As well as disappointments about marriage, Elizabeth Elliot now had something else to worry about. Her father spent freely, but could not pay all the bills, and now owed money to a great number of people. In Sir Walter's opinion, a baronet had to live in a certain style; he was too proud to be careful. While Lady Elliot lived, she had helped to manage her husband's money, but since her death there had been no one to prevent Sir Walter from spending far too much.

　　He asked Elizabeth where he could make cuts in his spend-ing. She could only suggest giving less money to the poor in the village, and not buying Anne her usual birthday present, but that would only save a very little.

　　除了关于婚姻的伤心往事之外，伊丽莎白·埃利奥特现在还有别的事情要操心。她父亲花钱随心所欲，却没有能力支付所有的账单，以致如今债台高筑。在沃尔特爵士看来，准男爵必须生活得体面。可他太爱面子，花钱不谨慎。埃利奥特太太在世时，她尚能帮助丈夫管理钱财，可自从她去世之后，就无人能阻止沃尔特爵士大肆挥霍了。沃尔特爵土询问伊丽莎白可以在哪些方面削减开销，她只能建议减少给村里穷人的施舍，同时不再按照惯例给安妮购买生日礼物，可这样也只能节省很少的开销。

　　……