Persuasion

by

Jane Austen

(1818)

Chapter 1

Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; therehe found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressedone; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, bycontemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there anyunwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs changed naturallyinto pity and contempt as he turned over the almost endless creationsof the last century; and there, if every other leaf were powerless, hecould read his own history with an interest which never failed. Thiswas the page at which the favourite volume always opened:

 "ELLIOT OF KELLYNCH HALL. 

"Walter Elliot, born March 1, 1760, married, July 15, 1784, Elizabeth, daughter of James Stevenson, Esq. Of South Park, in the county ofGloucester, by which lady (who died 1800) he has issue Elizabeth, bornJune 1, 1785; Anne, born August 9, 1787; a still-born son, November 5, 1789; Mary, born November 20, 1791. "

Precisely such had the paragraph originally stood from the printer'shands; but Sir Walter had improved it by adding, for the information ofhimself and his family, these words, after the date of Mary's birth--"Married, December 16, 1810, Charles, son and heir of Charles Musgrove, Esq. Of Uppercross, in the county of Somerset, " and by inserting mostaccurately the day of the month on which he had lost his wife. 

Then followed the history and rise of the ancient and respectablefamily, in the usual terms; how it had been first settled in Cheshire;how mentioned in Dugdale, serving the office of high sheriff, representing a borough in three successive parliaments, exertions ofloyalty, and dignity of baronet, in the first year of Charles II, withall the Marys and Elizabeths they had married; forming altogether twohandsome duodecimo pages, and concluding with the arms andmotto:--"Principal seat, Kellynch Hall, in the county of Somerset, " andSir Walter's handwriting again in this finale:--

"Heir presumptive, William Walter Elliot, Esq. , great grandson of thesecond Sir Walter. "

Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot's character;vanity of person and of situation. He had been remarkably handsome inhis youth; and, at fifty-four, was still a very fine man. Few womencould think more of their personal appearance than he did, nor couldthe valet of any new made lord be more delighted with the place he heldin society. He considered the blessing of beauty as inferior only tothe blessing of a baronetcy; and the Sir Walter Elliot, who unitedthese gifts, was the constant object of his warmest respect anddevotion. 

His good looks and his rank had one fair claim on his attachment; sinceto them he must have owed a wife of very superior character to anything deserved by his own. Lady Elliot had been an excellent woman, sensible and amiable; whose judgement and conduct, if they might bepardoned the youthful infatuation which made her Lady Elliot, had neverrequired indulgence afterwards. --She had humoured, or softened, orconcealed his failings, and promoted his real respectability forseventeen years; and though not the very happiest being in the worldherself, had found enough in her duties, her friends, and her children, to attach her to life, and make it no matter of indifference to herwhen she was called on to quit them. --Three girls, the two eldestsixteen and fourteen, was an awful legacy for a mother to bequeath, anawful charge rather, to confide to the authority and guidance of aconceited, silly father. She had, however, one very intimate friend, asensible, deserving woman, who had been brought, by strong attachmentto herself, to settle close by her, in the village of Kellynch; and onher kindness and advice, Lady Elliot mainly relied for the best helpand maintenance of the good principles and instruction which she hadbeen anxiously giving her daughters. 

This friend, and Sir Walter, did not marry, whatever might have beenanticipated on that head by their acquaintance. Thirteen years hadpassed away since Lady Elliot's death, and they were still nearneighbours and intimate friends, and one remained a widower, the othera widow. 

That Lady Russell, of steady age and character, and extremely wellprovided for, should have no thought of a second marriage, needs noapology to the public, which is rather apt to be unreasonablydiscontented when a woman does marry again, than when she does not; butSir Walter's continuing in singleness requires explanation. Be itknown then, that Sir Walter, like a good father, (having met with oneor two private disappointments in very unreasonable applications), prided himself on remaining single for his dear daughters' sake. Forone daughter, his eldest, he would really have given up any thing, which he had not been very much tempted to do. Elizabeth hadsucceeded, at sixteen, to all that was possible, of her mother's rightsand consequence; and being very handsome, and very like himself, herinfluence had always been great, and they had gone on together mosthappily. His two other children were of very inferior value. Mary hadacquired a little artificial importance, by becoming Mrs CharlesMusgrove; but Anne, with an elegance of mind and sweetness ofcharacter, which must have placed her high with any people of realunderstanding, was nobody with either father or sister; her word had noweight, her convenience was always to give way--she was only Anne. 

To Lady Russell, indeed, she was a most dear and highly valuedgod-daughter, favourite, and friend. Lady Russell loved them all; butit was only in Anne that she could fancy the mother to revive again. 

A few years before, Anne Elliot had been a very pretty girl, but herbloom had vanished early; and as even in its height, her father hadfound little to admire in her, (so totally different were her delicatefeatures and mild dark eyes from his own), there could be nothing inthem, now that she was faded and thin, to excite his esteem. He hadnever indulged much hope, he had now none, of ever reading her name inany other page of his favourite work. All equality of alliance mustrest with Elizabeth, for Mary had merely connected herself with an oldcountry family of respectability and large fortune, and had thereforegiven all the honour and received none: Elizabeth would, one day orother, marry suitably. 

It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than shewas ten years before; and, generally speaking, if there has beenneither ill health nor anxiety, it is a time of life at which scarcelyany charm is lost. It was so with Elizabeth, still the same handsomeMiss Elliot that she had begun to be thirteen years ago, and Sir Waltermight be excused, therefore, in forgetting her age, or, at least, bedeemed only half a fool, for thinking himself and Elizabeth as bloomingas ever, amidst the wreck of the good looks of everybody else; for hecould plainly see how old all the rest of his family and acquaintancewere growing. Anne haggard, Mary coarse, every face in theneighbourhood worsting, and the rapid increase of the crow's foot aboutLady Russell's temples had long been a distress to him. 

Elizabeth did not quite equal her father in personal contentment. Thirteen years had seen her mistress of Kellynch Hall, presiding anddirecting with a self-possession and decision which could never havegiven the idea of her being younger than she was. For thirteen yearshad she been doing the honours, and laying down the domestic law athome, and leading the way to the chaise and four, and walkingimmediately after Lady Russell out of all the drawing-rooms anddining-rooms in the country. Thirteen winters' revolving frosts hadseen her opening every ball of credit which a scanty neighbourhoodafforded, and thirteen springs shewn their blossoms, as she travelledup to London with her father, for a few weeks' annual enjoyment of thegreat world. She had the remembrance of all this, she had theconsciousness of being nine-and-twenty to give her some regrets andsome apprehensions; she was fully satisfied of being still quite ashandsome as ever, but she felt her approach to the years of danger, andwould have rejoiced to be certain of being properly solicited bybaronet-blood within the next twelvemonth or two. Then might she againtake up the book of books with as much enjoyment as in her early youth, but now she liked it not. Always to be presented with the date of herown birth and see no marriage follow but that of a youngest sister, made the book an evil; and more than once, when her father had left itopen on the table near her, had she closed it, with averted eyes, andpushed it away. 

She had had a disappointment, moreover, which that book, and especiallythe history of her own family, must ever present the remembrance of. The heir presumptive, the very William Walter Elliot, Esq. , whoserights had been so generously supported by her father, had disappointedher. 

She had, while a very young girl, as soon as she had known him to be, in the event of her having no brother, the future baronet, meant tomarry him, and her father had always meant that she should. He had notbeen known to them as a boy; but soon after Lady Elliot's death, SirWalter had sought the acquaintance, and though his overtures had notbeen met with any warmth, he had persevered in seeking it, makingallowance for the modest drawing-back of youth; and, in one of theirspring excursions to London, when Elizabeth was in her first bloom, MrElliot had been forced into the introduction. 

He was at that time a very young man, just engaged in the study of thelaw; and Elizabeth found him extremely agreeable, and every plan in hisfavour was confirmed. He was invited to Kellynch Hall; he was talkedof and expected all the rest of the year; but he never came. Thefollowing spring he was seen again in town, found equally agreeable, again encouraged, invited, and expected, and again he did not come; andthe next tidings were that he was married. Instead of pushing hisfortune in the line marked out for the heir of the house of Elliot, hehad purchased independence by uniting himself to a rich woman ofinferior birth. 

Sir Walter has resented it. As the head of the house, he felt that heought to have been consulted, especially after taking the young man sopublicly by the hand; "For they must have been seen together, " heobserved, "once at Tattersall's, and twice in the lobby of the House ofCommons. " His disapprobation was expressed, but apparently very littleregarded. Mr Elliot had attempted no apology, and shewn himself asunsolicitous of being longer noticed by the family, as Sir Walterconsidered him unworthy of it: all acquaintance between them hadceased. 

This very awkward history of Mr Elliot was still, after an interval ofseveral years, felt with anger by Elizabeth, who had liked the man forhimself, and still more for being her father's heir, and whose strongfamily pride could see only in him a proper match for Sir WalterElliot's eldest daughter. There was not a baronet from A to Z whom herfeelings could have so willingly acknowledged as an equal. Yet somiserably had he conducted himself, that though she was at this presenttime (the summer of 1814) wearing black ribbons for his wife, she couldnot admit him to be worth thinking of again. The disgrace of his firstmarriage might, perhaps, as there was no reason to suppose itperpetuated by offspring, have been got over, had he not done worse;but he had, as by the accustomary intervention of kind friends, theyhad been informed, spoken most disrespectfully of them all, mostslightingly and contemptuously of the very blood he belonged to, andthe honours which were hereafter to be his own. This could not bepardoned. 

Such were Elizabeth Elliot's sentiments and sensations; such the caresto alloy, the agitations to vary, the sameness and the elegance, theprosperity and the nothingness of her scene of life; such the feelingsto give interest to a long, uneventful residence in one country circle, to fill the vacancies which there were no habits of utility abroad, notalents or accomplishments for home, to occupy. 

But now, another occupation and solicitude of mind was beginning to beadded to these. Her father was growing distressed for money. Sheknew, that when he now took up the Baronetage, it was to drive theheavy bills of his tradespeople, and the unwelcome hints of MrShepherd, his agent, from his thoughts. The Kellynch property wasgood, but not equal to Sir Walter's apprehension of the state requiredin its possessor. While Lady Elliot lived, there had been method, moderation, and economy, which had just kept him within his income; butwith her had died all such right-mindedness, and from that period hehad been constantly exceeding it. It had not been possible for him tospend less; he had done nothing but what Sir Walter Elliot wasimperiously called on to do; but blameless as he was, he was not onlygrowing dreadfully in debt, but was hearing of it so often, that itbecame vain to attempt concealing it longer, even partially, from hisdaughter. He had given her some hints of it the last spring in town;he had gone so far even as to say, "Can we retrench? Does it occur toyou that there is any one article in which we can retrench?" andElizabeth, to do her justice, had, in the first ardour of female alarm, set seriously to think what could be done, and had finally proposedthese two branches of economy, to cut off some unnecessary charities, and to refrain from new furnishing the drawing-room; to whichexpedients she afterwards added the happy thought of their taking nopresent down to Anne, as had been the usual yearly custom. But thesemeasures, however good in themselves, were insufficient for the realextent of the evil, the whole of which Sir Walter found himself obligedto confess to her soon afterwards. Elizabeth had nothing to propose ofdeeper efficacy. She felt herself ill-used and unfortunate, as did herfather; and they were neither of them able to devise any means oflessening their expenses without compromising their dignity, orrelinquishing their comforts in a way not to be borne. 

