Alreadyhermindwasbusywithbenevolentplansforherfriends，orratherwithonemagnificentplan——whichwassimpletoo——
　　theywerealltogetmarried——atonce——directlyshegotback。
　　Marriage，marriagethatwastherightthing，theonlything，thesolutionrequiredbyeveryonesheknew，andagreatpartofhermeditationswasspentintracingeveryinstanceofdiscomfort，loneliness，ill-health，unsatisfiedambition，restlessness，eccentricity，takingthingsupanddroppingthemagain，publicspeaking，andphilanthropicactivityonthepartofmenandparticularlyonthepartofwomentothefactthattheywantedtomarry，weretryingtomarry，andhadnotsucceededingettingmarried。
　　If，asshewasboundtoown，thesesymptomssometimespersistedaftermarriage，shecouldonlyascribethemtotheunhappylawofnaturewhichdecreedthattherewasonlyoneArthurVenning，andonlyoneSusanwhocouldmarryhim。Hertheory，ofcourse，hadthemeritofbeingfullysupportedbyherowncase。Shehadbeenvaguelyuncomfortableathomefortwoorthreeyearsnow，andavoyagelikethiswithherselfisholdaunt，whopaidherfarebuttreatedherasservantandcompanioninone，wastypicalofthekindofthingpeopleexpectedofher。Directlyshebecameengaged，Mrs。Paleybehavedwithinstinctiverespect，positivelyprotestedwhenSusanasusualkneltdowntolacehershoes，andappearedreallygratefulforanhourofSusan’scompanywhereshehadbeenusedtoexacttwoorthreeasherright。Shethereforeforesawalifeoffargreatercomfortthanshehadbeenusedto，andthechangehadalreadyproducedagreatincreaseofwarmthinherfeelingstowardsotherpeople。
　　ItwascloseontwentyyearsnowsinceMrs。Paleyhadbeenabletolaceherownshoesoreventoseethem，thedisappearanceofherfeethavingcoincidedmoreorlessaccuratelywiththedeathofherhusband，amanofbusiness，soonafterwhicheventMrs。Paleybegantogrowstout。Shewasaselfish，independentoldwoman，possessedofaconsiderableincome，whichshespentupontheupkeepofahousethatneededsevenservantsandacharwomaninLancasterGate，andanotherwithagardenandcarriage-horsesinSurrey。
　　Susan’sengagementrelievedheroftheonegreatanxietyofherlife——
　　thathersonChristophershould“entanglehimself“withhiscousin。
　　Nowthatthisfamiliarsourceofinterestwasremoved，shefeltalittlelowandinclinedtoseemoreinSusanthansheusedto。
　　Shehaddecidedtogiveheraveryhandsomeweddingpresent，achequefortwohundred，twohundredandfifty，orpossibly，conceivably——
　　itdependedupontheunder-gardenerandHuths’billfordoingupthedrawing-room——threehundredpoundssterling。
　　Shewasthinkingofthisveryquestion，revolvingthefigures，asshesatinherwheeledchairwithatablespreadwithcardsbyherside。ThePatiencehadsomehowgotintoamuddle，andshedidnotliketocallforSusantohelpher，asSusanseemedtobebusywithArthur。
　　“She’severyrighttoexpectahandsomepresentfromme，ofcourse，“
　　shethought，lookingvaguelyattheleopardonitshindlegs，“andI’venodoubtshedoes！Moneygoesalongwaywitheveryone。
　　Theyoungareveryselfish。IfIweretodie，nobodywouldmissmebutDakyns，andshe’llbeconsoledbythewill！However，I’vegotnoreasontocomplain……Icanstillenjoymyself。I’mnotaburdentoany-one……Ilikeagreatmanythingsagooddeal，inspiteofmylegs。“
　　Beingslightlydepressed，however，shewentontothinkoftheonlypeopleshehadknownwhohadnotseemedtoheratallselfishorfondofmoney，whohadseemedtohersomehowratherfinerthanthegeneralrun；peopleshewillinglyacknowledged，whowerefinerthanshewas。Therewereonlytwoofthem。Onewasherbrother，whohadbeendrownedbeforehereyes，theotherwasagirl，hergreatestfriend，whohaddiedingivingbirthtoherfirstchild。
　　Thesethingshadhappenedsomefiftyyearsago。
　　“Theyoughtnottohavedied，“shethought。“However，theydid——
