第 4 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9278
  was influenced by her in marking out the scheme of retrenchment
  which   was   at   last   submitted   to   Sir   Walter。   Every   emendation   of
  Anne’s   had been  on   the   side   of  honesty  against   importance。   She
  wanted more vigorous measures; a more complete reformation; a
  quicker release from debt; a much higher tone of indifference for
  everything but justice and equity。
  “If we can persuade your father to all this;” said Lady Russell;
  looking over her paper; “much may be done。 If he will adopt these
  regulations; in seven years he will be clear; and I hope we may be
  able    to  convince      him   and    Elizabeth;     that   Kellynch     Hall   has   a
  respectability       in    itself  which      cannot     be    affected     by    these
  reductions;   and   that   the   true   dignity   of   Sir   Walter   Elliot   will   be
  very far from lessened in the eyes of sensible people; by acting like
  a man of principle。   What  will   he   be doing;   in  fact;   but  what  very
  many of our first families have done—or ought to do?—There will
  be   nothing   singular  in   his   case;   and   it   is   singularity   which   often
  makes   the   worst   part   of   our   suffering;   as   it   always   does   of   our
  conduct。 I have great hope of prevailing。 We must be serious and
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  decided—for after all; the person who has contracted   debts   must
  pay   them;   and   though   a   great   deal   is   due   to   the   feelings   of   the
  gentleman; and the head of a house; like your father; there is still
  more due to the character of an honest man。”
  This was the principle on which Anne wanted her father to be
  proceeding; his friends to be urging him。 She considered it as an
  act of indispensable duty to clear away the claims of creditors with
  all   the   expedition   which   the   most  comprehensive   retrenchments
  could     secure;    and   saw   no    dignity    in  anything     short   of  it。  She
  wanted   it   to   be   prescribed;   and   felt   as   a   duty。   She   rated   Lady
  Russell’s     influence     highly;   and    as   to   the  severe   degree    of  self…
  denial   which   her   own   conscience   prompted;   she   believed   there
  might  be   little   more   difficulty  in   persuading  them   to  a   complete;
  than     to  half   a  reformation。      Her    knowledge       of  her   father    and
  Elizabeth   inclined   her   to   think   that   the   sacrifice   of   one   pair   of
  horses     would     be   hardly    less  painful    than    of  both;    and   so   on;
  through the whole list of Lady Russell’s too gentle reductions。
  How Anne’s more rigid requisitions might have been taken is of
  little consequence。 Lady Russell’s had no success at all—could not
  be put up with—were not to be borne。 “What! every comfort of life
  knocked        off!    Journeys;      London;       servants;      horses;      table—
  contractions and restrictions every where! To live no longer with
  the   decencies   even  of  a   private   gentleman!   No;   he   would   sooner
  quit Kellynch Hall at once; than remain in   it  on  such disgraceful
  terms。”
  “Quit   Kellynch   Hall。”   The   hint   was   immediately   taken   up   by
  Mr。   Shepherd;   whose   interest   was   involved   in   the   reality   of   Sir
  Walter’s      retrenching;      and    who     was    perfectly     persuaded       that
  nothing   would   be   done   without   a   change   of   abode。—“Since   the
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  idea had been started in the very quarter which ought  to dictate;
  he   had   no   scruple;”   he   said;   “in   confessing   his   judgment   to   be
  entirely on that side。 It did not appear to him that Sir Walter could
  materially   alter   his   style   of   living   in   a   house   which   had   such   a
  character   of   hospitality   and   ancient   dignity   to   support。—In   any
  other   place;   Sir   Walter   might   judge       for   himself;    and   would   be
  looked up  to;   as   regulating  the   modes   of life   in   whatever  way  he
  might choose to model his household。”
  Sir Walter would quit Kellynch Hall;—and after a very few days
  more   of   doubt   and   indecision;   the   great   question   of   whither   he
  should      go  was    settled;   and    the   first  outline    of  this   important
  change made out。
  There   had   been   three   alternatives;   London;   Bath;   or   another
  house in the country。 All Anne’s wishes had been for the latter。 A
  small   house   in   their   own   neighbourhood;   where   they   might   still
  have Lady Russell’s society; still be near Mary; and still have the
  pleasure   of   sometimes   seeing   the   lawns   and   groves   of   Kellynch;
  was     the   object    of  her   ambition。      But    the   usual    fate  of   Anne
  attended       her;   in   having     something       very    opposite      from    her
  inclination fixed on。 She disliked Bath; and did not think it agreed
  with her—and Bath was to be her home。
  Sir    Walter    had    at   first  thought     more     of  London;      but   Mr。
  Shepherd   felt   that   he   could   not   be   trusted   in   London;   and   had
  been     skilful   enough     to   dissuade     him    from    it;  and  make     Bath
  preferred。      It  was    a  much     safer   place    for   a  gentleman       in  his
  predicament:—he might there be important at comparatively little
  expense。—Two  material   advantages   of   Bath   over   London   had   of
  course   been   given   all   their   weight;   its   more   convenient   distance
  from Kellynch; only fifty miles; and Lady Russell’s spending some
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  part   of   every   winter   there;   and   to   the   very   great   satisfaction   of
  Lady Russell; whose first views on the projected change had been
  for   Bath;   Sir   Walter   and   Elizabeth   were   induced   to   believe   that
  they   should   lose   neither   consequence   nor   enjoyment   by   settling
  there。
  Lady   Russell      felt   obliged   to   oppose   her   dear    Anne’s    known
  wishes。 It would be too much to expect Sir Walter to descend into
  a small house in his own neighbourhood。 Anne herself would have
  found   the   mortifications   of  it   more   than   she   foresaw;   and   to   Sir
  Walter’s feelings they must have been dreadful。   And   with  regard
  to   Anne’s   dislike   of   Bath;   she   considered   it   as   a   prejudice   and
  mistake   arising;   first;   from   the   circumstance   of   her   having   been
  three years at school there; after her mother’s death; and secondly;
  from   her   happening   to   be   not   in   perfectly   good   spirits   the   only
  winter which she had afterwards spent there with herself。
  Lady Russell was fond of Bath; in short; and disposed to think it
  must suit them all; and as to her young friend’s health; by passing
  all   the   warm   months   with   her   at   Kellynch   Lodge;   every   danger
  would be avoided; and it was in fact; a change which must do both
  health and spirits   good。 Anne   had been  too  little  from   home;   too
  little   seen。   Her    spirits   were    not   high。   A   larger   society    would
  improve them。 She wanted her to be more known。
  The      undesirableness        of    any    other     house     in   the    same
  neighbourhood for Sir Walter was certainly much strengthened by
  one part; and a very material part of the scheme; which had been
  happily   engrafted   on   the   beginning。   He   was   not   only   to   quit   his
  home; but to see it in the hands of others; a trial of fortitude; which
  stronger heads than Sir Walter’s have found too much。—Kellynch
  Hall was to be let。 This; however; was a profound secret; not to be
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  breathed beyond their own circle。
  Sir   Walter    could    not   have    borne    the   degradation      of  being
  known       to  design    letting   his   house。    Mr。    Shepherd      had    once
  mentioned   the   word        “advertise;”—but   never   dared   approach   it
  again。    Sir   Walter   spurned     the   idea