CHAPTER XVIII

　　"I hope I shall soon have the pleasure of introducing my son to you," said Mr. Weston.
Mrs. Elton, very willing to suppose a particular compliment intended her by such a hope, smiled most graciously.

　　"You have heard of a certain Frank Churchill, I presume," he continued—— "and know him to be my son, though he does not bear my name."

　　"Oh! yes, and I shall be very happy in his acquaintance. I am sure Mr. Elton will lose no time in calling on him; and we shall both have great pleasure in seeing him at the Vicarage."

　　"You are very obliging.——Frank will be extremely happy, I am sure.—— He is to be in town next week, if not sooner. We have notice of it in a letter to-day. I met the letters in my way this morning, and seeing my son’s hand, presumed to open it——though it was not directed to me——it was to Mrs. Weston. She is his principal correspondent, I assure you. I hardly ever get a letter."

　　"Indeed!——from Yorkshire, I think. Enscombe is in Yorkshire?"

　　"Yes, they are about one hundred and ninety miles from London. a considerable journey." 　"Yes, upon my word, very considerable. Sixty-five miles farther than from Maple Grove to London. But what is distance, Mr. Weston, to people of large fortune?——You would be amazed to hear how my brother, Mr. Suckling, sometimes flies about. You will hardly believe me—— but twice in one week he and Mr. Bragge went to London and back again with four horses."

　　"The evil of the distance from Enscombe," said Mr. Weston, "is, that Mrs. Churchill, as we understand, has not been able to leave the sofa for a week together. In Frank’s last letter she complained, he said, of being too weak to get into her conservatory without having both his arm and his uncle’s! This, you know, speaks a great degree of weakness——but now she is so impatient to be in town, that she means to sleep only two nights on the road.——So Frank writes word. Certainly, delicate ladies have very extraordinary constitutions, Mrs. Elton. You must grant me that."

"Depend upon it, Mrs. Churchill does every thing that any other fine lady ever did. Mrs. Churchill will not be second to any lady in the land for"——
　Mrs. Elton eagerly interposed with,

　　"Oh! Mr. Weston, do not mistake me. Selina is no fine lady, I assure you. Do not run away with such an idea."

　　"Is not she? Then she is no rule for Mrs. Churchill, who is as thorough a fine lady as any body ever beheld."

　　Mrs. Elton began to think she had been wrong in disclaiming so warmly. It was by no means her object to have it believed that her sister was not a fine lady; perhaps there was want of spirit in the pretence of it;——and she was considering in what way she had best retract, when Mr. Weston went on.

　　"Mrs. Churchill is not much in my good graces, as you may suspect—— but this is quite between ourselves. She is very fond of Frank, and therefore I would not speak ill of her. Besides, she is out of health now; but that indeed, by her own account, she has always been. I would not say so to every body, Mrs. Elton, but I have not much faith in Mrs. Churchill’s illness."

　　"Frank was here in February for a fortnight."
"So I remember to have heard. He will find an addition to the society of Highbury when he comes again; that is, if I may presume to call myself an addition. But perhaps he may never have heard of there being such a creature in the world."

　　This was too loud a call for a compliment to be passed by, and Mr. Weston, with a very good grace, immediately exclaimed,

　　"My dear madam! Nobody but yourself could imagine such a thing possible. Not heard of you!——I believe Mrs. Weston’s letters lately have been full of very little else than Mrs. Elton."

　　He had done his duty and could return to his son.

　　She was stopped by a slight fit of coughing, and Mr. Weston instantly seized the opportunity of going on.

　　Mr. Weston was musing.

　　They were interrupted. Tea was carrying round, and Mr. Weston, having said all that he wanted, soon took the opportunity of walking away.