Chapter 24

           Whocanbeindoubtofwhatfollowed?Whenanytwoyoungpeopletakeitintotheirheadstomarry,theyareprettysurebyperseverancetocarrytheirpoint,betheyeversopoor,oreversoimprudent,oreversolittlelikelytobenecessarytoeachother’sultimatecomfort.Thismaybebadmoralitytoconcludewith,butIbelieveittobetruth;andifsuchpartiessucceed,howshouldaCaptainWentworthandanAnneElliot,withtheadvantageofmaturityofmind,consciousnessofright,andoneindependentfortunebetweenthem,failofbearingdowneveryopposition?Theymightinfact,havebornedownagreatdealmorethantheymetwith,fortherewaslittletodistressthembeyondthewantofgraciousnessandwarmth.SirWaltermadenoobjection,andElizabethdidnothingworsethanlookcoldandunconcerned.CaptainWentworth,withfive-and-twentythousandpounds,andashighinhisprofessionasmeritandactivitycouldplacehim,wasnolongernobody.Hewasnowesteemedquiteworthytoaddressthedaughterofafoolish,spendthriftbaronet,whohadnothadprincipleorsenseenoughtomaintainhimselfinthesituationinwhichProvidencehadplacedhim,andwhocouldgivehisdaughteratpresentbutasmallpartoftheshareoftenthousandpoundswhichmustbehershereafter.

           SirWalter,indeed,thoughhehadnoaffectionforAnne,andnovanityflattered,tomakehimreallyhappyontheoccasion,wasveryfarfromthinkingitabadmatchforher.