There was only a small part of his estate that Sir Walter could disposeof; but had every acre been alienable, it would have made nodifference. He had condescended to mortgage as far as he had thepower, but he would never condescend to sell. No; he would neverdisgrace his name so far. The Kellynch estate should be transmittedwhole and entire, as he had received it. 

Their two confidential friends, Mr Shepherd, who lived in theneighbouring market town, and Lady Russell, were called to advise them;and both father and daughter seemed to expect that something should bestruck out by one or the other to remove their embarrassments andreduce their expenditure, without involving the loss of any indulgenceof taste or pride. 

Chapter 2

Mr Shepherd, a civil, cautious lawyer, who, whatever might be his holdor his views on Sir Walter, would rather have the disagreeable promptedby anybody else, excused himself from offering the slightest hint, andonly begged leave to recommend an implicit reference to the excellentjudgement of Lady Russell, from whose known good sense he fullyexpected to have just such resolute measures advised as he meant to seefinally adopted. 

Lady Russell was most anxiously zealous on the subject, and gave itmuch serious consideration. She was a woman rather of sound than ofquick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to any decision in thisinstance were great, from the opposition of two leading principles. She was of strict integrity herself, with a delicate sense of honour;but she was as desirous of saving Sir Walter's feelings, as solicitousfor the credit of the family, as aristocratic in her ideas of what wasdue to them, as anybody of sense and honesty could well be. She was abenevolent, charitable, good woman, and capable of strong attachments, most correct in her conduct, strict in her notions of decorum, and withmanners that were held a standard of good-breeding. She had acultivated mind, and was, generally speaking, rational and consistent;but she had prejudices on the side of ancestry; she had a value forrank and consequence, which blinded her a little to the faults of thosewho possessed them. Herself the widow of only a knight, she gave thedignity of a baronet all its due; and Sir Walter, independent of hisclaims as an old acquaintance, an attentive neighbour, an obliginglandlord, the husband of her very dear friend, the father of Anne andher sisters, was, as being Sir Walter, in her apprehension, entitled toa great deal of compassion and consideration under his presentdifficulties. 

They must retrench; that did not admit of a doubt. But she was veryanxious to have it done with the least possible pain to him andElizabeth. She drew up plans of economy, she made exact calculations, and she did what nobody else thought of doing: she consulted Anne, whonever seemed considered by the others as having any interest in thequestion. She consulted, and in a degree was influenced by her inmarking out the scheme of retrenchment which was at last submitted toSir Walter. Every emendation of Anne's had been on the side of honestyagainst importance. She wanted more vigorous measures, a more completereformation, a quicker release from debt, a much higher tone ofindifference for everything but justice and equity. 

"If we can persuade your father to all this, " said Lady Russell, looking over her paper, "much may be done. If he will adopt theseregulations, in seven years he will be clear; and I hope we may be ableto convince him and Elizabeth, that Kellynch Hall has a respectabilityin itself which cannot be affected by these reductions; and that thetrue dignity of Sir Walter Elliot will be very far from lessened in theeyes of sensible people, by acting like a man of principle. What willhe be doing, in fact, but what very many of our first families havedone, or ought to do? There will be nothing singular in his case; andit is singularity which often makes the worst part of our suffering, asit always does of our conduct. I have great hope of prevailing. Wemust be serious and decided; for after all, the person who hascontracted debts must pay them; and though a great deal is due to thefeelings of the gentleman, and the head of a house, like your father, there is still more due to the character of an honest man. "

This was the principle on which Anne wanted her father to beproceeding, his friends to be urging him. She considered it as an actof indispensable duty to clear away the claims of creditors with allthe expedition which the most comprehensive retrenchments could secure, and saw no dignity in anything short of it. She wanted it to beprescribed, and felt as a duty. She rated Lady Russell's influencehighly; and as to the severe degree of self-denial which her ownconscience prompted, she believed there might be little more difficultyin persuading them to a complete, than to half a reformation. Herknowledge of her father and Elizabeth inclined her to think that thesacrifice of one pair of horses would be hardly less painful than ofboth, and so on, through the whole list of Lady Russell's too gentlereductions. 

How Anne's more rigid requisitions might have been taken is of littleconsequence. Lady Russell's had no success at all: could not be put upwith, were not to be borne. "What! every comfort of life knocked off!Journeys, London, servants, horses, table--contractions andrestrictions every where! To live no longer with the decencies even ofa private gentleman! No, he would sooner quit Kellynch Hall at once, than remain in it on such disgraceful terms. "

"Quit Kellynch Hall. " The hint was immediately taken up by MrShepherd, whose interest was involved in the reality of Sir Walter'sretrenching, and who was perfectly persuaded that nothing would be donewithout a change of abode. "Since the idea had been started in thevery quarter which ought to dictate, he had no scruple, " he said, "inconfessing his judgement to be entirely on that side. It did notappear to him that Sir Walter could materially alter his style ofliving in a house which had such a character of hospitality and ancientdignity to support. In any other place Sir Walter might judge forhimself; and would be looked up to, as regulating the modes of life inwhatever way he might choose to model his household. "

Sir Walter would quit Kellynch Hall; and after a very few days more ofdoubt and indecision, the great question of whither he should go wassettled, and the first outline of this important change made out. 

There had been three alternatives, London, Bath, or another house inthe country. All Anne's wishes had been for the latter. A small housein their own neighbourhood, where they might still have Lady Russell'ssociety, still be near Mary, and still have the pleasure of sometimesseeing the lawns and groves of Kellynch, was the object of herambition. But the usual fate of Anne attended her, in having somethingvery opposite from her inclination fixed on. She disliked Bath, anddid not think it agreed with her; and Bath was to be her home. 

Sir Walter had at first thought more of London; but Mr Shepherd feltthat he could not be trusted in London, and had been skilful enough todissuade him from it, and make Bath preferred. It was a much saferplace for a gentleman in his predicament: he might there be importantat comparatively little expense. Two material advantages of Bath overLondon had of course been given all their weight: its more convenientdistance from Kellynch, only fifty miles, and Lady Russell's spendingsome part of every winter there; and to the very great satisfaction ofLady Russell, whose first views on the projected change had been forBath, Sir Walter and Elizabeth were induced to believe that they shouldlose neither consequence nor enjoyment by settling there. 

Lady Russell felt obliged to oppose her dear Anne's known wishes. Itwould be too much to expect Sir Walter to descend into a small house inhis own neighbourhood. Anne herself would have found themortifications of it more than she foresaw, and to Sir Walter'sfeelings they must have been dreadful. And with regard to Anne'sdislike of Bath, she considered it as a prejudice and mistake arising, first, from the circumstance of her having been three years at schoolthere, after her mother's death; and secondly, from her happening to benot in perfectly good spirits the only winter which she had afterwardsspent there with herself. 

Lady Russell was fond of Bath, in short, and disposed to think it mustsuit them all; and as to her young friend's health, by passing all thewarm months with her at Kellynch Lodge, every danger would be avoided;and it was in fact, a change which must do both health and spiritsgood. Anne had been too little from home, too little seen. Her spiritswere not high. A larger society would improve them. She wanted her tobe more known. 

The undesirableness of any other house in the same neighbourhood forSir Walter was certainly much strengthened by one part, and a verymaterial part of the scheme, which had been happily engrafted on thebeginning. He was not only to quit his home, but to see it in thehands of others; a trial of fortitude, which stronger heads than SirWalter's have found too much. Kellynch Hall was to be let. This, however, was a profound secret, not to be breathed beyond their owncircle. 

Sir Walter could not have borne the degradation of being known todesign letting his house. Mr Shepherd had once mentioned the word"advertise, " but never dared approach it again. Sir Walter spurned theidea of its being offered in any manner; forbad the slightest hintbeing dropped of his having such an intention; and it was only on thesupposition of his being spontaneously solicited by some mostunexceptionable applicant, on his own terms, and as a great favour, that he would let it at all. 

How quick come the reasons for approving what we like! Lady Russellhad another excellent one at hand, for being extremely glad that SirWalter and his family were to remove from the country. Elizabeth hadbeen lately forming an intimacy, which she wished to see interrupted. It was with the daughter of Mr Shepherd, who had returned, after anunprosperous marriage, to her father's house, with the additionalburden of two children. She was a clever young woman, who understoodthe art of pleasing--the art of pleasing, at least, at Kellynch Hall;and who had made herself so acceptable to Miss Elliot, as to have beenalready staying there more than once, in spite of all that LadyRussell, who thought it a friendship quite out of place, could hint ofcaution and reserve. 

Lady Russell, indeed, had scarcely any influence with Elizabeth, andseemed to love her, rather because she would love her, than becauseElizabeth deserved it. She had never received from her more thanoutward attention, nothing beyond the observances of complaisance; hadnever succeeded in any point which she wanted to carry, againstprevious inclination. She had been repeatedly very earnest in tryingto get Anne included in the visit to London, sensibly open to all theinjustice and all the discredit of the selfish arrangements which shuther out, and on many lesser occasions had endeavoured to give Elizabeththe advantage of her own better judgement and experience; but always invain: Elizabeth would go her own way; and never had she pursued it inmore decided opposition to Lady Russell than in this selection of MrsClay; turning from the society of so deserving a sister, to bestow heraffection and confidence on one who ought to have been nothing to herbut the object of distant civility. 

From situation, Mrs Clay was, in Lady Russell's estimate, a veryunequal, and in her character she believed a very dangerous companion;and a removal that would leave Mrs Clay behind, and bring a choice ofmore suitable intimates within Miss Elliot's reach, was therefore anobject of first-rate importance. 

Chapter 3

"I must take leave to observe, Sir Walter, " said Mr Shepherd onemorning at Kellynch Hall, as he laid down the newspaper, "that thepresent juncture is much in our favour. This peace will be turning allour rich naval officers ashore. They will be all wanting a home. Could not be a better time, Sir Walter, for having a choice of tenants, very responsible tenants. Many a noble fortune has been made duringthe war. If a rich admiral were to come in our way, Sir Walter--"

"He would be a very lucky man, Shepherd, " replied Sir Walter; "that'sall I have to remark. A prize indeed would Kellynch Hall be to him;rather the greatest prize of all, let him have taken ever so manybefore; hey, Shepherd?"

