Chapter 20Mr. Shepherd, a polite, cautious lawyer who, whatever his attitude or views about Sir Walter, would prefer the unpleasant to be caused by anyone else, apologized for not giving the slightest hint, and asked only to be allowed to recommend an implicit reference to lady Russell's excellent judgment, from whose well-known reason he firmly expected to be recommended exactly such decisive measures, which he wanted to see finally adopted.
Lady Russell dealt with the subject with the greatest zeal and looked at it very seriously. She was a woman of healthy rather than quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to a decision in this case were great due to the opposition of two guiding principles. She herself was of strict integrity with a tender sense of honor; but she was so eager t
