Доводы рассудка

           ItwasnowsomeyearssinceAnnehadbeguntolearnthatsheandherexcellentfriendcouldsometimesthinkdifferently;anditdidnotsurpriseher,therefore,thatLadyRussellshouldseenothingsuspiciousorinconsistent,nothingtorequiremoremotivesthanappeared,inMrElliot’sgreatdesireofareconciliation.InLadyRussell’sview,itwasperfectlynaturalthatMrElliot,atamaturetimeoflife,shouldfeelitamostdesirableobject,andwhatwouldverygenerallyrecommendhimamongallsensiblepeople,tobeongoodtermswiththeheadofhisfamily;thesimplestprocessintheworldoftimeuponaheadnaturallyclear,andonlyerringintheheydayofyouth.Annepresumed,however,stilltosmileaboutit,andatlasttomention“Elizabeth.”LadyRusselllistened,andlooked,andmadeonlythiscautiousreply:—”Elizabeth!verywell;timewillexplain.”

           Itwasareferencetothefuture,whichAnne,afteralittleobservation,feltshemustsubmitto.Shecoulddeterminenothingatpresent.InthathouseElizabethmustbefirst;andshewasinthehabitofsuchgeneralobservanceas“MissElliot,”thatanyparticularityofattentionseemedalmostimpossible.MrElliot,too,itmustberemembered,hadnotbeenawidowersevenmonths.Alittledelayonhissidemightbeveryexcusable.