Mr Shepherd laughed, as he knew he must, at this wit, and then added--

"I presume to observe, Sir Walter, that, in the way of business, gentlemen of the navy are well to deal with. I have had a littleknowledge of their methods of doing business; and I am free to confessthat they have very liberal notions, and are as likely to makedesirable tenants as any set of people one should meet with. Therefore, Sir Walter, what I would take leave to suggest is, that ifin consequence of any rumours getting abroad of your intention; whichmust be contemplated as a possible thing, because we know how difficultit is to keep the actions and designs of one part of the world from thenotice and curiosity of the other; consequence has its tax; I, JohnShepherd, might conceal any family-matters that I chose, for nobodywould think it worth their while to observe me; but Sir Walter Elliothas eyes upon him which it may be very difficult to elude; andtherefore, thus much I venture upon, that it will not greatly surpriseme if, with all our caution, some rumour of the truth should getabroad; in the supposition of which, as I was going to observe, sinceapplications will unquestionably follow, I should think any from ourwealthy naval commanders particularly worth attending to; and beg leaveto add, that two hours will bring me over at any time, to save you thetrouble of replying. "

Sir Walter only nodded. But soon afterwards, rising and pacing theroom, he observed sarcastically--

"There are few among the gentlemen of the navy, I imagine, who wouldnot be surprised to find themselves in a house of this description. "

"They would look around them, no doubt, and bless their good fortune, "said Mrs Clay, for Mrs Clay was present: her father had driven herover, nothing being of so much use to Mrs Clay's health as a drive toKellynch: "but I quite agree with my father in thinking a sailor mightbe a very desirable tenant. I have known a good deal of theprofession; and besides their liberality, they are so neat and carefulin all their ways! These valuable pictures of yours, Sir Walter, ifyou chose to leave them, would be perfectly safe. Everything in andabout the house would be taken such excellent care of! The gardens andshrubberies would be kept in almost as high order as they are now. Youneed not be afraid, Miss Elliot, of your own sweet flower gardens beingneglected. "

"As to all that, " rejoined Sir Walter coolly, "supposing I were inducedto let my house, I have by no means made up my mind as to theprivileges to be annexed to it. I am not particularly disposed tofavour a tenant. The park would be open to him of course, and few navyofficers, or men of any other description, can have had such a range;but what restrictions I might impose on the use of thepleasure-grounds, is another thing. I am not fond of the idea of myshrubberies being always approachable; and I should recommend MissElliot to be on her guard with respect to her flower garden. I am verylittle disposed to grant a tenant of Kellynch Hall any extraordinaryfavour, I assure you, be he sailor or soldier. "

After a short pause, Mr Shepherd presumed to say--

"In all these cases, there are established usages which make everythingplain and easy between landlord and tenant. Your interest, Sir Walter, is in pretty safe hands. Depend upon me for taking care that no tenanthas more than his just rights. I venture to hint, that Sir WalterElliot cannot be half so jealous for his own, as John Shepherd will befor him. "

Here Anne spoke--

"The navy, I think, who have done so much for us, have at least anequal claim with any other set of men, for all the comforts and all theprivileges which any home can give. Sailors work hard enough for theircomforts, we must all allow. "

"Very true, very true. What Miss Anne says, is very true, " was MrShepherd's rejoinder, and "Oh! certainly, " was his daughter's; but SirWalter's remark was, soon afterwards--

"The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see anyfriend of mine belonging to it. "

"Indeed!" was the reply, and with a look of surprise. 

"Yes; it is in two points offensive to me; I have two strong grounds ofobjection to it. First, as being the means of bringing persons ofobscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours whichtheir fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as itcuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows oldsooner than any other man. I have observed it all my life. A man isin greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of onewhose father, his father might have disdained to speak to, and ofbecoming prematurely an object of disgust himself, than in any otherline. One day last spring, in town, I was in company with two men, striking instances of what I am talking of; Lord St Ives, whose fatherwe all know to have been a country curate, without bread to eat; I wasto give place to Lord St Ives, and a certain Admiral Baldwin, the mostdeplorable-looking personage you can imagine; his face the colour ofmahogany, rough and rugged to the last degree; all lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side, and nothing but a dab of powder at top. 'Inthe name of heaven, who is that old fellow?' said I to a friend of minewho was standing near, (Sir Basil Morley). 'Old fellow!' cried SirBasil, 'it is Admiral Baldwin. What do you take his age to be?''Sixty, ' said I, 'or perhaps sixty-two. ' 'Forty, ' replied Sir Basil, 'forty, and no more. ' Picture to yourselves my amazement; I shall noteasily forget Admiral Baldwin. I never saw quite so wretched anexample of what a sea-faring life can do; but to a degree, I know it isthe same with them all: they are all knocked about, and exposed toevery climate, and every weather, till they are not fit to be seen. Itis a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reachAdmiral Baldwin's age. "

"Nay, Sir Walter, " cried Mrs Clay, "this is being severe indeed. Havea little mercy on the poor men. We are not all born to be handsome. The sea is no beautifier, certainly; sailors do grow old betimes; Ihave observed it; they soon lose the look of youth. But then, is notit the same with many other professions, perhaps most other? Soldiers, in active service, are not at all better off: and even in the quieterprofessions, there is a toil and a labour of the mind, if not of thebody, which seldom leaves a man's looks to the natural effect of time. The lawyer plods, quite care-worn; the physician is up at all hours, and travelling in all weather; and even the clergyman--" she stopt amoment to consider what might do for the clergyman;--"and even theclergyman, you know is obliged to go into infected rooms, and exposehis health and looks to all the injury of a poisonous atmosphere. Infact, as I have long been convinced, though every profession isnecessary and honourable in its turn, it is only the lot of those whoare not obliged to follow any, who can live in a regular way, in thecountry, choosing their own hours, following their own pursuits, andliving on their own property, without the torment of trying for more;it is only their lot, I say, to hold the blessings of health and a goodappearance to the utmost: I know no other set of men but what losesomething of their personableness when they cease to be quite young. "

It seemed as if Mr Shepherd, in this anxiety to bespeak Sir Walter'sgood will towards a naval officer as tenant, had been gifted withforesight; for the very first application for the house was from anAdmiral Croft, with whom he shortly afterwards fell into company inattending the quarter sessions at Taunton; and indeed, he had receiveda hint of the Admiral from a London correspondent. By the report whichhe hastened over to Kellynch to make, Admiral Croft was a native ofSomersetshire, who having acquired a very handsome fortune, was wishingto settle in his own country, and had come down to Taunton in order tolook at some advertised places in that immediate neighbourhood, which, however, had not suited him; that accidentally hearing--(it was just ashe had foretold, Mr Shepherd observed, Sir Walter's concerns could notbe kept a secret, )--accidentally hearing of the possibility ofKellynch Hall being to let, and understanding his (Mr Shepherd's)connection with the owner, he had introduced himself to him in order tomake particular inquiries, and had, in the course of a pretty longconference, expressed as strong an inclination for the place as a manwho knew it only by description could feel; and given Mr Shepherd, inhis explicit account of himself, every proof of his being a mostresponsible, eligible tenant. 

"And who is Admiral Croft?" was Sir Walter's cold suspicious inquiry. 

Mr Shepherd answered for his being of a gentleman's family, andmentioned a place; and Anne, after the little pause which followed, added--

"He is a rear admiral of the white. He was in the Trafalgar action, and has been in the East Indies since; he was stationed there, Ibelieve, several years. "

"Then I take it for granted, " observed Sir Walter, "that his face isabout as orange as the cuffs and capes of my livery. "

Mr Shepherd hastened to assure him, that Admiral Croft was a very hale, hearty, well-looking man, a little weather-beaten, to be sure, but notmuch, and quite the gentleman in all his notions and behaviour; notlikely to make the smallest difficulty about terms, only wanted acomfortable home, and to get into it as soon as possible; knew he mustpay for his convenience; knew what rent a ready-furnished house of thatconsequence might fetch; should not have been surprised if Sir Walterhad asked more; had inquired about the manor; would be glad of thedeputation, certainly, but made no great point of it; said he sometimestook out a gun, but never killed; quite the gentleman. 

Mr Shepherd was eloquent on the subject; pointing out all thecircumstances of the Admiral's family, which made him peculiarlydesirable as a tenant. He was a married man, and without children; thevery state to be wished for. A house was never taken good care of, MrShepherd observed, without a lady: he did not know, whether furnituremight not be in danger of suffering as much where there was no lady, aswhere there were many children. A lady, without a family, was the verybest preserver of furniture in the world. He had seen Mrs Croft, too;she was at Taunton with the admiral, and had been present almost allthe time they were talking the matter over. 

"And a very well-spoken, genteel, shrewd lady, she seemed to be, "continued he; "asked more questions about the house, and terms, andtaxes, than the Admiral himself, and seemed more conversant withbusiness; and moreover, Sir Walter, I found she was not quiteunconnected in this country, any more than her husband; that is to say, she is sister to a gentleman who did live amongst us once; she told meso herself: sister to the gentleman who lived a few years back atMonkford. Bless me! what was his name? At this moment I cannotrecollect his name, though I have heard it so lately. Penelope, mydear, can you help me to the name of the gentleman who lived atMonkford: Mrs Croft's brother?"

But Mrs Clay was talking so eagerly with Miss Elliot, that she did nothear the appeal. 

"I have no conception whom you can mean, Shepherd; I remember nogentleman resident at Monkford since the time of old Governor Trent. "

"Bless me! how very odd! I shall forget my own name soon, I suppose. A name that I am so very well acquainted with; knew the gentleman sowell by sight; seen him a hundred times; came to consult me once, Iremember, about a trespass of one of his neighbours; farmer's manbreaking into his orchard; wall torn down; apples stolen; caught in thefact; and afterwards, contrary to my judgement, submitted to anamicable compromise. Very odd indeed!"

After waiting another moment--

"You mean Mr Wentworth, I suppose?" said Anne. 

Mr Shepherd was all gratitude. 

"Wentworth was the very name! Mr Wentworth was the very man. He hadthe curacy of Monkford, you know, Sir Walter, some time back, for twoor three years. Came there about the year ---5, I take it. Youremember him, I am sure. "

"Wentworth? Oh! ay, --Mr Wentworth, the curate of Monkford. You misledme by the term gentleman. I thought you were speaking of some man ofproperty: Mr Wentworth was nobody, I remember; quite unconnected;nothing to do with the Strafford family. One wonders how the names ofmany of our nobility become so common. "

As Mr Shepherd perceived that this connexion of the Crofts did them noservice with Sir Walter, he mentioned it no more; returning, with allhis zeal, to dwell on the circumstances more indisputably in theirfavour; their age, and number, and fortune; the high idea they hadformed of Kellynch Hall, and extreme solicitude for the advantage ofrenting it; making it appear as if they ranked nothing beyond thehappiness of being the tenants of Sir Walter Elliot: an extraordinarytaste, certainly, could they have been supposed in the secret of SirWalter's estimate of the dues of a tenant. 

It succeeded, however; and though Sir Walter must ever look with anevil eye on anyone intending to inhabit that house, and think theminfinitely too well off in being permitted to rent it on the highestterms, he was talked into allowing Mr Shepherd to proceed in thetreaty, and authorising him to wait on Admiral Croft, who stillremained at Taunton, and fix a day for the house being seen. 

Sir Walter was not very wise; but still he had experience enough of theworld to feel, that a more unobjectionable tenant, in all essentials, than Admiral Croft bid fair to be, could hardly offer. So far went hisunderstanding; and his vanity supplied a little additional soothing, inthe Admiral's situation in life, which was just high enough, and nottoo high. "I have let my house to Admiral Croft, " would soundextremely well; very much better than to any mere Mr--; a Mr (save, perhaps, some half dozen in the nation, ) always needs a note ofexplanation. An admiral speaks his own consequence, and, at the sametime, can never make a baronet look small. In all their dealings andintercourse, Sir Walter Elliot must ever have the precedence. 

