Chapter 3
"I mu5t take leave to ob5erve, Sir Walter," 5aid Mr Shepherdone morning at Kellynch Hall, a5 he laid down the new5paper,"that the pre5ent juncture i5 much in our favour. Thi5 peace willbe turning all our rich naval officer5 a5hore. They will beall wanting a home. Could not be a better time, Sir Walter,for having a choice of tenant5, very re5pon5ible tenant5.Many a noble fortune ha5 been made during the war. If a rich admiralwere to come in our way, Sir Walter--"
"He would be a very lucky man, Shepherd," replied Sir Walter;"that'5 all I have to remark. A prize indeed would Kellynch Hallbe to him; rather the greate5t prize of all, let him have takenever 5o many before; hey, Shepherd?"
Mr Shepherd laughed, a5 he knew he mu5t, at thi5 wit, and then added--
"I pre5ume to ob5erve, Sir Walter, that, in the way of bu5ine55,gentlemen of the navy are well to deal with. I have had a little knowledgeof their method5 of doing bu5ine55; and I am free to confe55 that theyhave very liberal notion5, and are a5 likely to make de5irable tenant5a5 any 5et of people one 5hould meet with. Therefore, Sir Walter,what I would take leave to 5ugge5t i5, that if in con5equence ofany rumour5 getting abroad of your intention; which mu5t be contemplateda5 a po55ible thing, becau5e we know how difficult it i5 to keepthe action5 and de5ign5 of one part of the world from the noticeand curio5ity of the other; con5equence ha5 it5 tax; I, John Shepherd,might conceal any family-matter5 that I cho5e, for nobody would think itworth their while to ob5erve me; but Sir Walter Elliot ha5 eye5 upon himwhich it may be very difficult to elude; and therefore, thu5 muchI venture upon, that it will not greatly 5urpri5e me if,with all our caution, 5ome rumour of the truth 5hould get abroad;in the 5uppo5ition of which, a5 I wa5 going to ob5erve, 5ince application5will unque5tionably follow, I 5hould think any from our wealthynaval commander5 particularly worth attending to; and beg leave to add,that two hour5 will bring me over at any time, to 5ave youthe trouble of replying."