingsuspicious or inconsistent, nothing to require more motives thanappeared, in Mr Elliot's great desire of a reconciliation. In LadyRussell's view, it was perfectly natural that Mr Elliot, at a maturetime of life, should feel it a most desirable object, and what wouldvery generally recommend him among all sensible people, to be on goodterms with the head of his family; the simplest process in the world oftime upon a head naturally clear, and only erring in the heyday ofyouth. Anne presumed, however, still to smile about it, and at last tomention "Elizabeth." Lady Russell listened, and looked, and made onlythis cautious reply:--"Elizabeth! very well; time will explain."

  It was a reference to the future, which Anne, after a littleobservation, felt she must submit to. She could determine nothing atpresent. In that house Elizabeth must be first; and she was in thehabit of such general observance as "Miss Elliot," that anyparticularity of attention seemed almost impossible. Mr Elliot, too,it must be remembered, had not been a widower seven months. A littledelay on his side might be very excusable. In fact, Anne could neversee the crape round his hat, without fearing that she was theinexcusable one, in attributing to him such imaginations; for thoughhis marriage had not been very happy, still it had existed so manyyears that she could not comprehend a very rapid recovery from theawful impression of its being dissolved.

  However it might end, he was without any question their pleasantestacquaintance in Bath: she saw nobody equal to him; and it was a greatindulgence now and then to talk to him about Lyme, which he seemed tohave as lively a wish to see again, and to see more of, as herself.They went through the particulars of their first meeting a great manytimes. He gave her to understand that he had looked at her with someearnestness. She knew it well; and she remembered another person'slook also.

  They did not always think alike. His value for rank and connexion sheperceived was greater than hers. It was not merely complaisance, itmust be a liking to the cause, which made him enter warmly into herfather and sister's solicitudes on a subject which she thought unworthyto excite them. The Bath paper one morning announced the arrival ofthe Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple, and her daughter, the HonourableMiss Carteret; and all the comfort of No. --, Camden Place, was sweptaway for many days; for the Dalrymples (in Anne's opinion, mostunfortunately) were cousins of the Elliots; and the agony was how tointroduce themselves properly.

  Anne had never seen her father and sister before in contact withnobility, and she must acknowledge herself disappointed. She had hopedbetter things from their high ideas of their own situation in life, andwas reduced to form a wish which she had never foreseen; a wish thatthey had more pride; for "our cousins Lady Dalrymple and MissCarteret;" "our cousins, the Dalrymples," sounded in her ears all daylong.

  Sir Walter had once been in company with the late viscount, but hadnever seen any of the rest of the family; and the difficulties of thecase arose from there having been a suspension of all intercourse byletters of ceremony, ever since the death of that said late viscount,when, in consequence of a dangerous illness of Sir Walter's at the sametime, there had been an unlucky omission at Kellynch. No letter ofcondolence had been sent to Ireland. The neglect had been visited onthe head of the sinner; for when poor Lady Elliot died herself, noletter of condolence was received at Kellynch, and, consequently, therewas but too much reason to apprehend that the Dalrymples considered therelationship as closed. How to have this anxious business set torights, and be admitted as cousins again, was the question: and it wasa question which, in a more rational manner, neither Lady Russell norMr Elliot thought unimportant. "Family connexions were always worthpreserving, good company always worth seeking; Lady Dalrymple had takena house, for three months, in Laura Place, and would be living instyle. She had been at Bath the year before, and Lady Russell hadheard her spoken of as a charming woman. It was very desirable thatthe connexion should be renewed, if it could be done, without anycompromise of propriety
on the side of the Elliots."

  Sir Walter, however, would choose his own means, and at last wrote avery fine letter of ample explanation, regret, and entreaty, to hisright honourable cousin. Neither Lady Russell nor Mr Elliot couldadmire the letter; but it did all that was wanted, in bringing threelines of scrawl from the Dowager Viscountess. "She was very muchhonoured, and should be happy in their acquaintance." The toils of thebusiness were over, the sweets began. They visited in Laura Place,they had the cards of Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple, and the HonourableMiss Carteret, to be arranged wherever they might be most visible: and"Our cousins in Laura Place,"--"Our cousin, Lady Dalrymple and MissCarteret," were talked of to everybody.

  Anne was ashamed. Had Lady Dalrymple and her daughter even been veryagreeable, she would still have been ashamed of the agitation theycreated, but they were nothing. There was no superiority of manner,accomplishment, or understanding. Lady Dalrymple had acquired the nameof "a charming woman," because she had a smile and a civil answer foreverybody. Miss Carteret, with still less to say, was so plain and soawkward, that she would never have been tolerated in Camden Place butfor her birth.

  Lady Russell confessed she had expected something better; but yet "itwas an acquaintance worth having;" and when Anne ventured to speak heropinion of them to Mr Elliot, he agreed to their being nothing inthemselves, but still maintained that, as a family connexion, as goodcompany, as those who would collect good company around them, they hadtheir value. Anne smiled and said,

  "My idea of good company, Mr Elliot, is the company of clever,well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that iswhat I call good company."

  "You are mistaken," said he gently, "that is not good company; that isthe best. Good company requires only birth, education, and manners,and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good mannersare essential; but a little learning is by no means a dangerous thingin good company; on the contrary, it will do very well. My cousin Anneshakes her head. She is not satisfied. She is fastidious. My dearcousin" (sitting down by her), "you have a better right to befastidious than almost any other woman I know; but will it answer?Will it make you happy? Will it not be wiser to accept the society ofthose good ladies in Laura Place, and enjoy all the advantages of theconnexion as far as possible? You may depend upon it, that they willmove in the first set in Bath this winter, and as rank is rank, yourbeing known to be related to them will have its use in fixing yourfamily (our family let me say) in that degree of consideration which wemust all wish for."

  "Yes," sighed Anne, "we shall, indeed, be known to be related to them!"then recollecting herself, and not wishing to be answered, she added,"I certainly do think there has been by far too much trouble taken toprocure the acquaintance. I suppose" (smiling) "I have more pride thanany of you; but I confess it does vex me, that we should be sosolicitous to have the relationship acknowledged, which we may be verysure is a matter of perfect indifference to them."

  "Pardon me, dear cousin, you are unjust in your own claims. In London,perhaps, in your present quiet style of living, it might be as you say:but in Bath; Sir Walter Elliot and his family will always be worthknowing: always acceptable as acquaintance."

  "Well," said Anne, "I certainly am proud, too proud to enjoy a welcomewhich depends so entirely upon place."

  "I love your indignation," said he; "it is very natural. But here youare in Bath, and the object is to be established here with all thecredit and dignity which ought to belong to Sir Walter Elliot. Youtalk of being proud; I am called proud, I know, and I shall not wish tobelieve myself otherwise; for our pride, if investigated, would havethe same object, I have no doubt, though the kind may seem a littledifferent. In one point, I am sure, my dear cousin," (he continued,speaking lower, though there was no one else in the room) "in onepoint, I am sure, we must feel alike. We must feel that every additionto your father's society, among his equals or superiors, may be of usein diverting his thoughts from those who are beneath him."

  He looked, as he spoke, to the seat which Mrs Clay had been latelyoccupying: a sufficient explanation of what he particularly meant; andthough Anne could not believe in their having the same sort of pride,she was pleased with him for not liking Mrs Clay; and her conscienceadmitted that his wishing to promote her father's getting greatacquaintance was more than excusable in the view of defeating her.