Nothing could be done without a reference to Elizabeth: but herinclination was growing so strong for a removal, that she was happy tohave it fixed and expedited by a tenant at hand; and not a word tosuspend decision was uttered by her. 

Mr Shepherd was completely empowered to act; and no sooner had such anend been reached, than Anne, who had been a most attentive listener tothe whole, left the room, to seek the comfort of cool air for herflushed cheeks; and as she walked along a favourite grove, said, with agentle sigh, "A few months more, and he, perhaps, may be walking here. "

Chapter 4

He was not Mr Wentworth, the former curate of Monkford, howeversuspicious appearances may be, but a Captain Frederick Wentworth, hisbrother, who being made commander in consequence of the action off StDomingo, and not immediately employed, had come into Somersetshire, inthe summer of 1806; and having no parent living, found a home for halfa year at Monkford. He was, at that time, a remarkably fine young man, with a great deal of intelligence, spirit, and brilliancy; and Anne anextremely pretty girl, with gentleness, modesty, taste, and feeling. Half the sum of attraction, on either side, might have been enough, forhe had nothing to do, and she had hardly anybody to love; but theencounter of such lavish recommendations could not fail. They weregradually acquainted, and when acquainted, rapidly and deeply in love. It would be difficult to say which had seen highest perfection in theother, or which had been the happiest: she, in receiving hisdeclarations and proposals, or he in having them accepted. 

A short period of exquisite felicity followed, and but a short one. Troubles soon arose. Sir Walter, on being applied to, without actuallywithholding his consent, or saying it should never be, gave it all thenegative of great astonishment, great coldness, great silence, and aprofessed resolution of doing nothing for his daughter. He thought ita very degrading alliance; and Lady Russell, though with more temperedand pardonable pride, received it as a most unfortunate one. 

Anne Elliot, with all her claims of birth, beauty, and mind, to throwherself away at nineteen; involve herself at nineteen in an engagementwith a young man, who had nothing but himself to recommend him, and nohopes of attaining affluence, but in the chances of a most uncertainprofession, and no connexions to secure even his farther rise in theprofession, would be, indeed, a throwing away, which she grieved tothink of! Anne Elliot, so young; known to so few, to be snatched offby a stranger without alliance or fortune; or rather sunk by him into astate of most wearing, anxious, youth-killing dependence! It must notbe, if by any fair interference of friendship, any representations fromone who had almost a mother's love, and mother's rights, it would beprevented. 

Captain Wentworth had no fortune. He had been lucky in his profession;but spending freely, what had come freely, had realized nothing. Buthe was confident that he should soon be rich: full of life and ardour, he knew that he should soon have a ship, and soon be on a station thatwould lead to everything he wanted. He had always been lucky; he knewhe should be so still. Such confidence, powerful in its own warmth, and bewitching in the wit which often expressed it, must have beenenough for Anne; but Lady Russell saw it very differently. Hissanguine temper, and fearlessness of mind, operated very differently onher. She saw in it but an aggravation of the evil. It only added adangerous character to himself. He was brilliant, he was headstrong. Lady Russell had little taste for wit, and of anything approaching toimprudence a horror. She deprecated the connexion in every light. 

Such opposition, as these feelings produced, was more than Anne couldcombat. Young and gentle as she was, it might yet have been possibleto withstand her father's ill-will, though unsoftened by one kind wordor look on the part of her sister; but Lady Russell, whom she hadalways loved and relied on, could not, with such steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness of manner, be continually advising her in vain. She was persuaded to believe the engagement a wrong thing: indiscreet, improper, hardly capable of success, and not deserving it. But it wasnot a merely selfish caution, under which she acted, in putting an endto it. Had she not imagined herself consulting his good, even morethan her own, she could hardly have given him up. The belief of beingprudent, and self-denying, principally for his advantage, was her chiefconsolation, under the misery of a parting, a final parting; and everyconsolation was required, for she had to encounter all the additionalpain of opinions, on his side, totally unconvinced and unbending, andof his feeling himself ill used by so forced a relinquishment. He hadleft the country in consequence. 

A few months had seen the beginning and the end of their acquaintance;but not with a few months ended Anne's share of suffering from it. Herattachment and regrets had, for a long time, clouded every enjoyment ofyouth, and an early loss of bloom and spirits had been their lastingeffect. 

More than seven years were gone since this little history of sorrowfulinterest had reached its close; and time had softened down much, perhaps nearly all of peculiar attachment to him, but she had been toodependent on time alone; no aid had been given in change of place(except in one visit to Bath soon after the rupture), or in any noveltyor enlargement of society. No one had ever come within the Kellynchcircle, who could bear a comparison with Frederick Wentworth, as hestood in her memory. No second attachment, the only thoroughlynatural, happy, and sufficient cure, at her time of life, had beenpossible to the nice tone of her mind, the fastidiousness of her taste, in the small limits of the society around them. She had beensolicited, when about two-and-twenty, to change her name, by the youngman, who not long afterwards found a more willing mind in her youngersister; and Lady Russell had lamented her refusal; for Charles Musgrovewas the eldest son of a man, whose landed property and generalimportance were second in that country, only to Sir Walter's, and ofgood character and appearance; and however Lady Russell might haveasked yet for something more, while Anne was nineteen, she would haverejoiced to see her at twenty-two so respectably removed from thepartialities and injustice of her father's house, and settled sopermanently near herself. But in this case, Anne had left nothing foradvice to do; and though Lady Russell, as satisfied as ever with herown discretion, never wished the past undone, she began now to have theanxiety which borders on hopelessness for Anne's being tempted, by someman of talents and independence, to enter a state for which she heldher to be peculiarly fitted by her warm affections and domestic habits. 

They knew not each other's opinion, either its constancy or its change, on the one leading point of Anne's conduct, for the subject was neveralluded to; but Anne, at seven-and-twenty, thought very differentlyfrom what she had been made to think at nineteen. She did not blameLady Russell, she did not blame herself for having been guided by her;but she felt that were any young person, in similar circumstances, toapply to her for counsel, they would never receive any of such certainimmediate wretchedness, such uncertain future good. She was persuadedthat under every disadvantage of disapprobation at home, and everyanxiety attending his profession, all their probable fears, delays, anddisappointments, she should yet have been a happier woman inmaintaining the engagement, than she had been in the sacrifice of it;and this, she fully believed, had the usual share, had even more thanthe usual share of all such solicitudes and suspense been theirs, without reference to the actual results of their case, which, as ithappened, would have bestowed earlier prosperity than could bereasonably calculated on. All his sanguine expectations, all hisconfidence had been justified. His genius and ardour had seemed toforesee and to command his prosperous path. He had, very soon aftertheir engagement ceased, got employ: and all that he had told her wouldfollow, had taken place. He had distinguished himself, and earlygained the other step in rank, and must now, by successive captures, have made a handsome fortune. She had only navy lists and newspapersfor her authority, but she could not doubt his being rich; and, infavour of his constancy, she had no reason to believe him married. 

How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been! how eloquent, at least, wereher wishes on the side of early warm attachment, and a cheerfulconfidence in futurity, against that over-anxious caution which seemsto insult exertion and distrust Providence! She had been forced intoprudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: thenatural sequel of an unnatural beginning. 

With all these circumstances, recollections and feelings, she could nothear that Captain Wentworth's sister was likely to live at Kellynchwithout a revival of former pain; and many a stroll, and many a sigh, were necessary to dispel the agitation of the idea. She often toldherself it was folly, before she could harden her nerves sufficientlyto feel the continual discussion of the Crofts and their business noevil. She was assisted, however, by that perfect indifference andapparent unconsciousness, among the only three of her own friends inthe secret of the past, which seemed almost to deny any recollection ofit. She could do justice to the superiority of Lady Russell's motivesin this, over those of her father and Elizabeth; she could honour allthe better feelings of her calmness; but the general air of oblivionamong them was highly important from whatever it sprung; and in theevent of Admiral Croft's really taking Kellynch Hall, she rejoiced anewover the conviction which had always been most grateful to her, of thepast being known to those three only among her connexions, by whom nosyllable, she believed, would ever be whispered, and in the trust thatamong his, the brother only with whom he had been residing, hadreceived any information of their short-lived engagement. That brotherhad been long removed from the country and being a sensible man, and, moreover, a single man at the time, she had a fond dependence on nohuman creature's having heard of it from him. 

The sister, Mrs Croft, had then been out of England, accompanying herhusband on a foreign station, and her own sister, Mary, had been atschool while it all occurred; and never admitted by the pride of some, and the delicacy of others, to the smallest knowledge of it afterwards. 

With these supports, she hoped that the acquaintance between herselfand the Crofts, which, with Lady Russell, still resident in Kellynch, and Mary fixed only three miles off, must be anticipated, need notinvolve any particular awkwardness. 

Chapter 5

On the morning appointed for Admiral and Mrs Croft's seeing KellynchHall, Anne found it most natural to take her almost daily walk to LadyRussell's, and keep out of the way till all was over; when she found itmost natural to be sorry that she had missed the opportunity of seeingthem. 

This meeting of the two parties proved highly satisfactory, and decidedthe whole business at once. Each lady was previously well disposed foran agreement, and saw nothing, therefore, but good manners in theother; and with regard to the gentlemen, there was such an hearty goodhumour, such an open, trusting liberality on the Admiral's side, ascould not but influence Sir Walter, who had besides been flattered intohis very best and most polished behaviour by Mr Shepherd's assurancesof his being known, by report, to the Admiral, as a model of goodbreeding. 

The house and grounds, and furniture, were approved, the Crofts wereapproved, terms, time, every thing, and every body, was right; and MrShepherd's clerks were set to work, without there having been a singlepreliminary difference to modify of all that "This indenture sheweth. "

Sir Walter, without hesitation, declared the Admiral to be thebest-looking sailor he had ever met with, and went so far as to say, that if his own man might have had the arranging of his hair, he shouldnot be ashamed of being seen with him any where; and the Admiral, withsympathetic cordiality, observed to his wife as they drove back throughthe park, "I thought we should soon come to a deal, my dear, in spiteof what they told us at Taunton. The Baronet will never set the Thameson fire, but there seems to be no harm in him. "--reciprocalcompliments, which would have been esteemed about equal. 

The Crofts were to have possession at Michaelmas; and as Sir Walterproposed removing to Bath in the course of the preceding month, therewas no time to be lost in making every dependent arrangement. 

Lady Russell, convinced that Anne would not be allowed to be of anyuse, or any importance, in the choice of the house which they weregoing to secure, was very unwilling to have her hurried away so soon, and wanted to make it possible for her to stay behind till she mightconvey her to Bath herself after Christmas; but having engagements ofher own which must take her from Kellynch for several weeks, she wasunable to give the full invitation she wished, and Anne though dreadingthe possible heats of September in all the white glare of Bath, andgrieving to forego all the influence so sweet and so sad of theautumnal months in the country, did not think that, everythingconsidered, she wished to remain. It would be most right, and mostwise, and, therefore must involve least suffering to go with the others. 

Something occurred, however, to give her a different duty. Mary, oftena little unwell, and always thinking a great deal of her owncomplaints, and always in the habit of claiming Anne when anything wasthe matter, was indisposed; and foreseeing that she should not have aday's health all the autumn, entreated, or rather required her, for itwas hardly entreaty, to come to Uppercross Cottage, and bear hercompany as long as she should want her, instead of going to Bath. 

