MrShepherd, a civil, cautiouslawyer, who, whatevermightbehisholdorhisviewsonSirWalter, wouldratherhavethedisagreeablepromptedbyanybodyelse, excusedhimselffromofferingtheslightesthint, andonlybeggedleavetorecommendanimplicitreferencetotheexcellentjudgementofLadyRussell, fromwhoseknowngoodsensehefullyexpectedtohavejustsuchresolutemeasuresadvisedashemeanttoseefinallyadopted.
1
LadyRussellwasmostanxiouslyzealousonthesubject, andgaveitmuchseriousconsideration. Shewas a womanratherofsoundthanofquickabilities, whosedifficultiesincomingtoanydecisioninthisinstanceweregreat, fromtheoppositionoftwoleadingprinciples. Shewasofstrictintegrityherself, with a delicatesenseofhonour; butshewasasdesirousofsavingSirWalter's feelings, assolicitousforthecreditofthefamily, asaristocraticinherideasofwhatwasduetothem, asanybodyofsenseandhonestycouldwellbe. Shewas a benevolent, charitable, goodwoman, andcapableofstrongattachments, mostcorrectinherconduct, strictinhernotionsofdecorum, andwithmannersthatwereheld a standardofgood-breeding. Shehad a cultivatedmind, andwas, generallyspeaking, rationalandconsistent; butshehadprejudicesonthesideofancestry; shehad a valueforrankandconsequence, whichblindedher a littletothefaultsofthosewhopossessedthem. Herselfthewidowofonly a knight, shegavethedignityof a baronetallitsdue; andSirWalter, independentofhisclaimsasanoldacquaintance, anattentiveneighbour, anobliginglandlord, thehusbandofherverydearfriend, thefatherofAnneandhersisters, was, asbeingSirWalter, inherapprehension, entitledto a greatdealofcompassionandconsiderationunderhispresentdifficulties.
2
Theymustretrench; thatdidnotadmitof a doubt. ButshewasveryanxioustohaveitdonewiththeleastpossiblepaintohimandElizabeth. Shedrewupplansofeconomy, shemadeexactcalculations, andshedidwhatnobodyelsethoughtofdoing: sheconsultedAnne, whoneverseemedconsideredbytheothersashavinganyinterestinthequestion. Sheconsulted, andin a degreewasinfluencedbyherinmarkingouttheschemeofretrenchmentwhichwasatlastsubmittedtoSirWalter. EveryemendationofAnne's hadbeenonthesideofhonestyagainstimportance. Shewantedmorevigorousmeasures, a morecompletereformation, a quickerreleasefromdebt, a muchhighertoneofindifferenceforeverythingbutjusticeandequity.
3
"Ifwecanpersuadeyourfathertoallthis," saidLadyRussell, lookingoverherpaper, "muchmaybedone. Ifhewilladopttheseregulations, insevenyearshewillbeclear; and I hopewemaybeabletoconvincehimandElizabeth, thatKellynchHallhas a respectabilityinitselfwhichcannotbeaffectedbythesereductions; andthatthetruedignityofSirWalterElliotwillbeveryfarfromlessenedintheeyesofsensiblepeople, byactinglike a manofprinciple. Whatwillhebedoing, infact, butwhatverymanyofourfirstfamilieshavedone, oroughttodo? Therewillbenothingsingularinhiscase; anditissingularitywhichoftenmakestheworstpartofoursuffering, asitalwaysdoesofourconduct. I havegreathopeofprevailing. Wemustbeseriousanddecided; forafterall, thepersonwhohascontracteddebtsmustpaythem; andthough a greatdealisduetothefeelingsofthegentleman, andtheheadof a house, likeyourfather, thereisstillmoreduetothecharacterofanhonestman."
4
ThiswastheprincipleonwhichAnnewantedherfathertobeproceeding, hisfriendstobeurginghim. Sheconsidereditasanactofindispensabledutytoclearawaytheclaimsofcreditorswithalltheexpeditionwhichthemostcomprehensiveretrenchmentscouldsecure, andsawnodignityinanythingshortofit. Shewantedittobeprescribed, andfeltas a duty. SheratedLadyRussell's influencehighly; andastotheseveredegreeofself-denialwhichherownconscienceprompted, shebelievedtheremightbelittlemoredifficultyinpersuadingthemto a complete, thantohalf a reformation. HerknowledgeofherfatherandElizabethinclinedhertothinkthatthesacrificeofonepairofhorseswouldbehardlylesspainfulthanofboth, andsoon, throughthewholelistofLadyRussell's toogentlereductions.
