Volume II Chapter 3

Summary
The chapter starts out when Anne visits Sir Walter and Elizabeth at their house in Camden Place. They take great pride in showing her around their house but have no interest in listening to Anne talk about herself and her life. Anne feels sorry for them for being so shallow and unaware of the degradation they have suffered. They talk for a bit about Mr. Elliott, telling Anne that they have forgiven him for abandoning the Elliott family. Anne is still skeptical of Mr. Elliott, because she doesn't know why he would come and reconnect with his family so suddenly after such a long separation, but only guesses that he may want to marry Elizabeth. Eventually, Anne and Mr. Elliott meet for the first time after their accidental meeting in Lyme. Mr. Elliott obviously tries to engage and impress Anne, and Anne thinks him very polite and sensible.

Family Themes & Quotes
One huge family theme in this chapter is that which Anne sees the degradation that her family has experienced, but her family does not. She feels ashamed that they have been forced to move to Camden Place, but her family is too blinded by and obsessed with the material objects of their new home to pay any attention to Anne or her feelings or the fact that they have been reduced to mere pennies of wealth. "She might not wonder, but she must sigh that her father should feel no degradation in his change; should see nothing to regret in the duties and dignity of the resident land-holder; should find so much to be vain of in the littleness of a town," (page 129).