"I cannot possibly do without Anne, " was Mary's reasoning; andElizabeth's reply was, "Then I am sure Anne had better stay, for nobodywill want her in Bath. "

To be claimed as a good, though in an improper style, is at leastbetter than being rejected as no good at all; and Anne, glad to bethought of some use, glad to have anything marked out as a duty, andcertainly not sorry to have the scene of it in the country, and her owndear country, readily agreed to stay. 

This invitation of Mary's removed all Lady Russell's difficulties, andit was consequently soon settled that Anne should not go to Bath tillLady Russell took her, and that all the intervening time should bedivided between Uppercross Cottage and Kellynch Lodge. 

So far all was perfectly right; but Lady Russell was almost startled bythe wrong of one part of the Kellynch Hall plan, when it burst on her, which was, Mrs Clay's being engaged to go to Bath with Sir Walter andElizabeth, as a most important and valuable assistant to the latter inall the business before her. Lady Russell was extremely sorry thatsuch a measure should have been resorted to at all, wondered, grieved, and feared; and the affront it contained to Anne, in Mrs Clay's beingof so much use, while Anne could be of none, was a very soreaggravation. 

Anne herself was become hardened to such affronts; but she felt theimprudence of the arrangement quite as keenly as Lady Russell. With agreat deal of quiet observation, and a knowledge, which she oftenwished less, of her father's character, she was sensible that resultsthe most serious to his family from the intimacy were more thanpossible. She did not imagine that her father had at present an ideaof the kind. Mrs Clay had freckles, and a projecting tooth, and aclumsy wrist, which he was continually making severe remarks upon, inher absence; but she was young, and certainly altogether well-looking, and possessed, in an acute mind and assiduous pleasing manners, infinitely more dangerous attractions than any merely personal mighthave been. Anne was so impressed by the degree of their danger, thatshe could not excuse herself from trying to make it perceptible to hersister. She had little hope of success; but Elizabeth, who in theevent of such a reverse would be so much more to be pitied thanherself, should never, she thought, have reason to reproach her forgiving no warning. 

She spoke, and seemed only to offend. Elizabeth could not conceive howsuch an absurd suspicion should occur to her, and indignantly answeredfor each party's perfectly knowing their situation. 

"Mrs Clay, " said she, warmly, "never forgets who she is; and as I amrather better acquainted with her sentiments than you can be, I canassure you, that upon the subject of marriage they are particularlynice, and that she reprobates all inequality of condition and rank morestrongly than most people. And as to my father, I really should nothave thought that he, who has kept himself single so long for oursakes, need be suspected now. If Mrs Clay were a very beautiful woman, I grant you, it might be wrong to have her so much with me; not thatanything in the world, I am sure, would induce my father to make adegrading match, but he might be rendered unhappy. But poor Mrs Claywho, with all her merits, can never have been reckoned tolerablypretty, I really think poor Mrs Clay may be staying here in perfectsafety. One would imagine you had never heard my father speak of herpersonal misfortunes, though I know you must fifty times. That toothof her's and those freckles. Freckles do not disgust me so very muchas they do him. I have known a face not materially disfigured by afew, but he abominates them. You must have heard him notice Mrs Clay'sfreckles. "

"There is hardly any personal defect, " replied Anne, "which anagreeable manner might not gradually reconcile one to. "

"I think very differently, " answered Elizabeth, shortly; "an agreeablemanner may set off handsome features, but can never alter plain ones. However, at any rate, as I have a great deal more at stake on thispoint than anybody else can have, I think it rather unnecessary in youto be advising me. "

Anne had done; glad that it was over, and not absolutely hopeless ofdoing good. Elizabeth, though resenting the suspicion, might yet bemade observant by it. 

The last office of the four carriage-horses was to draw Sir Walter, Miss Elliot, and Mrs Clay to Bath. The party drove off in very goodspirits; Sir Walter prepared with condescending bows for all theafflicted tenantry and cottagers who might have had a hint to showthemselves, and Anne walked up at the same time, in a sort of desolatetranquillity, to the Lodge, where she was to spend the first week. 

Her friend was not in better spirits than herself. Lady Russell feltthis break-up of the family exceedingly. Their respectability was asdear to her as her own, and a daily intercourse had become precious byhabit. It was painful to look upon their deserted grounds, and stillworse to anticipate the new hands they were to fall into; and to escapethe solitariness and the melancholy of so altered a village, and be outof the way when Admiral and Mrs Croft first arrived, she had determinedto make her own absence from home begin when she must give up Anne. Accordingly their removal was made together, and Anne was set down atUppercross Cottage, in the first stage of Lady Russell's journey. 

Uppercross was a moderate-sized village, which a few years back hadbeen completely in the old English style, containing only two housessuperior in appearance to those of the yeomen and labourers; themansion of the squire, with its high walls, great gates, and old trees, substantial and unmodernized, and the compact, tight parsonage, enclosed in its own neat garden, with a vine and a pear-tree trainedround its casements; but upon the marriage of the young 'squire, it hadreceived the improvement of a farm-house elevated into a cottage, forhis residence, and Uppercross Cottage, with its veranda, Frenchwindows, and other prettiness, was quite as likely to catch thetraveller's eye as the more consistent and considerable aspect andpremises of the Great House, about a quarter of a mile farther on. 

Here Anne had often been staying. She knew the ways of Uppercross aswell as those of Kellynch. The two families were so continuallymeeting, so much in the habit of running in and out of each other'shouse at all hours, that it was rather a surprise to her to find Maryalone; but being alone, her being unwell and out of spirits was almosta matter of course. Though better endowed than the elder sister, Maryhad not Anne's understanding nor temper. While well, and happy, andproperly attended to, she had great good humour and excellent spirits;but any indisposition sunk her completely. She had no resources forsolitude; and inheriting a considerable share of the Elliotself-importance, was very prone to add to every other distress that offancying herself neglected and ill-used. In person, she was inferior toboth sisters, and had, even in her bloom, only reached the dignity ofbeing "a fine girl. " She was now lying on the faded sofa of the prettylittle drawing-room, the once elegant furniture of which had beengradually growing shabby, under the influence of four summers and twochildren; and, on Anne's appearing, greeted her with--

"So, you are come at last! I began to think I should never see you. Iam so ill I can hardly speak. I have not seen a creature the wholemorning!"

"I am sorry to find you unwell, " replied Anne. "You sent me such agood account of yourself on Thursday!"

"Yes, I made the best of it; I always do: but I was very far from wellat the time; and I do not think I ever was so ill in my life as I havebeen all this morning: very unfit to be left alone, I am sure. Suppose I were to be seized of a sudden in some dreadful way, and notable to ring the bell! So, Lady Russell would not get out. I do notthink she has been in this house three times this summer. "

Anne said what was proper, and enquired after her husband. "Oh!Charles is out shooting. I have not seen him since seven o'clock. Hewould go, though I told him how ill I was. He said he should not stayout long; but he has never come back, and now it is almost one. Iassure you, I have not seen a soul this whole long morning. "

"You have had your little boys with you?"

"Yes, as long as I could bear their noise; but they are so unmanageablethat they do me more harm than good. Little Charles does not mind aword I say, and Walter is growing quite as bad. "

"Well, you will soon be better now, " replied Anne, cheerfully. "Youknow I always cure you when I come. How are your neighbours at theGreat House?"

"I can give you no account of them. I have not seen one of themto-day, except Mr Musgrove, who just stopped and spoke through thewindow, but without getting off his horse; and though I told him howill I was, not one of them have been near me. It did not happen tosuit the Miss Musgroves, I suppose, and they never put themselves outof their way. "

"You will see them yet, perhaps, before the morning is gone. It isearly. "

"I never want them, I assure you. They talk and laugh a great deal toomuch for me. Oh! Anne, I am so very unwell! It was quite unkind ofyou not to come on Thursday. "

"My dear Mary, recollect what a comfortable account you sent me ofyourself! You wrote in the cheerfullest manner, and said you wereperfectly well, and in no hurry for me; and that being the case, youmust be aware that my wish would be to remain with Lady Russell to thelast: and besides what I felt on her account, I have really been sobusy, have had so much to do, that I could not very conveniently haveleft Kellynch sooner. "

"Dear me! what can you possibly have to do?"

"A great many things, I assure you. More than I can recollect in amoment; but I can tell you some. I have been making a duplicate of thecatalogue of my father's books and pictures. I have been several timesin the garden with Mackenzie, trying to understand, and make himunderstand, which of Elizabeth's plants are for Lady Russell. I havehad all my own little concerns to arrange, books and music to divide, and all my trunks to repack, from not having understood in time whatwas intended as to the waggons: and one thing I have had to do, Mary, of a more trying nature: going to almost every house in the parish, asa sort of take-leave. I was told that they wished it. But all thesethings took up a great deal of time. "

"Oh! well!" and after a moment's pause, "but you have never asked meone word about our dinner at the Pooles yesterday. "

"Did you go then? I have made no enquiries, because I concluded youmust have been obliged to give up the party. "

"Oh yes! I went. I was very well yesterday; nothing at all the matterwith me till this morning. It would have been strange if I had notgone. "

"I am very glad you were well enough, and I hope you had a pleasantparty. "

"Nothing remarkable. One always knows beforehand what the dinner willbe, and who will be there; and it is so very uncomfortable not having acarriage of one's own. Mr and Mrs Musgrove took me, and we were socrowded! They are both so very large, and take up so much room; and MrMusgrove always sits forward. So, there was I, crowded into the backseat with Henrietta and Louise; and I think it very likely that myillness to-day may be owing to it. "

A little further perseverance in patience and forced cheerfulness onAnne's side produced nearly a cure on Mary's. She could soon situpright on the sofa, and began to hope she might be able to leave it bydinner-time. Then, forgetting to think of it, she was at the other endof the room, beautifying a nosegay; then, she ate her cold meat; andthen she was well enough to propose a little walk. 

"Where shall we go?" said she, when they were ready. "I suppose youwill not like to call at the Great House before they have been to seeyou?"

"I have not the smallest objection on that account, " replied Anne. "Ishould never think of standing on such ceremony with people I know sowell as Mrs and the Miss Musgroves. "

"Oh! but they ought to call upon you as soon as possible. They oughtto feel what is due to you as my sister. However, we may as well goand sit with them a little while, and when we have that over, we canenjoy our walk. "

Anne had always thought such a style of intercourse highly imprudent;but she had ceased to endeavour to check it, from believing that, though there were on each side continual subjects of offence, neitherfamily could now do without it. To the Great House accordingly theywent, to sit the full half hour in the old-fashioned square parlour, with a small carpet and shining floor, to which the present daughtersof the house were gradually giving the proper air of confusion by agrand piano-forte and a harp, flower-stands and little tables placed inevery direction. Oh! could the originals of the portraits against thewainscot, could the gentlemen in brown velvet and the ladies in bluesatin have seen what was going on, have been conscious of such anoverthrow of all order and neatness! The portraits themselves seemedto be staring in astonishment. 