　　andweselfisholdcreaturesgoon。“Thetearscametohereyes；
　　shefeltagenuineregretforthem，akindofrespectfortheiryouthandbeauty，andakindofshameforherself；butthetearsdidnotfall；
　　andsheopenedoneofthoseinnumerablenovelswhichsheusedtopronouncegoodorbad，orprettymiddling，orreallywonderful。
　　“Ican’tthinkhowpeoplecometoimaginesuchthings，“shewouldsay，takingoffherspectaclesandlookingupwiththeoldfadedeyes，thatwerebecomingringedwithwhite。
　　JustbehindthestuffedleopardMr。ElliotwasplayingchesswithMr。Pepper。Hewasbeingdefeated，naturally，forMr。Pepperscarcelytookhiseyesofftheboard，andMr。Elliotkeptleaningbackinhischairandthrowingoutremarkstoagentlemanwhohadonlyarrivedthenightbefore，atallhandsomeman，withaheadresemblingtheheadofanintellectualram。Afterafewremarksofageneralnaturehadpassed，theywerediscoveringthattheyknewsomeofthesamepeople，asindeedhadbeenobviousfromtheirappearancedirectlytheysaweachother。
　　“Ahyes，oldTruefit，“saidMr。Elliot。“HehasasonatOxford。
　　I’veoftenstayedwiththem。It’salovelyoldJacobeanhouse。
　　SomeexquisiteGreuzes——oneortwoDutchpictureswhichtheoldboykeptinthecellars。Thentherewerestacksuponstacksofprints。Oh，thedirtinthathouse！Hewasamiser，youknow。
　　TheboymarriedadaughterofLordPinwells。Iknowthemtoo。
　　Thecollectingmaniatendstoruninfamilies。Thischapcollectsbuckles——men’sshoe-bucklestheymustbe，inusebetweentheyears1580and1660；thedatesmayn’tberight，butfact’sasIsay。
　　Yourtruecollectoralwayshassomeunaccountablefadofthatkind。
　　Onotherpointshe’saslevel-headedasabreederofshorthorns，whichiswhathehappenstobe。ThenthePinwells，asyouprobablyknow，havetheirshareofeccentricitytoo。LadyMaud，forinstance——“
　　hewasinterruptedherebythenecessityofconsideringhismove，——“LadyMaudhasahorrorofcatsandclergymen，andpeoplewithbigfrontteeth。I’veheardhershoutacrossatable，’Keepyourmouthshut，MissSmith；they’reasyellowascarrots！’
　　acrossatable，mindyou。Tomeshe’salwaysbeencivilityitself。
　　Shedabblesinliterature，likestocollectafewofusinherdrawing-room，butmentionaclergyman，abishopeven，nay，theArchbishophimself，andshegobbleslikeaturkey-cock。I’vebeentoldit’safamilyfeud——somethingtodowithanancestorinthereignofCharlestheFirst。Yes，“hecontinued，sufferingcheckaftercheck，“Ialwaysliketoknowsomethingofthegrandmothersofourfashionableyoungmen。Inmyopiniontheypreserveallthatweadmireintheeighteenthcentury，withtheadvantage，inthemajorityofcases，thattheyarepersonallyclean。NotthatonewouldinsultoldLadyBarboroughbycallingherclean。Howoftend’youthink，Hilda，“hecalledouttohiswife，“herladyshiptakesabath？“
　　“Ishouldhardlyliketosay，Hugh，“Mrs。Elliottittered，“butwearingpucevelvet，asshedoesevenonthehottestAugustday，itsomehowdoesn’tshow。“
　　“Pepper，youhaveme，“saidMr。Elliot。“MychessisevenworsethanIremembered。“Heacceptedhisdefeatwithgreatequanimity，becausehereallywishedtotalk。
　　HedrewhischairbesideMr。WilfridFlushing，thenewcomer。
　　“Aretheseatallinyourline？“heasked，pointingatacaseinfrontofthem，wherehighlypolishedcrosses，jewels，andbitsofembroidery，theworkofthenatives，weredisplayedtotemptvisitors。
　　“Shams，allofthem，“saidMr。Flushingbriefly。“Thisrug，now，isn’tatallbad。“Hestoppedandpickedupapieceoftherugattheirfeet。“Notold，ofcourse，butthedesignisquiteintherighttradition。Alice，lendmeyourbrooch。
　　Seethedifferencebetweentheoldworkandthenew。“
　　Alady，whowasreadingwithgreatconcentration，unfastenedherbroochandgaveittoherhusbandwithoutlookingathimoracknowledgingthetentativebowwhichMr。Elliotwasdesirousofgivingher。
