第 45 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9299
  transgressed; but yet she would have been afraid to answer for his
  conduct。   She   distrusted   the   past;   if   not   the   present。   The   names
  which     occasionally     dropt    of  former    associates;    the   allusions   to
  former practices and pursuits; suggested suspicions not favourable
  of what he had been。 She saw that there had been bad habits; that
  Sunday…travelling had been a common thing; that there had been
  a   period   of   his   life   (and   probably   not   a   short   one)   when   he   had
  been; at least; careless in all serious matters; and; though he might
  now     think    very    differently;    who    could     answer     for   the   true
  sentiments       of  a   clever;   cautious     man;    grown     old   enough     to
  appreciate a fair character? How could it ever be ascertained that
  his mind was truly cleansed?
  Mr。    Elliot  was    rational;   discreet;   polished;—but       he   was    not
  open。     There    was    never    any   burst    of  feeling;   any    warmth      of
  indignation or delight; at the evil or good of others。 This; to Anne;
  was a decided imperfection。 Her early impressions were incurable。
  She     prized    the   frank;   the   open…hearted;       the   eager    character
  beyond all others。 Warmth and enthusiasm did captivate her still。
  She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of
  those   who   sometimes   looked   or   said   a   careless   or   a   hasty   thing;
  than of those whose presence of mind never varied; whose tongue
  never slipped。
  Mr。   Elliot   was   too   generally    agreeable。     Various    as  were    the
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  tempers in her father’s house; he pleased them all。 He endured too
  well;—stood too well with every body。 He had spoken to her with
  some degree of openness of Mrs。 Clay; had appeared completely to
  see what Mrs。   Clay  was about;   and   to  hold   her  in  contempt;   and
  yet Mrs。 Clay found him as agreeable as any body。
  Lady Russell saw either less or more than her young friend; for
  she   saw nothing  to  excite   distrust。   She   could not  imagine a   man
  more exactly what he ought to be than Mr。 Elliot; nor did she ever
  enjoy   a   sweeter   feeling   than   the   hope   of   seeing   him   receive   the
  hand of her beloved Anne in Kellynch church; in the course of the
  following autumn。
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  CHAPTER VI
  t   was   the   beginning   of   February;   and   Anne;   having   been   a
  month     in  Bath;   was    growing    very   eager   for  news    from
  I
  Uppercross and Lyme。 She wanted to hear much more than
  Mary had communicated。 It was three weeks since she had heard
  at all。 She only knew that Henrietta was at home again; and that
  Louisa; though considered to be recovering fast; was still in Lyme;
  and she was thinking of them all very intently one evening; when a
  thicker letter than usual from Mary was delivered to her; and;   to
  quicken the pleasure and surprise; with Admiral and Mrs。 Croft’s
  compliments。
  The   Crofts   must   be   in   Bath!   A   circumstance   to   interest   her。
  They were people whom her heart turned to very naturally。
  “What   is   this?”   cried   Sir   Walter。   “The   Crofts   have   arrived   in
  Bath?   The   Crofts   who   rent   Kellynch?   What   have   they   brought
  you?”
  “A letter from Uppercross Cottage; Sir。”
  “Oh!   those   letters   are  convenient   passports。     They   secure   an
  introduction。 I should have visited Admiral Croft; however; at any
  rate。 I know what is due to my tenant。”
  Anne could listen no longer; she could not even have told how
  the poor Admiral’s complexion escaped; her letter engrossed her。
  It had been begun several days back。
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  “February 1st; —
  “My dear Anne;
  “I   make   no   apology   for   my   silence;   because   I   know   how   little
  people think of letters in such a place as Bath。 You must be a great
  deal  too  happy  to  care   for  Uppercross;   which;   as   you   well   know;
  affords   little   to   write   about。   We   have   had   a   very   dull   Christmas;
  Mr。   and   Mrs。   Musgrove   have   not   had   one   dinner   party   all          the
  holidays。   I   do  not   reckon   the   Hayters   as   anybody。   The   holidays;
  however; are over at last: I believe no children ever had such long
  ones。 I am sure I had not。 The house was cleared yesterday; except
  of the little Harvilles; but you will be surprised to hear they have
  never   gone   home。   Mrs。   Harville   must   be   an   odd   mother   to   part
  with them so long。 I do not understand it。 They are not at all nice
  children;   in   my   opinion;   but   Mrs。   Musgrove   seems   to   like   them
  quite as well; if not better; than her grandchildren。 What dreadful
  weather  we  have  had!  It  may not  be   felt in   Bath;   with   your   nice
  pavements;   but  in   the   country   it   is   of   some   consequence。   I   have
  not had a creature call on me since the  second   week in   January;
  except   Charles   Hayter;   who   had   been   calling   much   oftener   than
  was welcome。 Between ourselves; I think it a great pity Henrietta
  did not remain at Lyme as long as Louisa; it would have kept her a
  little out of his way。 The   carriage   is   gone   to…day;   to  bring  Louisa
  and the Harvilles to…morrow。 We are not asked to dine with them;
  however; till the day after; Mrs。 Musgrove is so afraid of her being
  fatigued by  the   journey;   which  is not  very  likely;   considering  the
  care    that    will  be   taken    of  her;    and   it  would     be   much     more
  convenient to me to dine there to…morrow。 I am glad you find Mr。
  Elliot so agreeable; and wish I could be acquainted with him too;
  but  I   have  my  usual   luck;   I   am   always   out   of   the   way   when   any
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  thing   desirable   is   going   on;   always   the   last   of   my   family   to   be
  noticed。 What an immense  time   Mrs。 Clay  has been staying  with
  Elizabeth!  Does she   never  mean   to  go   away?   But   perhaps   if   she
  were   to   leave   the   room   vacant   we   might   not   be   invited。   Let   me
  know   what   you   think   of   this。   I   do   not   expect   my   children   to   be
  asked; you know。 I can leave them at the   Great  House   very  well;
  for a month or six weeks。 I have this moment heard that the Crofts
  are    going   to   Bath   almost   immediately;         they   think   the   Admiral
  gouty。   Charles   heard   it   quite   by   chance:   they   have   not   had   the
  civility to give me any notice; or of offering to take anything。 I do
  not   think   they   improve   at   all   as   neighbours。   We   see   nothing   of
  them;   and   this   is   really   an   instance   of   gross   inattention。   Charles
  joins me in love; and everything proper。
  Yours affectionately;
  “Mary M—。
  “I am sorry to say that I am very far from well; and Jemima has
  just told me that the butcher says there is a bad sore…throat  very
  much  about。   I   dare   say  I shall   catch  it; and   my  sore…throats;   you
  know; are always worse than anybody’s。”
  So ended the first part; which had been afterwards put into an
  envelope; containing nearly as much more。
  “I kept my letter open; that I might send you word how Louisa
  bore   her   journey;   and   now   I   am   extremely   glad   I   did;   having   a
  great deal to add。 In the first place; I had a note from   Mrs。   Croft
  yesterday; offering to convey anything to you; a very kind; friendly
  note indeed; addressed to me; just as it ought; I shall therefore be
  able   to   make   my   letter   as   long   as   I   like。   The   Admiral   does   not
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