The Musgroves, like their houses, were in a state of alteration, perhaps of improvement. The father and mother were in the old Englishstyle, and the young people in the new. Mr and Mrs Musgrove were avery good sort of people; friendly and hospitable, not much educated, and not at all elegant. Their children had more modern minds andmanners. There was a numerous family; but the only two grown up, excepting Charles, were Henrietta and Louisa, young ladies of nineteenand twenty, who had brought from school at Exeter all the usual stockof accomplishments, and were now like thousands of other young ladies, living to be fashionable, happy, and merry. Their dress had everyadvantage, their faces were rather pretty, their spirits extremelygood, their manner unembarrassed and pleasant; they were of consequenceat home, and favourites abroad. Anne always contemplated them as someof the happiest creatures of her acquaintance; but still, saved as weall are, by some comfortable feeling of superiority from wishing forthe possibility of exchange, she would not have given up her own moreelegant and cultivated mind for all their enjoyments; and envied themnothing but that seemingly perfect good understanding and agreementtogether, that good-humoured mutual affection, of which she had knownso little herself with either of her sisters. 

They were received with great cordiality. Nothing seemed amiss on theside of the Great House family, which was generally, as Anne very wellknew, the least to blame. The half hour was chatted away pleasantlyenough; and she was not at all surprised at the end of it, to havetheir walking party joined by both the Miss Musgroves, at Mary'sparticular invitation. 

Chapter 6

Anne had not wanted this visit to Uppercross, to learn that a removalfrom one set of people to another, though at a distance of only threemiles, will often include a total change of conversation, opinion, andidea. She had never been staying there before, without being struck byit, or without wishing that other Elliots could have her advantage inseeing how unknown, or unconsidered there, were the affairs which atKellynch Hall were treated as of such general publicity and pervadinginterest; yet, with all this experience, she believed she must nowsubmit to feel that another lesson, in the art of knowing our ownnothingness beyond our own circle, was become necessary for her; forcertainly, coming as she did, with a heart full of the subject whichhad been completely occupying both houses in Kellynch for many weeks, she had expected rather more curiosity and sympathy than she found inthe separate but very similar remark of Mr and Mrs Musgrove: "So, MissAnne, Sir Walter and your sister are gone; and what part of Bath do youthink they will settle in?" and this, without much waiting for ananswer; or in the young ladies' addition of, "I hope we shall be inBath in the winter; but remember, papa, if we do go, we must be in agood situation: none of your Queen Squares for us!" or in the anxioussupplement from Mary, of--"Upon my word, I shall be pretty well off, when you are all gone away to be happy at Bath!"

She could only resolve to avoid such self-delusion in future, and thinkwith heightened gratitude of the extraordinary blessing of having onesuch truly sympathising friend as Lady Russell. 

The Mr Musgroves had their own game to guard, and to destroy, their ownhorses, dogs, and newspapers to engage them, and the females were fullyoccupied in all the other common subjects of housekeeping, neighbours, dress, dancing, and music. She acknowledged it to be very fitting, that every little social commonwealth should dictate its own matters ofdiscourse; and hoped, ere long, to become a not unworthy member of theone she was now transplanted into. With the prospect of spending atleast two months at Uppercross, it was highly incumbent on her toclothe her imagination, her memory, and all her ideas in as much ofUppercross as possible. 

She had no dread of these two months. Mary was not so repulsive andunsisterly as Elizabeth, nor so inaccessible to all influence of hers;neither was there anything among the other component parts of thecottage inimical to comfort. She was always on friendly terms with herbrother-in-law; and in the children, who loved her nearly as well, andrespected her a great deal more than their mother, she had an object ofinterest, amusement, and wholesome exertion. 

Charles Musgrove was civil and agreeable; in sense and temper he wasundoubtedly superior to his wife, but not of powers, or conversation, or grace, to make the past, as they were connected together, at all adangerous contemplation; though, at the same time, Anne could believe, with Lady Russell, that a more equal match might have greatly improvedhim; and that a woman of real understanding might have given moreconsequence to his character, and more usefulness, rationality, andelegance to his habits and pursuits. As it was, he did nothing withmuch zeal, but sport; and his time was otherwise trifled away, withoutbenefit from books or anything else. He had very good spirits, whichnever seemed much affected by his wife's occasional lowness, bore withher unreasonableness sometimes to Anne's admiration, and upon thewhole, though there was very often a little disagreement (in which shehad sometimes more share than she wished, being appealed to by bothparties), they might pass for a happy couple. They were alwaysperfectly agreed in the want of more money, and a strong inclinationfor a handsome present from his father; but here, as on most topics, hehad the superiority, for while Mary thought it a great shame that sucha present was not made, he always contended for his father's havingmany other uses for his money, and a right to spend it as he liked. 

As to the management of their children, his theory was much better thanhis wife's, and his practice not so bad. "I could manage them verywell, if it were not for Mary's interference, " was what Anne oftenheard him say, and had a good deal of faith in; but when listening inturn to Mary's reproach of "Charles spoils the children so that Icannot get them into any order, " she never had the smallest temptationto say, "Very true. "

One of the least agreeable circumstances of her residence there was herbeing treated with too much confidence by all parties, and being toomuch in the secret of the complaints of each house. Known to have someinfluence with her sister, she was continually requested, or at leastreceiving hints to exert it, beyond what was practicable. "I wish youcould persuade Mary not to be always fancying herself ill, " wasCharles's language; and, in an unhappy mood, thus spoke Mary: "I dobelieve if Charles were to see me dying, he would not think there wasanything the matter with me. I am sure, Anne, if you would, you mightpersuade him that I really am very ill--a great deal worse than I everown. "

Mary's declaration was, "I hate sending the children to the GreatHouse, though their grandmamma is always wanting to see them, for shehumours and indulges them to such a degree, and gives them so muchtrash and sweet things, that they are sure to come back sick and crossfor the rest of the day. " And Mrs Musgrove took the first opportunityof being alone with Anne, to say, "Oh! Miss Anne, I cannot help wishingMrs Charles had a little of your method with those children. They arequite different creatures with you! But to be sure, in general theyare so spoilt! It is a pity you cannot put your sister in the way ofmanaging them. They are as fine healthy children as ever were seen, poor little dears! without partiality; but Mrs Charles knows no morehow they should be treated--! Bless me! how troublesome they aresometimes. I assure you, Miss Anne, it prevents my wishing to see themat our house so often as I otherwise should. I believe Mrs Charles isnot quite pleased with my not inviting them oftener; but you know it isvery bad to have children with one that one is obligated to be checkingevery moment; "don't do this, " and "don't do that;" or that one canonly keep in tolerable order by more cake than is good for them. "

She had this communication, moreover, from Mary. "Mrs Musgrove thinksall her servants so steady, that it would be high treason to call it inquestion; but I am sure, without exaggeration, that her upperhouse-maid and laundry-maid, instead of being in their business, aregadding about the village, all day long. I meet them wherever I go;and I declare, I never go twice into my nursery without seeingsomething of them. If Jemima were not the trustiest, steadiestcreature in the world, it would be enough to spoil her; for she tellsme, they are always tempting her to take a walk with them. " And on MrsMusgrove's side, it was, "I make a rule of never interfering in any ofmy daughter-in-law's concerns, for I know it would not do; but I shalltell you, Miss Anne, because you may be able to set things to rights, that I have no very good opinion of Mrs Charles's nursery-maid: I hearstrange stories of her; she is always upon the gad; and from my ownknowledge, I can declare, she is such a fine-dressing lady, that she isenough to ruin any servants she comes near. Mrs Charles quite swearsby her, I know; but I just give you this hint, that you may be upon thewatch; because, if you see anything amiss, you need not be afraid ofmentioning it. "

Again, it was Mary's complaint, that Mrs Musgrove was very apt not togive her the precedence that was her due, when they dined at the GreatHouse with other families; and she did not see any reason why she wasto be considered so much at home as to lose her place. And one daywhen Anne was walking with only the Musgroves, one of them aftertalking of rank, people of rank, and jealousy of rank, said, "I have noscruple of observing to you, how nonsensical some persons are abouttheir place, because all the world knows how easy and indifferent youare about it; but I wish anybody could give Mary a hint that it wouldbe a great deal better if she were not so very tenacious, especially ifshe would not be always putting herself forward to take place of mamma. Nobody doubts her right to have precedence of mamma, but it would bemore becoming in her not to be always insisting on it. It is not thatmamma cares about it the least in the world, but I know it is takennotice of by many persons. "

How was Anne to set all these matters to rights? She could do littlemore than listen patiently, soften every grievance, and excuse each tothe other; give them all hints of the forbearance necessary betweensuch near neighbours, and make those hints broadest which were meantfor her sister's benefit. 

In all other respects, her visit began and proceeded very well. Herown spirits improved by change of place and subject, by being removedthree miles from Kellynch; Mary's ailments lessened by having aconstant companion, and their daily intercourse with the other family, since there was neither superior affection, confidence, nor employmentin the cottage, to be interrupted by it, was rather an advantage. Itwas certainly carried nearly as far as possible, for they met everymorning, and hardly ever spent an evening asunder; but she believedthey should not have done so well without the sight of Mr and MrsMusgrove's respectable forms in the usual places, or without thetalking, laughing, and singing of their daughters. 

She played a great deal better than either of the Miss Musgroves, buthaving no voice, no knowledge of the harp, and no fond parents, to sitby and fancy themselves delighted, her performance was little thoughtof, only out of civility, or to refresh the others, as she was wellaware. She knew that when she played she was giving pleasure only toherself; but this was no new sensation. Excepting one short period ofher life, she had never, since the age of fourteen, never since theloss of her dear mother, known the happiness of being listened to, orencouraged by any just appreciation or real taste. In music she hadbeen always used to feel alone in the world; and Mr and Mrs Musgrove'sfond partiality for their own daughters' performance, and totalindifference to any other person's, gave her much more pleasure fortheir sakes, than mortification for her own. 

The party at the Great House was sometimes increased by other company. The neighbourhood was not large, but the Musgroves were visited byeverybody, and had more dinner-parties, and more callers, more visitorsby invitation and by chance, than any other family. There were morecompletely popular. 

The girls were wild for dancing; and the evenings ended, occasionally, in an unpremeditated little ball. There was a family of cousins withina walk of Uppercross, in less affluent circumstances, who depended onthe Musgroves for all their pleasures: they would come at any time, and help play at anything, or dance anywhere; and Anne, very muchpreferring the office of musician to a more active post, played countrydances to them by the hour together; a kindness which alwaysrecommended her musical powers to the notice of Mr and Mrs Musgrovemore than anything else, and often drew this compliment;--"Well done, Miss Anne! very well done indeed! Lord bless me! how those littlefingers of yours fly about!"

So passed the first three weeks. Michaelmas came; and now Anne's heartmust be in Kellynch again. A beloved home made over to others; all theprecious rooms and furniture, groves, and prospects, beginning to ownother eyes and other limbs! She could not think of much else on the29th of September; and she had this sympathetic touch in the eveningfrom Mary, who, on having occasion to note down the day of the month, exclaimed, "Dear me, is not this the day the Crofts were to come toKellynch? I am glad I did not think of it before. How low it makesme!"