　　Ifshehadlistened，shemighthavebeenamusedbythereferencetooldLadyBarborough，hergreat-aunt，but，obliviousofhersurroundings，shewentonreading。
　　Theclock，whichhadbeenwheezingforsomeminuteslikeanoldmanpreparingtocough，nowstrucknine。Thesoundslightlydisturbedcertainsomnolentmerchants，governmentofficials，andmenofindependentmeanswhowerelyingbackintheirchairs，chatting，smoking，ruminatingabouttheiraffairs，withtheireyeshalfshut；theyraisedtheirlidsforaninstantatthesoundandthenclosedthemagain。Theyhadtheappearanceofcrocodilessofullygorgedbytheirlastmealthatthefutureoftheworldgivesthemnoanxietywhatever。Theonlydisturbanceintheplacidbrightroomwascausedbyalargemothwhichshotfromlighttolight，whizzingoverelaborateheadsofhair，andcausingseveralyoungwomentoraisetheirhandsnervouslyandexclaim，“Someoneoughttokillit！“
　　Absorbedintheirownthoughts，HewetandHirsthadnotspokenforalongtime。
　　Whentheclockstruck，Hirstsaid:
　　“Ah，thecreaturesbegintostir……“Hewatchedthemraisethemselves，lookaboutthem，andsettledownagain。
　　“WhatIabhormostofall，“heconcluded，“isthefemalebreast。
　　ImaginebeingVenningandhavingtogetintobedwithSusan！
　　Butthereallyrepulsivethingisthattheyfeelnothingatall——
　　aboutwhatIdowhenIhaveahotbath。They’regross，they’reabsurd，they’reutterlyintolerable！“
　　Sosaying，anddrawingnoreplyfromHewet，heproceededtothinkabouthimself，aboutscience，aboutCambridge，abouttheBar，aboutHelenandwhatshethoughtofhim，until，beingverytired，hewasnoddingofftosleep。
　　SuddenlyHewetwokehimup。
　　“Howd’youknowwhatyoufeel，Hirst？“
　　“Areyouinlove？“askedHirst。Heputinhiseyeglass。
　　“Don’tbeafool，“saidHewet。
　　“Well，I’llsitdownandthinkaboutit，“saidHirst。“Onereallyoughtto。Ifthesepeoplewouldonlythinkaboutthings，theworldwouldbeafarbetterplaceforusalltolivein。
　　Areyoutryingtothink？“
　　ThatwasexactlywhatHewethadbeendoingforthelasthalf-hour，buthedidnotfindHirstsympatheticatthemoment。
　　“Ishallgoforawalk，“hesaid。
　　“Rememberweweren’tinbedlastnight，“saidHirstwithaprodigiousyawn。
　　Hewetroseandstretchedhimself。
　　“Iwanttogoandgetabreathofair，“hesaid。
　　Anunusualfeelinghadbeenbotheringhimalltheeveningandforbiddinghimtosettleintoanyonetrainofthought。Itwaspreciselyasifhehadbeeninthemiddleofatalkwhichinterestedhimprofoundlywhensomeonecameupandinterruptedhim。Hecouldnotfinishthetalk，andthelongerhesattherethemorehewantedtofinishit。
　　AsthetalkthathadbeeninterruptedwasatalkwithRachel，hehadtoaskhimselfwhyhefeltthis，andwhyhewantedtogoontalkingtoher。Hirstwouldmerelysaythathewasinlovewithher。
　　Buthewasnotinlovewithher。Didlovebegininthatway，withthewishtogoontalking？No。Italwaysbeganinhiscasewithdefinitephysicalsensations，andthesewerenowabsent，hedidnotevenfindherphysicallyattractive。Therewassomething，ofcourse，unusualabouther——shewasyoung，inexperienced，andinquisitive，theyhadbeenmoreopenwitheachotherthanwasusuallypossible。
　　Healwaysfoundgirlsinterestingtotalkto，andsurelytheseweregoodreasonswhyheshouldwishtogoontalkingtoher；
　　andlastnight，whatwiththecrowdandtheconfusion，hehadonlybeenabletobegintotalktoher。Whatwasshedoingnow？
　　Lyingonasofaandlookingattheceiling，perhaps。Hecouldimagineherdoingthat，andHeleninanarm-chair，withherhandsonthearmofit，so——lookingaheadofher，withhergreatbigeyes——
　　ohno，they’dbetalking，ofcourse，aboutthedance。ButsupposeRachelwasgoingawayinadayortwo，supposethiswastheendofhervisit，andherfatherhadarrivedinoneofthesteamersanchoredinthebay，——itwasintolerabletoknowsolittle。
　　Thereforeheexclaimed，“Howd’youknowwhatyoufeel，Hirst？“tostophimselffromthinking。