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Page 86
She found, on reaching home, that she had, as she intended,
escaped seeing Mr Elliot; that he had called and paid them
a long morning visit; but hardly had she congratulated herself,
and felt safe, when she heard that he was coming again in the evening.
"I had not the smallest intention of asking him," said Elizabeth,
with affected carelessness, "but he gave so many hints;
so Mrs Clay says, at least."
"Indeed, I do say it. I never saw anybody in my life spell harder
for an invitation. Poor man! I was really in pain for him;
for your hard-hearted sister, Miss Anne, seems bent on cruelty."
"Oh!" cried Elizabeth, "I have been rather too much used to the game
to be soon overcome by a gentleman's hints. However, when I found
how excessively he was regretting that he should miss my father
this morning, I gave way immediately, for I would never really omit
an opportunity of bring him and Sir Walter together. They appear to
so much advantage in company with each other. Each behaving so pleasantly.
Mr Elliot looking up with so much respect."
"Quite delightful!" cried Mrs Clay, not daring, however,
to turn her eyes towards Anne. "Exactly like father and son!
Dear Miss Elliot, may I not say father and son?"
"Oh! I lay no embargo on any body's words. If you will have such
ideas! But, upon my word, I am scarcely sensible of his attentions
being beyond those of other men."
"My dear Miss Elliot!" exclaimed Mrs Clay, lifting her hands and eyes,
and sinking all the rest of her astonishment in a convenient silence.
"Well, my dear Penelope, you need not be so alarmed about him.
I did invite him, you know. I sent him away with smiles.
When I found he was really going to his friends at Thornberry Park
for the whole day to-morrow, I had compassion on him."
Anne admired the good acting of the friend, in being able to shew
such pleasure as she did, in the expectation and in the actual arrival
of the very person whose presence must really be interfering with
her prime object. It was impossible but that Mrs Clay must hate
the sight of Mr Elliot; and yet she could assume a most obliging,
placid look, and appear quite satisfied with the curtailed license
of devoting herself only half as much to Sir Walter as she would have
done otherwise.
To Anne herself it was most distressing to see Mr Elliot enter the room;
and quite painful to have him approach and speak to her.
She had been used before to feel that he could not be always quite sincere,
but now she saw insincerity in everything. His attentive deference
to her father, contrasted with his former language, was odious;
and when she thought of his cruel conduct towards Mrs Smith,
she could hardly bear the sight of his present smiles and mildness,
or the sound of his artificial good sentiments.
She meant to avoid any such alteration of manners as might provoke
a remonstrance on his side. It was a great object to her to escape
all enquiry or eclat; but it was her intention to be as decidedly cool
to him as might be compatible with their relationship; and to retrace,
as quietly as she could, the few steps of unnecessary intimacy she had
been gradually led along. She was accordingly more guarded,
and more cool, than she had been the night before.
He wanted to animate her curiosity again as to how and where
he could have heard her formerly praised; wanted very much
to be gratified by more solicitation; but the charm was broken:
he found that the heat and animation of a public room was necessary
to kindle his modest cousin's vanity; he found, at least, that it was
not to be done now, by any of those attempts which he could hazard
among the too-commanding claims of the others. He little surmised
that it was a subject acting now exactly against his interest,
bringing immediately to her thoughts all those parts of his conduct
which were least excusable.
She had some satisfaction in finding that he was really going out of Bath
the next morning, going early, and that he would be gone the greater part
of two days. He was invited again to Camden Place the very evening of
his return; but from Thursday to Saturday evening his absence was certain.
It was bad enough that a Mrs Clay should be always before her;
but that a deeper hypocrite should be added to their party,
seemed the destruction of everything like peace and comfort.
It was so humiliating to reflect on the constant deception practised
on her father and Elizabeth; to consider the various sources
of mortification preparing for them! Mrs Clay's selfishness was
not so complicate nor so revolting as his; and Anne would have compounded
for the marriage at once, with all its evils, to be clear of Mr Elliot's
subtleties in endeavouring to prevent it.
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