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Jane Austen： Persuasion 232
you were saying。 But why be acquainted with us now？”
“I can explain this too；” cried Mrs。 Smith； smiling。
“Can you really？”
“Yes。 I have shewn you Mr。 Elliot as he was a dozen years ago；
and I will shew him as he is now。 I cannot produce written proof
again； but I can give as authentic oral testimony as you can desire；
of what he is now wanting； and what he is now doing。 He is no
hypocrite now。 He truly wants to marry you。 His present
attentions to your family are very sincere； quite from the heart。 I
will give you my authority： his friend Colonel Wallis。”
“Colonel Wallis！ you are acquainted with him？”
“No。 It does not come to me in quite so direct a line as that； it
takes a bend or two； but nothing of consequence。 The stream is as
good as at first； the little rubbish it collects in the turnings is easily
moved away。 Mr。 Elliot talks unreservedly to Colonel Wallis of his
views on you； which said Colonel Wallis； I imagine to be； in
himself； a sensible； careful； discerning sort of character； but
Colonel Wallis has a very pretty silly wife； to whom he tells things
which he had better not； and he repeats it all to her。 She in the
overflowing spirits of her recovery； repeats it all to her nurse； and
the nurse knowing my acquaintance with you； very naturally
brings it all to me。 On Monday evening； my good friend Mrs。
Rooke let me thus much into the secrets of Marlborough…
buildings。 When I talked of a whole history； therefore； you see I
was not romancing so much as you supposed。”
“My dear Mrs。 Smith； your authority is deficient。 This will not
do。 Mr。 Elliot’s having any views on me will not in the least
account for the efforts he made towards a reconciliation with my
father。 That was all prior to my coming to Bath。 I found them on
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the most friendly terms when I arrived。”
“I know you did； I know it all perfectly； but—”
“Indeed； Mrs。 Smith； we must not expect to get real information
in such a line。 Facts or opinions which are to pass through the
hands of so many； to be misconceived by folly in one； and
ignorance in another； can hardly have much truth left。”
“Only give me a hearing。 You will soon be able to judge of the
general credit due； by listening to some particulars which you can
yourself immediately contradict or confirm。 Nobody supposes that
you were his first inducement。 He had seen you indeed； before he
came to Bath； and admired you； but without knowing it to be you。
So says my historian； at least。 Is this true？ Did he see you last
summer or autumn； ‘somewhere down in the west；’ to use her own
words； without knowing it to be you？”
“He certainly did。 So far it is very true。 At Lyme。 I happened to
be at Lyme。”
“Well；” continued Mrs。 Smith； triumphantly； “grant my friend
the credit due to the establishment of the first point asserted。 He
saw you then at Lyme； and liked you so well as to be exceedingly
pleased to meet with you again in Camden…place； as Miss Anne
Elliot； and from that moment； I have no doubt； had a double
motive in his visits there。 But there was another； and an earlier；
which I will now explain。 If there is anything in my story which
you know to be either false or improbable； stop me。 My account
states； that your sister’s friend； the lady now staying with you；
whom I have heard you mention； came to Bath with Miss Elliot
and Sir Walter as long ago as September （in short when they first
came themselves）； and has been staying there ever since； that she
is a clever； insinuating； handsome woman； poor and plausible； and
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altogether such in situation and manner； as to give a general idea；
among Sir Walter’s acquaintance； of her meaning to be Lady
Elliot； and as general a surprise that Miss Elliot should be
apparently blind to the danger。”
Here Mrs。 Smith paused a moment； but Anne had not a word to
say； and she continued；
“This was the light in which it appeared to those who knew the
family； long before you returned to it； and Colonel Wallis had his
eye upon your father enough to be sensible of it； though he did not
then visit in Camden…place； but his regard for Mr。 Elliot gave him
an interest in watching all that was going on there； and when Mr。
Elliot came to Bath for a day or two； as he happened to do a little
before Christmas； Colonel Wallis made him acquainted with the
appearance of things； and the reports beginning to prevail。—Now
you are to understand； that time had worked a very material
change in Mr。 Elliot’s opinions as to the value of a baronetcy。
Upon all points of blood and connexion he is a completely altered
man。 Having long had as much money as he could spend； nothing
to wish for on the side of avarice or indulgence； he has been
gradually learning to pin his happiness upon the consequence he
is heir to。 I thought it coming on before our acquaintance ceased；
but it is now a confirmed feeling。 He cannot bear the idea of not
being Sir William。 You may guess； therefore； that the news he
heard from his friend could not be very agreeable； and you may
guess what it produced； the resolution of coming back to Bath as
soon as possible； and of fixing himself here for a time； with the
view of renewing his former acquaintance； and recovering such a
footing in the family as might give him the means of ascertaining
the degree of his danger； and of circumventing the lady if he found
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it material。 This was agreed upon between the two friends as the
only thing to be done； and Colonel Wallis was