Austen Said:

She

disliked Bath, and

did not think

and Bath was to be her home.

Sir Walter had at first thought more of London; but

Mr Shepherd felt that

and had been skilful enough to dissuade him from it, and make Bath preferred.

Two material advantages of Bath over London had of course been given all their weight: its more convenient distance from Kellynch, only fifty miles, and Lady Russell's spending some part of every winter there; and to the very great satisfaction of Lady Russell, whose first views on the projected change had been for Bath, Sir Walter and Elizabeth were induced to believe that they should lose neither consequence nor enjoyment by settling there.

Lady Russell felt obliged

she considered

Lady Russell

was fond of Bath, in short, and

disposed to think

it must suit them all; and

The undesirableness of any other house in the same neighbourhood for Sir Walter was certainly much strengthened by one part, and a very material part of the scheme, which had been happily engrafted on the beginning. He was not only to quit his home, but to see it in the hands of others; a trial of fortitude, which stronger heads than Sir Walter's have found too much. Kellynch Hall was to be let. This, however, was a profound secret, not to be breathed beyond their own circle.

Sir Walter could not have borne the degradation of being known to design letting his house. Mr Shepherd had once mentioned the word

but never dared approach it again.

Sir Walter

How quick come the reasons for approving what we like! Lady Russell had another excellent one at hand, for being extremely glad that Sir Walter and his family were to remove from the country. Elizabeth had been lately forming an intimacy, which she wished to see interrupted. It was with the daughter of Mr Shepherd, who had returned, after an unprosperous marriage, to her father's house, with the additional burden of two children. She was a clever young woman, who understood the art of pleasing--the art of pleasing, at least, at Kellynch Hall; and who had made herself so acceptable to Miss Elliot, as to have been already staying there more than once, in spite of all that

Lady Russell,

who

thought it

could hint of caution and reserve.

Lady Russell, indeed, had scarcely any influence with Elizabeth, and seemed to love her, rather because she would love her, than because Elizabeth deserved it. She had never received from her more than outward attention, nothing beyond the observances of complaisance; had never succeeded in any point which she wanted to carry, against previous inclination. She had been repeatedly very earnest in trying to get Anne included in the visit to London, sensibly open to all the injustice and all the discredit of the selfish arrangements which shut her out, and on many lesser occasions had endeavoured to give Elizabeth the advantage of her own better judgement and experience; but always in vain: Elizabeth would go her own way; and never had she pursued it in more decided opposition to Lady Russell than in this selection of Mrs Clay;

in Lady Russell's estimate,

she believed

said Mr Shepherd one morning at Kellynch Hall, as he laid down the newspaper,

replied Sir Walter;

Mr Shepherd laughed, as he knew he must, at this wit, and then added --

Sir Walter only nodded. But soon afterwards, rising and pacing the room, he observed sarcastically --

said Mrs Clay, for Mrs Clay was present: her father had driven her over, nothing being of so much use to Mrs Clay's health as a drive to Kellynch:

rejoined Sir Walter coolly,

After a short pause, Mr Shepherd presumed to say--

Here Anne spoke --

was Mr Shepherd's rejoinder, and

was his daughter's; but Sir Walter's remark was, soon afterwards--

was the reply, and with a look of surprise.

cried Mrs Clay,

she stopt a moment to consider what might do for the clergyman --

It seemed as if Mr Shepherd, in this anxiety to bespeak Sir Walter's good will towards a naval officer as tenant, had been gifted with foresight; for the very first application for the house was from an Admiral Croft, with whom he shortly afterwards fell into company in attending the quarter sessions at Taunton; and indeed, he had received a hint of the Admiral from a London correspondent.

By the report which he hastened over to Kellynch to make,

Mr Shepherd observed,

was Sir Walter's cold suspicious inquiry.

Mr Shepherd answered for

and mentioned a place; and Anne, after the little pause which followed, added--

observed Sir Walter,

Mr Shepherd hastened to assure him, that

Mr Shepherd

was eloquent on the subject;

pointing out