The Crofts took possession with true naval alertness, and were to bevisited. Mary deplored the necessity for herself. "Nobody knew howmuch she should suffer. She should put it off as long as she could;"but was not easy till she had talked Charles into driving her over onan early day, and was in a very animated, comfortable state ofimaginary agitation, when she came back. Anne had very sincerelyrejoiced in there being no means of her going. She wished, however tosee the Crofts, and was glad to be within when the visit was returned. They came: the master of the house was not at home, but the twosisters were together; and as it chanced that Mrs Croft fell to theshare of Anne, while the Admiral sat by Mary, and made himself veryagreeable by his good-humoured notice of her little boys, she was wellable to watch for a likeness, and if it failed her in the features, tocatch it in the voice, or in the turn of sentiment and expression. 

Mrs Croft, though neither tall nor fat, had a squareness, uprightness, and vigour of form, which gave importance to her person. She hadbright dark eyes, good teeth, and altogether an agreeable face; thoughher reddened and weather-beaten complexion, the consequence of herhaving been almost as much at sea as her husband, made her seem to havelived some years longer in the world than her real eight-and-thirty. Her manners were open, easy, and decided, like one who had no distrustof herself, and no doubts of what to do; without any approach tocoarseness, however, or any want of good humour. Anne gave her credit, indeed, for feelings of great consideration towards herself, in allthat related to Kellynch, and it pleased her: especially, as she hadsatisfied herself in the very first half minute, in the instant even ofintroduction, that there was not the smallest symptom of any knowledgeor suspicion on Mrs Croft's side, to give a bias of any sort. She wasquite easy on that head, and consequently full of strength and courage, till for a moment electrified by Mrs Croft's suddenly saying, --

"It was you, and not your sister, I find, that my brother had thepleasure of being acquainted with, when he was in this country. "

Anne hoped she had outlived the age of blushing; but the age of emotionshe certainly had not. 

"Perhaps you may not have heard that he is married?" added Mrs Croft. 

She could now answer as she ought; and was happy to feel, when MrsCroft's next words explained it to be Mr Wentworth of whom she spoke, that she had said nothing which might not do for either brother. Sheimmediately felt how reasonable it was, that Mrs Croft should bethinking and speaking of Edward, and not of Frederick; and with shameat her own forgetfulness applied herself to the knowledge of theirformer neighbour's present state with proper interest. 

The rest was all tranquillity; till, just as they were moving, sheheard the Admiral say to Mary--

"We are expecting a brother of Mrs Croft's here soon; I dare say youknow him by name. "

He was cut short by the eager attacks of the little boys, clinging tohim like an old friend, and declaring he should not go; and being toomuch engrossed by proposals of carrying them away in his coat pockets, &c. , to have another moment for finishing or recollecting what he hadbegun, Anne was left to persuade herself, as well as she could, thatthe same brother must still be in question. She could not, however, reach such a degree of certainty, as not to be anxious to hear whetheranything had been said on the subject at the other house, where theCrofts had previously been calling. 

The folks of the Great House were to spend the evening of this day atthe Cottage; and it being now too late in the year for such visits tobe made on foot, the coach was beginning to be listened for, when theyoungest Miss Musgrove walked in. That she was coming to apologize, and that they should have to spend the evening by themselves, was thefirst black idea; and Mary was quite ready to be affronted, when Louisamade all right by saying, that she only came on foot, to leave moreroom for the harp, which was bringing in the carriage. 

"And I will tell you our reason, " she added, "and all about it. I amcome on to give you notice, that papa and mamma are out of spirits thisevening, especially mamma; she is thinking so much of poor Richard!And we agreed it would be best to have the harp, for it seems to amuseher more than the piano-forte. I will tell you why she is out ofspirits. When the Crofts called this morning, (they called hereafterwards, did not they?), they happened to say, that her brother, Captain Wentworth, is just returned to England, or paid off, orsomething, and is coming to see them almost directly; and mostunluckily it came into mamma's head, when they were gone, thatWentworth, or something very like it, was the name of poor Richard'scaptain at one time; I do not know when or where, but a great whilebefore he died, poor fellow! And upon looking over his letters andthings, she found it was so, and is perfectly sure that this must bethe very man, and her head is quite full of it, and of poor Richard!So we must be as merry as we can, that she may not be dwelling uponsuch gloomy things. "

The real circumstances of this pathetic piece of family history were, that the Musgroves had had the ill fortune of a very troublesome, hopeless son; and the good fortune to lose him before he reached histwentieth year; that he had been sent to sea because he was stupid andunmanageable on shore; that he had been very little cared for at anytime by his family, though quite as much as he deserved; seldom heardof, and scarcely at all regretted, when the intelligence of his deathabroad had worked its way to Uppercross, two years before. 

He had, in fact, though his sisters were now doing all they could forhim, by calling him "poor Richard, " been nothing better than athick-headed, unfeeling, unprofitable Dick Musgrove, who had never doneanything to entitle himself to more than the abbreviation of his name, living or dead. 

He had been several years at sea, and had, in the course of thoseremovals to which all midshipmen are liable, and especially suchmidshipmen as every captain wishes to get rid of, been six months onboard Captain Frederick Wentworth's frigate, the Laconia; and from theLaconia he had, under the influence of his captain, written the onlytwo letters which his father and mother had ever received from himduring the whole of his absence; that is to say, the only twodisinterested letters; all the rest had been mere applications formoney. 

In each letter he had spoken well of his captain; but yet, so littlewere they in the habit of attending to such matters, so unobservant andincurious were they as to the names of men or ships, that it had madescarcely any impression at the time; and that Mrs Musgrove should havebeen suddenly struck, this very day, with a recollection of the name ofWentworth, as connected with her son, seemed one of those extraordinarybursts of mind which do sometimes occur. 

She had gone to her letters, and found it all as she supposed; and there-perusal of these letters, after so long an interval, her poor songone for ever, and all the strength of his faults forgotten, hadaffected her spirits exceedingly, and thrown her into greater grief forhim than she had known on first hearing of his death. Mr Musgrove was, in a lesser degree, affected likewise; and when they reached thecottage, they were evidently in want, first, of being listened to anewon this subject, and afterwards, of all the relief which cheerfulcompanions could give them. 

To hear them talking so much of Captain Wentworth, repeating his nameso often, puzzling over past years, and at last ascertaining that itmight, that it probably would, turn out to be the very same CaptainWentworth whom they recollected meeting, once or twice, after theircoming back from Clifton--a very fine young man--but they could not saywhether it was seven or eight years ago, was a new sort of trial toAnne's nerves. She found, however, that it was one to which she mustinure herself. Since he actually was expected in the country, she mustteach herself to be insensible on such points. And not only did itappear that he was expected, and speedily, but the Musgroves, in theirwarm gratitude for the kindness he had shewn poor Dick, and very highrespect for his character, stamped as it was by poor Dick's having beensix months under his care, and mentioning him in strong, though notperfectly well-spelt praise, as "a fine dashing felow, only twoperticular about the schoolmaster, " were bent on introducingthemselves, and seeking his acquaintance, as soon as they could hear ofhis arrival. 

The resolution of doing so helped to form the comfort of their evening. 

Chapter 7

A very few days more, and Captain Wentworth was known to be atKellynch, and Mr Musgrove had called on him, and come back warm in hispraise, and he was engaged with the Crofts to dine at Uppercross, bythe end of another week. It had been a great disappointment to MrMusgrove to find that no earlier day could be fixed, so impatient washe to shew his gratitude, by seeing Captain Wentworth under his ownroof, and welcoming him to all that was strongest and best in hiscellars. But a week must pass; only a week, in Anne's reckoning, andthen, she supposed, they must meet; and soon she began to wish that shecould feel secure even for a week. 

Captain Wentworth made a very early return to Mr Musgrove's civility, and she was all but calling there in the same half hour. She and Marywere actually setting forward for the Great House, where, as sheafterwards learnt, they must inevitably have found him, when they werestopped by the eldest boy's being at that moment brought home inconsequence of a bad fall. The child's situation put the visitentirely aside; but she could not hear of her escape with indifference, even in the midst of the serious anxiety which they afterwards felt onhis account. 

His collar-bone was found to be dislocated, and such injury received inthe back, as roused the most alarming ideas. It was an afternoon ofdistress, and Anne had every thing to do at once; the apothecary tosend for, the father to have pursued and informed, the mother tosupport and keep from hysterics, the servants to control, the youngestchild to banish, and the poor suffering one to attend and soothe;besides sending, as soon as she recollected it, proper notice to theother house, which brought her an accession rather of frightened, enquiring companions, than of very useful assistants. 

Her brother's return was the first comfort; he could take best care ofhis wife; and the second blessing was the arrival of the apothecary. Till he came and had examined the child, their apprehensions were theworse for being vague; they suspected great injury, but knew not where;but now the collar-bone was soon replaced, and though Mr Robinson feltand felt, and rubbed, and looked grave, and spoke low words both to thefather and the aunt, still they were all to hope the best, and to beable to part and eat their dinner in tolerable ease of mind; and thenit was, just before they parted, that the two young aunts were able sofar to digress from their nephew's state, as to give the information ofCaptain Wentworth's visit; staying five minutes behind their father andmother, to endeavour to express how perfectly delighted they were withhim, how much handsomer, how infinitely more agreeable they thought himthan any individual among their male acquaintance, who had been at alla favourite before. How glad they had been to hear papa invite him tostay dinner, how sorry when he said it was quite out of his power, andhow glad again when he had promised in reply to papa and mamma'sfarther pressing invitations to come and dine with them on themorrow--actually on the morrow; and he had promised it in so pleasant amanner, as if he felt all the motive of their attention just as heought. And in short, he had looked and said everything with suchexquisite grace, that they could assure them all, their heads were bothturned by him; and off they ran, quite as full of glee as of love, andapparently more full of Captain Wentworth than of little Charles. 

The same story and the same raptures were repeated, when the two girlscame with their father, through the gloom of the evening, to makeenquiries; and Mr Musgrove, no longer under the first uneasiness abouthis heir, could add his confirmation and praise, and hope there wouldbe now no occasion for putting Captain Wentworth off, and only be sorryto think that the cottage party, probably, would not like to leave thelittle boy, to give him the meeting. "Oh no; as to leaving the littleboy, " both father and mother were in much too strong and recent alarmto bear the thought; and Anne, in the joy of the escape, could not helpadding her warm protestations to theirs. 

Charles Musgrove, indeed, afterwards, shewed more of inclination; "thechild was going on so well, and he wished so much to be introduced toCaptain Wentworth, that, perhaps, he might join them in the evening; hewould not dine from home, but he might walk in for half an hour. " Butin this he was eagerly opposed by his wife, with "Oh! no, indeed, Charles, I cannot bear to have you go away. Only think if anythingshould happen?"

The child had a good night, and was going on well the next day. Itmust be a work of time to ascertain that no injury had been done to thespine; but Mr Robinson found nothing to increase alarm, and CharlesMusgrove began, consequently, to feel no necessity for longerconfinement. The child was to be kept in bed and amused as quietly aspossible; but what was there for a father to do? This was quite afemale case, and it would be highly absurd in him, who could be of nouse at home, to shut himself up. His father very much wished him tomeet Captain Wentworth, and there being no sufficient reason againstit, he ought to go; and it ended in his making a bold, publicdeclaration, when he came in from shooting, of his meaning to dressdirectly, and dine at the other house. 

