which she could not immediately resist lady said not another word willing to leave the matter to its own operation and believing that could mr at that moment with propriety have spoken for himself � she believed in short what anne did not believe the same image of mr speaking for himself brought anne to composure again the charm of and of lady all faded away she never could accept him and it was not only that her feelings were still adverse to any man one her judgment on a serious consideration of the possibilities of such a case was against mr though they now had been acquainted a month she could not be that she really knew his character that he was a sensible man an agreeable man � that he talked well professed good opinions seemed to judge properly and as a man of principle � this was all clear enough he certainly knew what was right nor could she fix on any one article of moral duty evidently but yet she would have been afraid to answer for his conduct she the past if not the present the names which occasionally of former associations the allusions of former practice and pursuits suggested suspicions not favourable of what he had been she saw that there had been bad habits that had been a common thing that there had been a period of his life and probably not a short one when he had been at least careless on all serious matters and though he might now think very differently who could answer for the true sentiments of a clever cautious man grown old enough to appreciate a fair character how could it ever be that his mind was truly mr was rational discreet polished � but he was not persuasion open there was never any burst of feeling any warmth of indignation or delight the evil or good of others this to anne was a decided her early impressions were she the frank the open hearted the eager character beyond all others warmth and enthusiasm did her still she felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or hasty thing than of those whose presence of mind never varied whose tongue never slipped mr was too generally agreeable various as were the in her father s house he pleased them all he endured too well � stood too well with every body he had spoken to her with some degree of of mrs clay had appeared completely to see what mrs clay was about and to hold her in contempt and yet mrs clay found him as agreeable as any body lady saw either less or more than her young friend for she saw nothing to excite distrust she could not imagine a man more exactly what he ought to be than mr nor did she ever enjoy a sweeter feeling than the hope of seeing him receive the hand of her beloved anne in church in the course of the following autumn chapter it was the beginning of february and j having been a month in bath was growing very eager for news from and she wanted to hear much more than mary communicated it was three weeks since she had heard at all she only knew that was at home again and that though considered to be recovering fast was still at and she was thinking of them all very intently one evening when a thicker letter than usual from mary was delivered to her and to the pleasure and surprise with admiral and mrs s compliments the must be in bath a circumstance to interest her they d people whom her heart turned to very naturally what is this cried sir walter the arrived in bath the who rent what have they brought you a letter from cottage sir oh those letters are convenient they secure an introduction i should have visited admiral however at any rate i know what is due to my tenant anne could listen no longer she could not even have told how the poor complexion escaped her letter engrossed her it had been begun several days back february � � mr dear anne i make no apology for my silence because i know how little people think of letters in such a place as bath you must be a great deal too happy to care for which as you well know affords little to write about we have had a very dull christmas mr and mrs have not had one dinner party all the holidays i do not reckon the as any body the holidays however are over at last i believe no children ever had such long ones i am sure i had not the house was cleared yesterday except of the little but you will be surprised to hear that they have never gone home mrs must be an odd mother to part with them so long i do not understand it they are not at all nice children in my opinion but mrs seems to like them quite as well if not better than her what dreadful weather we have had it may not be felt in bath with your nice but in the country it is some consequence i have not had a creature call on me since the second week in january except charles who has been calling much oftener than was welcome between ourselves i think it a great pity did not remain at as long as it would have kept her a little out of his way the carriage is gone to day to bring and the tomorrow we are not asked to dine with them however till the day after mrs is so afraid of her being fatigued by the journey which is not very likely considering the care that will be taken of her and it would be much 