5
HowAnne's morerigidrequisitionsmighthavebeentakenisoflittleconsequence. LadyRussell's hadnosuccessatall: couldnotbeputupwith, werenottobeborne. "What! everycomfortoflifeknockedoff! Journeys, London, servants, horses, table--contractionsandrestrictionseverywhere! Tolivenolongerwiththedecenciesevenof a privategentleman! No, hewouldsoonerquitKellynchHallatonce, thanremaininitonsuchdisgracefulterms."
6
"QuitKellynchHall." ThehintwasimmediatelytakenupbyMrShepherd, whoseinterestwasinvolvedintherealityofSirWalter's retrenching, andwhowasperfectlypersuadedthatnothingwouldbedonewithout a changeofabode. "Sincetheideahadbeenstartedintheveryquarterwhichoughttodictate, hehadnoscruple," hesaid, "inconfessinghisjudgementtobeentirelyonthatside. ItdidnotappeartohimthatSirWaltercouldmateriallyalterhisstyleoflivingin a housewhichhadsuch a characterofhospitalityandancientdignitytosupport. InanyotherplaceSirWaltermightjudgeforhimself; andwouldbelookedupto, asregulatingthemodesoflifeinwhateverwayhemightchoosetomodelhishousehold."
7
SirWalterwouldquitKellynchHall; andafter a veryfewdaysmoreofdoubtandindecision, thegreatquestionofwhitherheshouldgowassettled, andthefirstoutlineofthisimportantchangemadeout.
SirWalterhadatfirstthoughtmoreofLondon; butMrShepherdfeltthathecouldnotbetrustedinLondon, andhadbeenskilfulenoughtodissuadehimfromit, andmakeBathpreferred. Itwas a muchsaferplacefor a gentlemaninhispredicament: hemighttherebeimportantatcomparativelylittleexpense. TwomaterialadvantagesofBathoverLondonhadofcoursebeengivenalltheirweight: itsmoreconvenientdistancefromKellynch, onlyfiftymiles, andLadyRussell's spendingsomepartofeverywinterthere; andtotheverygreatsatisfactionofLadyRussell, whosefirstviewsontheprojectedchangehadbeenforBath, SirWalterandElizabethwereinducedtobelievethattheyshouldloseneitherconsequencenorenjoymentbysettlingthere.
10
LadyRussellfeltobligedtoopposeherdearAnne's knownwishes. ItwouldbetoomuchtoexpectSirWaltertodescendinto a smallhouseinhisownneighbourhood. Anneherselfwouldhavefoundthemortificationsofitmorethansheforesaw, andtoSirWalter's feelingstheymusthavebeendreadful. AndwithregardtoAnne's dislikeofBath, sheconsidereditas a prejudiceandmistakearising, first, fromthecircumstanceofherhavingbeenthreeyearsatschoolthere, afterhermother's death; andsecondly, fromherhappeningtobenotinperfectlygoodspiritstheonlywinterwhichshehadafterwardsspenttherewithherself.
11
LadyRussellwasfondofBath, inshort, anddisposedtothinkitmustsuitthemall; andastoheryoungfriend's health, bypassingallthewarmmonthswithheratKellynchLodge, everydangerwouldbeavoided; anditwasinfact, a changewhichmustdobothhealthandspiritsgood. Annehadbeentoolittlefromhome, toolittleseen. Herspiritswerenothigh. A largersocietywouldimprovethem. Shewantedhertobemoreknown.
12
TheundesirablenessofanyotherhouseinthesameneighbourhoodforSirWalterwascertainlymuchstrengthenedbyonepart, and a verymaterialpartofthescheme, whichhadbeenhappilyengraftedonthebeginning. Hewasnotonlytoquithishome, buttoseeitinthehandsofothers; a trialoffortitude, whichstrongerheadsthanSirWalter's havefoundtoomuch. KellynchHallwastobelet. This, however, was a profoundsecret, nottobebreathedbeyondtheirowncircle.