see little of anybody else - and it will always be in your power
to set her off to advantage, and so forth; - in short, you may as well give her
a chance - You understand me.« -
    But though Mrs. Ferrars did come to see them, and always treated them with
the make-believe of decent affection, they were never insulted by her real
favour and preference. That was due to the folly of Robert, and the cunning of
his wife; and it was earned by them before many months had passed away. The
selfish sagacity of the latter, which had at first drawn Robert into the scrape,
was the principal instrument of his deliverance from it; for her respectful
humility, assiduous attentions, and endless flatteries, as soon as the smallest
opening was given for their exercise, reconciled Mrs. Ferrars to his choice, and
re-established him completely in her favour.
    The whole of Lucy's behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity which
crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what
an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest, however its progress may be
apparently obstructed, will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no
other sacrifice than that of time and conscience. When Robert first sought her
acquaintance, and privately visited her in Bartlett's Buildings, it was only
with the view imputed to him by his brother. He merely meant to persuade her to
give up the engagement; and as there could be nothing to overcome but the
affection of both, he naturally expected that one or two interviews would settle
the matter. In that point, however, and that only, he erred; - for though Lucy
soon gave him hopes that his eloquence would convince her in time, another
visit, another conversation, was always wanted to produce this conviction. Some
doubts always lingered in her mind when they parted, which could only be removed
by another half hour's discourse with himself. His attendance was by this means
secured, and the rest followed in course. Instead of talking of Edward, they
came gradually to talk only of Robert, - a subject on which he had always more
to say than on any other, and in which she soon betrayed an interest even equal
to his own; and in short, it became speedily evident to both, that he had
entirely supplanted his brother. He was proud of his conquest, proud of tricking
Edward, and very proud of marrying privately without his mother's consent. What
immediately followed is known. They passed some months