down by her), “you have a better right to be
fastidious than almost any other woman I know; but
will it answer? Will it make you happy?
Will it not be wiser to accept the society of those
good ladies in Laura Place, and enjoy all the advantages
of the connexion as far as possible? You may
depend upon it, that they will move in the first set
in Bath this winter, and as rank is rank, your being
known to be related to them will have its use in fixing
your family (our family let me say) in that degree
of consideration which we must all wish for.”
“Yes,” sighed Anne, “we shall, indeed,
be known to be related to them!” then recollecting
herself, and not wishing to be answered, she added,
“I certainly do think there has been by far too
much trouble taken to procure the acquaintance.
I suppose” (smiling) “I have more pride
than any of you; but I confess it does vex me, that
we should be so solicitous to have the relationship
acknowledged, which we may be very sure is a matter
of perfect indifference to them.”
“Pardon me, dear cousin, you are unjust in your
own claims. In London, perhaps, in your present
quiet style of living, it might be as you say:
but in Bath; Sir Walter Elliot and his family will
always be worth knowing: always acceptable as
acquaintance.”
“Well,” said Anne, “I certainly
am proud, too proud to enjoy a welcome which depends
so entirely upon place.”
“I love your indignation,” said he; “it
is very natural. But here you are in Bath, and
the object is to be established here with all the
credit and dignity which ought to belong to Sir Walter
Elliot. You talk of being proud; I am called
proud, I know, and I shall not wish to believe myself
otherwise; for our pride, if investigated, would have
the same object, I have no doubt, though the kind may
seem a little different. In one point, I am
sure, my dear cousin,” (he continued, speaking
lower, though there was no one else in the room) “in
one point, I am sure, we must feel alike. We
must feel that every addition to your father’s
society, among his equals or superiors, may be of
use in diverting his thoughts from those who are beneath
him.”
He looked, as he spoke, to the seat which Mrs Clay
had been lately occupying: a sufficient explanation
of what he particularly meant; and though Anne could
not believe in their having the same sort of pride,
she was pleased with him for not liking Mrs Clay; and
her conscience admitted that his wishing to promote
her father’s getting great acquaintance was
more than excusable in the view of defeating her.
While Sir Walter and Elizabeth were assiduously pushing
their good fortune in Laura Place, Anne was renewing
an acquaintance of a very different description.
