Anne's astonished air, and exclamation of wonder, made her pause, and

in a calmer manner, she added, "My expressions startle you. You must allow for an injured, angry

woman. But I will try to command myself. I will not abuse him. I

will only tell you what I have found him. Facts shall speak. He was

the intimate friend of my dear husband, who trusted and loved him, and

thought him as good as himself. The intimacy had been formed before

our marriage. I found them most intimate friends; and I, too, became

excessively pleased with Mr Elliot, and entertained the highest opinion

of him. At nineteen, you know, one does not think very seriously; but

Mr Elliot appeared to me quite as good as others, and much more

agreeable than most others, and we were almost always together. We

were principally in town, living in very good style. He was then the

inferior in circumstances; he was then the poor one; he had chambers in

the Temple, and it was as much as he could do to support the appearance

of a gentleman. He had always a home with us whenever he chose it; he

was always welcome; he was like a brother. My poor Charles, who had

the finest, most generous spirit in the world, would have divided his

last farthing with him; and I know that his purse was open to him; I

know that he often assisted him."

"This must have been about that very period of Mr Elliot's life," said

Anne, "which has always excited my particular curiosity. It must have

been about the same time that he became known to my father and sister.

I never knew him myself; I only heard of him; but there was a something

in his conduct then, with regard to my father and sister, and

afterwards in the circumstances of his marriage, which I never could

quite reconcile with present times. It seemed to announce a different

sort of man."

"I know it all, I know it all," cried Mrs Smith. "He had been

introduced to Sir Walter and your sister before I was acquainted with

him, but I heard him speak of them for ever. I know he was invited and

encouraged, and I know he did not choose to go. I can satisfy you,

perhaps, on points which you would little expect; and as to his

marriage, I knew all about it at the time. I was privy to all the fors

and againsts; I was the friend to whom he confided his hopes and plans;

and though I did not know his wife previously, her inferior situation

in society, indeed, rendered that impossible, yet I knew her all her

life afterwards, or at least till within the last two years of her

life, and can answer any question you may wish to put."




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