Anne, far from wishing to cavil at the pleasure,replied, “I can easily believe it.Women of that class have great opportunities,and if they are intelligent may be well worth listening to.Such varieties of human nature as they are in the habit of witnessing!And it is not merely in its follies,that they are well read;for they see it occasionally under every circumstance that can be most interesting or affecting. What instances must pass before them of ardent, disinterested, self-denying attachment, of heroism, fortitude, patience, resignation: of all the conflicts and all the sacrifices that ennoble us most. A sick chamber may often furnish the worth of volumes.”
“Yes,” said Mrs Smith more doubtingly,“sometimes it may, though I fear its lessons are not often in the elevated style you describe. Here and there, human nature may be great in times of trial; but generally speaking, it is its weakness and not its strength that appears in a sick chamber: it is selfishness and impatience rather than generosity and fortitude, that one hears of. There is so little real friendship in the world!and unfortunately” (speaking low and tremulously) “there are so many who forget to think seriously till it is almost too late.”
Anne saw the misery of such feelings.The husband had not been what he ought,and the wife had been led among that part of mankind which made her think worse of the world than she hoped it deserved. It was but a passing emotion however with Mrs Smith; she shook it off, and soon added in a different tone—
“I do not suppose the situation my friend Mrs Rooke is in at present,will furnish much either to interest or edify me.She is only nursing Mrs Wallis of Marlborough Buildings;a mere pretty, silly, expensive, fashionable woman,I believe; and of course will have nothing to report but of lace and finery.I mean to make my profit of Mrs Wallis, however.She has plenty of money,and I intend she shall buy all the high-priced things I have in hand now. ”
Anne had called several times on her friend,before the existence of such a person was known in Camden Place.At last, it became necessary to speak of her.Sir Walter, Elizabeth and Mrs Clay,returned one morning from Laura Place,with a sudden invitation from Lady Dalrymple for the same evening,and Anne was already engaged,to spend that evening in Westgate Buildings.She was not sorry for the excuse. They were only asked,she was sure, because Lady Dalrymple being kept at home by a bad cold,was glad to make use of the relationship which had been so pressed on her;and she declined on her own account with great alacrity—“She was engaged to spend the evening with an old schoolfellow.” They were not much interested in anything relative to Anne; but still there were questions enough asked, to make it understood what this old schoolfellow was; and Elizabeth was disdainful, and Sir Walter severe.
“Westgate Buildings!” said he, “and who is Miss Anne Elliot to be visiting in Westgate Buildings?A Mrs Smith. A widow Mrs Smith; and who was her husband?One of five thousand Mr Smiths whose names are to be met with everywhere.And what is her attraction?That she is old and sickly. Upon my word,Miss Anne Elliot, you have the most extraordinary taste!Everything that revolts other people, low company,paltry rooms, foul air,disgusting associations are inviting to you.But surely you may put off this old lady till to-morrow:she is not so near her end, I presume,but that she may hope to see another day. What is her age?Forty?”
“No, sir, she is not one-and-thirty;but I do not think I can put off my engagement,because it is the only evening for some time which will at once suit her and myself. She goes into the warm bath to-morrow, and for the rest of the week, you know, we are engaged.”
“But what does Lady Russell think of this acquaintance?” asked Elizabeth.
“She sees nothing to blame in it,” replied Anne;“on the contrary, she approves it,and has generally taken me when I have called on Mrs Smith. ”
“Westgate Buildings must have been rather surprised by the appearance of a carriage drawn up near its pavement,” observed Sir Walter. “Sir Henry Russell’s widow, indeed, has no honours to distinguish her arms, but still it is a handsome equipage, and no doubt is well known to convey a Miss Elliot. A widow Mrs Smith lodging in Westgate Buildings!A poor widow barely able to live,between thirty and forty; a mere Mrs Smith,an every-day Mrs Smith,of all people and all names in the world,to be the chosen friend of Miss Anne Elliot,and to be preferred by her to her own family connections among the nobility of England and Ireland!Mrs Smith!Such a name!”
Mrs Clay, who had been present while all this passed,now thought it advisable to leave the room,and Anne could have said much,and did long to say a little in defence of _her_ friend’s not very dissimilar claims to theirs, but her sense of personal respect to her father prevented her. She made no reply. She left it to himself to recollect, that Mrs Smith was not the only widow in Bath between thirty and forty, with little to live on, and no surname of dignity.
Anne kept her appointment; the others kept theirs,and of course she heard the next morning that they had had a delightful evening. She had been the only one of the set absent, for Sir Walter and Elizabeth had not only been quite at her ladyship’s service themselves, but had actually been happy to be employed by her in collecting others, and had been at the trouble of inviting both Lady Russell and Mr Elliot; and Mr Elliot had made a point of leaving Colonel Wallis early, and Lady Russell had fresh arranged all her evening engagements in order to wait on her. Anne had the whole history of all that such an evening could supply from Lady Russell. To her, its greatest interest must be, in having been very much talked of between her friend and Mr Elliot; in having been wished for, regretted, and at the same time honoured for staying away in such a cause. Her kind, compassionate visits to this old schoolfellow, sick and reduced, seemed to have quite delighted Mr Elliot. He thought her a most extraordinary young woman; in her temper, manners, mind, a model of female excellence. He could meet even Lady Russell in a discussion of her merits; and Anne could not be given to understand so much by her friend, could not know herself to be so highly rated by a sensible man, without many of those agreeable sensations which her friend meant to create.
Lady Russell was now perfectly decided in her opinion of Mr Elliot.She was as much convinced of his meaning to gain Anne in time as of his deserving her, and was beginning to calculate the number of weeks which would free him from all the remaining restraints of widowhood, and leave him at liberty to exert his most open powers of pleasing. She would not speak to Anne with half the certainty she felt on the subject, she would venture on little more than hints of what might be hereafter, of a possible attachment on his side, of the desirableness of the alliance, supposing such attachment to be real and returned. Anne heard her, and made no violent exclamations; she only smiled, blushed, and gently shook her head.
“I am no match-maker, as you well know,” said Lady Russell,“being much too well aware of the uncertainty of all human events and calculations. I only mean that if Mr Elliot should some time hence pay his addresses to you, and if you should be disposed to accept him, I think there would be every possibility of your being happy together. A most suitable connection everybody must consider it, but I think it might be a very happy one.”
“Mr Elliot is an exceedingly agreeable man,and in many respects I think highly of him,” said Anne;“but we should not suit.”