第 38 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9319
  always felt that she would pretend what was proper on her arrival;
  but  the  complaisance   of  the  others   was   unlooked   for。   They   were
  evidently   in   excellent   spirits;   and   she   was   soon   to   listen   to   the
  causes。 They had no inclination to listen to her。 After laying out for
  some      compliments        of  being     deeply     regretted     in   their   old
  neighbourhood;   which   Anne   could   not   pay;   they   had   only   a   few
  faint   enquiries   to   make;   before   the   talk   must   be   all   their   own。
  Uppercross excited no interest; Kellynch very little; it was all Bath。
  They   had   the   pleasure   of   assuring   her   that   Bath   more   than
  answered   their   expectations        in  every   respect。    Their   house    was
  undoubtedly the best  in   Camden…place;   their  drawing…rooms   had
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  many      decided     advantages       over   all  the   others    which     they   had
  either   seen   or   heard   of;   and   the   superiority   was   not   less   in   the
  style    of   the   fitting…up;     or   the   taste    of  the    furniture。     Their
  acquaintance         was     exceedingly       sought     after。   Everybody        was
  wanting       to   visit   them。     They     had    drawn      back     from     many
  introductions;       and    still  were    perpetually      having     cards    left  by
  people of whom they knew nothing。
  Here   were   funds   of   enjoyment。   Could   Anne   wonder   that   her
  father and sister were happy? She might not wonder; but she must
  sigh   that   her   father    should     feel  no   degradation      in  his   change;
  should      see  nothing     to  regret    in  the   duties    and    dignity    of  the
  resident   landholder;        should    find   so   much     to  be  vain    of  in  the
  littlenesses of a town; and   she must  sigh; and   smile;  and   wonder
  too;   as   Elizabeth   threw   open   the   folding…doors   and   walked   with
  exultation   from   one   drawing…room   to  the   other;   boasting  of   their
  space; at the possibility of that woman; who had been mistress of
  Kellynch   Hall;   finding   extent   to   be   proud   of   between   two   walls;
  perhaps thirty feet asunder。
  But this was not all which they had to make them happy。 They
  had Mr。 Elliot too。 Anne had a great deal to hear of Mr。 Elliot。 He
  was   not   only   pardoned;   they   were   delighted   with   him。   He           had
  been   in   Bath   about   a   fortnight;   (he   had   passed   through   Bath   in
  November;   in   his   way   to   London;   when          the   intelligence     of   Sir
  Walter’s   being   settled   there   had   of   course   reached   him;   though
  only twenty…four hours   in   the   place;  but  he   had   not been able   to
  avail himself of it): but he had now been a fortnight in Bath; and
  his first object on arriving; had been to leave his card in Camden…
  place; following it up by such assiduous endeavours to meet; and
  when      they   did   meet;   by   such   great   openness       of  conduct;     such
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  readiness to apologize for the past; such solicitude to be received
  as    a  relation    again;   that   their   former     good    understanding         was
  completely re…established。
  They had not a fault to find in him。 He had explained away all
  the   appearance   of   neglect   on   his   own   side。   It   had   originated   in
  misapprehension entirely。 He had never had an   idea   of  throwing
  himself  off;   he   had   feared   that   he   was   thrown   off;   but   knew   not
  why;   and   delicacy   had   kept   him   silent。   Upon   the   hint   of   having
  spoken   disrespectfully   or   carelessly   of   the   family   and   the   family
  honours;   he   was   quite   indignant。   He;   who   had   ever   boasted   of
  being an Elliot; and whose feelings; as to connection; were only too
  strict    to  suit   the    unfeudal     tone    of   the   present     day。    He    was
  astonished;   indeed;   but   his   character   and   general   conduct   must
  refute   it。   He   could    refer   Sir   Walter   to   all  who   knew   him;       and
  certainly;      the    pains    he    had    been     taking     on    this;   the   first
  opportunity   of   reconciliation;   to   be   restored   to   the   footing   of   a
  relation and heir…presumptive; was a strong proof of his opinions
  on the subject。
  The circumstances of his marriage; too; were found to admit of
  much   extenuation。   This   was   an   article   not   to   be   entered   on   by
  himself; but a very intimate friend of his; a Colonel Wallis; a highly
  respectable man;   perfectly  the   gentleman;  (and   not an ill…looking
  man;     Sir   Walter     added)     who    was    living   in  very    good    style   in
  Marlborough   Buildings;   and   had;   at   his   own   particular   request;
  been     admitted       to  their   acquaintance        through      Mr。    Elliot;   had
  mentioned one or two things relative to the marriage; which made
  a material difference in the discredit of it。
  Colonel      Wallis    had    known      Mr。    Elliot   long;    had    been    well
  acquainted also with his wife; had perfectly understood the whole
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  story。 She was certainly not a woman of family; but well educated;
  accomplished; rich; and excessively in love with his friend。 There
  had been the charm。 She had sought him。 Without that attraction;
  not all her money would have tempted Elliot; and Sir Walter was;
  moreover;   assured   of   her   having   been   a   very   fine   woman。   Here
  was a great deal to soften the business。 A very fine woman with a
  large fortune; in love with  him!  Sir  Walter  seemed   to  admit  it  as
  complete       apology;      and    though     Elizabeth      could     not   see    the
  circumstance   in   quite   so   favourable   a   light;   she   allowed   it   be   a
  great extenuation。
  Mr。   Elliot   had   called   repeatedly;   had   dined   with   them         once;
  evidently delighted by the distinction of being asked; for they gave
  no    dinners     in  general;     delighted;     in  short;    by   every    proof   of
  cousinly      notice;   and    placing    his   whole    happiness      in   being    on
  intimate terms in Camden…place。
  Anne listened; but without quite understanding it。 Allowances;
  large   allowances;   she knew; must  be made   for  the   ideas   of   those
  who spoke。 She heard it all under embellishment。 All that sounded
  extravagant        or  irrational    in   the  progress      of  the   reconciliation
  might   have   no   origin   but   in   the   language   of   the   relators。   Still;
  however;   she   had   the   sensation   of   there   being   something   more
  than     immediately       appeared;      in   Mr。   Elliot’s   wishing;     after    an
  interval of so many years; to be well received by them。 In a worldly
  view;   he   had   nothing  to  gain by  being  on   terms   with   Sir  Walter;
  nothing   to   risk   by   a   state   of   variance。   In   all   probability   he   was
  already   the   richer   of   the   two;   and   the   Kellynch   estate   would   as
  surely   be   his   hereafter   as   the   title。   A   sensible   man!   and   he   had
  looked like a very sensible man; why should it be an object to him?
  She could only offer one solution; it was; perhaps; for Elizabeth’s
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  sake。     There    might     really   have     been    a  liking   formerly;     though
  convenience   and   accident   had   drawn   him   a   different   way;   and
  now that he could afford to please himself; he might mean to pay
  his addresses to her。 Elizabeth was certainly very handsome; with
  well…bred;   elegant  manners; and   her   character   might   never   have
  been   penetrated   by   Mr。   Elliot;   knowing   her   but   in   public;           and
  when      very   young   himself。      How   her   temper   and        understanding
  might bear the investigation of his present keener time of life was
  another concern and rather a fearfu