Upload
fromagebus
View
213
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Kellynchestateshouldbetransmittedwholeandentire,ashehadreceivedit.
Theirtwoconfidentialfriends,MrShepherd,wholivedintheneighbouringmarkettown,andLadyRussell,werecalledtoadvisethem;andbothfatheranddaughterseemedtoexpectthatsomethingshouldbestruckoutbyoneor theother toremovetheirembarrassmentsandreducetheirexpenditure,withoutinvolvingthelossofanyindulgenceoftasteorpride.
Chapter2
MrShepherd,acivil,cautiouslawyer,who,whatevermightbehisholdorhisviewsonSirWalter,wouldratherhavethedisagreeablepromptedbyanybodyelse,excusedhimselffromofferingtheslightesthint, and only begged leave to recommend an implicit reference to the excellent judgement of LadyRussell,fromwhoseknowngoodsensehefullyexpectedtohavejustsuchresolutemeasuresadvisedashemeanttoseefinallyadopted.
LadyRussellwasmostanxiouslyzealousonthesubject,andgaveitmuchseriousconsideration.Shewasawomanratherofsoundthanofquickabilities,whosedifficultiesincomingtoanydecisioninthisinstancewere great, from the opposition of two leading principles. Shewas of strict integrity herself,withadelicatesenseofhonour;butshewasasdesirousofsavingSirWalter'sfeelings,assolicitousforthecreditof the family,asaristocratic inher ideasofwhatwasdue to them,asanybodyof senseandhonestycouldwellbe.Shewasabenevolent,charitable,goodwoman,andcapableofstrongattachments,mostcorrectinherconduct,strictinhernotionsofdecorum,andwithmannersthatwereheldastandardofgood-breeding.Shehadacultivatedmind,andwas,generallyspeaking,rationalandconsistent;butshehadprejudiceson thesideofancestry;shehadavaluefor rankandconsequence,whichblindedheralittletothefaultsofthosewhopossessedthem.Herselfthewidowofonlyaknight,shegavethedignityofa baronet all its due; and SirWalter, independent of his claims as an old acquaintance, an attentiveneighbour,anobliginglandlord, thehusbandofherverydearfriend, thefatherofAnneandhersisters,was,asbeingSirWalter, inherapprehension,entitledtoagreatdealofcompassionandconsiderationunderhispresentdifficulties.
Theymustretrench;thatdidnotadmitofadoubt.ButshewasveryanxioustohaveitdonewiththeleastpossiblepaintohimandElizabeth.Shedrewupplansofeconomy,shemadeexactcalculations,andshe didwhat nobody else thought of doing: she consultedAnne,whonever seemed considered by theothers as having any interest in the question. She consulted, and in a degreewas influenced by her inmarkingouttheschemeofretrenchmentwhichwasatlastsubmittedtoSirWalter.EveryemendationofAnne'shadbeenonthesideofhonestyagainstimportance.Shewantedmorevigorousmeasures,amorecompletereformation,aquickerreleasefromdebt,amuchhighertoneofindifferenceforeverythingbutjusticeandequity.
"Ifwecanpersuadeyourfathertoallthis,"saidLadyRussell,lookingoverherpaper,"muchmaybedone.Ifhewilladopttheseregulations, insevenyearshewillbeclear;andIhopewemaybeabletoconvincehimandElizabeth,thatKellynchHallhasarespectabilityinitselfwhichcannotbeaffectedbythesereductions;andthatthetruedignityofSirWalterElliotwillbeveryfarfromlessenedintheeyesof