"Nothing can be going on better than the child, " said he; "so I told myfather, just now, that I would come, and he thought me quite right. Your sister being with you, my love, I have no scruple at all. Youwould not like to leave him yourself, but you see I can be of no use. Anne will send for me if anything is the matter. "

Husbands and wives generally understand when opposition will be vain. Mary knew, from Charles's manner of speaking, that he was quitedetermined on going, and that it would be of no use to teaze him. Shesaid nothing, therefore, till he was out of the room, but as soon asthere was only Anne to hear--

"So you and I are to be left to shift by ourselves, with this poor sickchild; and not a creature coming near us all the evening! I knew howit would be. This is always my luck. If there is anythingdisagreeable going on men are always sure to get out of it, and Charlesis as bad as any of them. Very unfeeling! I must say it is veryunfeeling of him to be running away from his poor little boy. Talks ofhis being going on so well! How does he know that he is going on well, or that there may not be a sudden change half an hour hence? I did notthink Charles would have been so unfeeling. So here he is to go awayand enjoy himself, and because I am the poor mother, I am not to beallowed to stir; and yet, I am sure, I am more unfit than anybody elseto be about the child. My being the mother is the very reason why myfeelings should not be tried. I am not at all equal to it. You sawhow hysterical I was yesterday. "

"But that was only the effect of the suddenness of your alarm--of theshock. You will not be hysterical again. I dare say we shall havenothing to distress us. I perfectly understand Mr Robinson'sdirections, and have no fears; and indeed, Mary, I cannot wonder atyour husband. Nursing does not belong to a man; it is not hisprovince. A sick child is always the mother's property: her ownfeelings generally make it so. "

"I hope I am as fond of my child as any mother, but I do not know thatI am of any more use in the sick-room than Charles, for I cannot bealways scolding and teazing the poor child when it is ill; and you saw, this morning, that if I told him to keep quiet, he was sure to beginkicking about. I have not nerves for the sort of thing. "

"But, could you be comfortable yourself, to be spending the wholeevening away from the poor boy?"

"Yes; you see his papa can, and why should not I? Jemima is socareful; and she could send us word every hour how he was. I reallythink Charles might as well have told his father we would all come. Iam not more alarmed about little Charles now than he is. I wasdreadfully alarmed yesterday, but the case is very different to-day. "

"Well, if you do not think it too late to give notice for yourself, suppose you were to go, as well as your husband. Leave little Charlesto my care. Mr and Mrs Musgrove cannot think it wrong while I remainwith him. "

"Are you serious?" cried Mary, her eyes brightening. "Dear me! that'sa very good thought, very good, indeed. To be sure, I may just as wellgo as not, for I am of no use at home--am I? and it only harasses me. You, who have not a mother's feelings, are a great deal the properestperson. You can make little Charles do anything; he always minds youat a word. It will be a great deal better than leaving him only withJemima. Oh! I shall certainly go; I am sure I ought if I can, quite asmuch as Charles, for they want me excessively to be acquainted withCaptain Wentworth, and I know you do not mind being left alone. Anexcellent thought of yours, indeed, Anne. I will go and tell Charles, and get ready directly. You can send for us, you know, at a moment'snotice, if anything is the matter; but I dare say there will be nothingto alarm you. I should not go, you may be sure, if I did not feelquite at ease about my dear child. "

The next moment she was tapping at her husband's dressing-room door, and as Anne followed her up stairs, she was in time for the wholeconversation, which began with Mary's saying, in a tone of greatexultation--

"I mean to go with you, Charles, for I am of no more use at home thanyou are. If I were to shut myself up for ever with the child, I shouldnot be able to persuade him to do anything he did not like. Anne willstay; Anne undertakes to stay at home and take care of him. It isAnne's own proposal, and so I shall go with you, which will be a greatdeal better, for I have not dined at the other house since Tuesday. "

"This is very kind of Anne, " was her husband's answer, "and I should bevery glad to have you go; but it seems rather hard that she should beleft at home by herself, to nurse our sick child. "

Anne was now at hand to take up her own cause, and the sincerity of hermanner being soon sufficient to convince him, where conviction was atleast very agreeable, he had no farther scruples as to her being leftto dine alone, though he still wanted her to join them in the evening, when the child might be at rest for the night, and kindly urged her tolet him come and fetch her, but she was quite unpersuadable; and thisbeing the case, she had ere long the pleasure of seeing them set offtogether in high spirits. They were gone, she hoped, to be happy, however oddly constructed such happiness might seem; as for herself, she was left with as many sensations of comfort, as were, perhaps, everlikely to be hers. She knew herself to be of the first utility to thechild; and what was it to her if Frederick Wentworth were only half amile distant, making himself agreeable to others?

She would have liked to know how he felt as to a meeting. Perhapsindifferent, if indifference could exist under such circumstances. Hemust be either indifferent or unwilling. Had he wished ever to see heragain, he need not have waited till this time; he would have done whatshe could not but believe that in his place she should have done longago, when events had been early giving him the independence which alonehad been wanting. 

Her brother and sister came back delighted with their new acquaintance, and their visit in general. There had been music, singing, talking, laughing, all that was most agreeable; charming manners in CaptainWentworth, no shyness or reserve; they seemed all to know each otherperfectly, and he was coming the very next morning to shoot withCharles. He was to come to breakfast, but not at the Cottage, thoughthat had been proposed at first; but then he had been pressed to cometo the Great House instead, and he seemed afraid of being in MrsCharles Musgrove's way, on account of the child, and therefore, somehow, they hardly knew how, it ended in Charles's being to meet himto breakfast at his father's. 

Anne understood it. He wished to avoid seeing her. He had inquiredafter her, she found, slightly, as might suit a former slightacquaintance, seeming to acknowledge such as she had acknowledged, actuated, perhaps, by the same view of escaping introduction when theywere to meet. 

The morning hours of the Cottage were always later than those of theother house, and on the morrow the difference was so great that Maryand Anne were not more than beginning breakfast when Charles came in tosay that they were just setting off, that he was come for his dogs, that his sisters were following with Captain Wentworth; his sistersmeaning to visit Mary and the child, and Captain Wentworth proposingalso to wait on her for a few minutes if not inconvenient; and thoughCharles had answered for the child's being in no such state as couldmake it inconvenient, Captain Wentworth would not be satisfied withouthis running on to give notice. 

Mary, very much gratified by this attention, was delighted to receivehim, while a thousand feelings rushed on Anne, of which this was themost consoling, that it would soon be over. And it was soon over. Intwo minutes after Charles's preparation, the others appeared; they werein the drawing-room. Her eye half met Captain Wentworth's, a bow, acurtsey passed; she heard his voice; he talked to Mary, said all thatwas right, said something to the Miss Musgroves, enough to mark an easyfooting; the room seemed full, full of persons and voices, but a fewminutes ended it. Charles shewed himself at the window, all was ready, their visitor had bowed and was gone, the Miss Musgroves were gone too, suddenly resolving to walk to the end of the village with thesportsmen: the room was cleared, and Anne might finish her breakfastas she could. 

"It is over! it is over!" she repeated to herself again and again, innervous gratitude. "The worst is over!"

Mary talked, but she could not attend. She had seen him. They hadmet. They had been once more in the same room. 

Soon, however, she began to reason with herself, and try to be feelingless. Eight years, almost eight years had passed, since all had beengiven up. How absurd to be resuming the agitation which such aninterval had banished into distance and indistinctness! What might noteight years do? Events of every description, changes, alienations, removals--all, all must be comprised in it, and oblivion of the past--how natural, how certain too! It included nearly a third part of herown life. 

Alas! with all her reasoning, she found, that to retentive feelingseight years may be little more than nothing. 

Now, how were his sentiments to be read? Was this like wishing toavoid her? And the next moment she was hating herself for the follywhich asked the question. 

On one other question which perhaps her utmost wisdom might not haveprevented, she was soon spared all suspense; for, after the MissMusgroves had returned and finished their visit at the Cottage she hadthis spontaneous information from Mary:--

"Captain Wentworth is not very gallant by you, Anne, though he was soattentive to me. Henrietta asked him what he thought of you, when theywent away, and he said, 'You were so altered he should not have knownyou again. '"

Mary had no feelings to make her respect her sister's in a common way, but she was perfectly unsuspicious of being inflicting any peculiarwound. 

"Altered beyond his knowledge. " Anne fully submitted, in silent, deepmortification. Doubtless it was so, and she could take no revenge, forhe was not altered, or not for the worse. She had already acknowledgedit to herself, and she could not think differently, let him think ofher as he would. No: the years which had destroyed her youth andbloom had only given him a more glowing, manly, open look, in norespect lessening his personal advantages. She had seen the sameFrederick Wentworth. 

"So altered that he should not have known her again!" These were wordswhich could not but dwell with her. Yet she soon began to rejoice thatshe had heard them. They were of sobering tendency; they allayedagitation; they composed, and consequently must make her happier. 

Frederick Wentworth had used such words, or something like them, butwithout an idea that they would be carried round to her. He hadthought her wretchedly altered, and in the first moment of appeal, hadspoken as he felt. He had not forgiven Anne Elliot. She had used himill, deserted and disappointed him; and worse, she had shewn afeebleness of character in doing so, which his own decided, confidenttemper could not endure. She had given him up to oblige others. Ithad been the effect of over-persuasion. It had been weakness andtimidity. 

He had been most warmly attached to her, and had never seen a womansince whom he thought her equal; but, except from some naturalsensation of curiosity, he had no desire of meeting her again. Herpower with him was gone for ever. 

It was now his object to marry. He was rich, and being turned onshore, fully intended to settle as soon as he could be properlytempted; actually looking round, ready to fall in love with all thespeed which a clear head and a quick taste could allow. He had a heartfor either of the Miss Musgroves, if they could catch it; a heart, inshort, for any pleasing young woman who came in his way, excepting AnneElliot. This was his only secret exception, when he said to hissister, in answer to her suppositions:--

"Yes, here I am, Sophia, quite ready to make a foolish match. Anybodybetween fifteen and thirty may have me for asking. A little beauty, and a few smiles, and a few compliments to the navy, and I am a lostman. Should not this be enough for a sailor, who has had no societyamong women to make him nice?"

He said it, she knew, to be contradicted. His bright proud eye spokethe conviction that he was nice; and Anne Elliot was not out of histhoughts, when he more seriously described the woman he should wish tomeet with. "A strong mind, with sweetness of manner, " made the firstand the last of the description. 

"That is the woman I want, " said he. "Something a little inferior Ishall of course put up with, but it must not be much. If I am a fool, I shall be a fool indeed, for I have thought on the subject more thanmost men. "

Chapter 8

From this time Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot were repeatedly in thesame circle. They were soon dining in company together at MrMusgrove's, for the little boy's state could no longer supply his auntwith a pretence for absenting herself; and this was but the beginningof other dinings and other meetings. 

Whether former feelings were to be renewed must be brought to theproof; former times must undoubtedly be brought to the recollection ofeach; they could not but be reverted to; the year of their engagementcould not but be named by him, in the little narratives or descriptionswhich conversation called forth. His profession qualified him, hisdisposition lead him, to talk; and "That was in the year six;" "Thathappened before I went to sea in the year six, " occurred in the courseof the first evening they spent together: and though his voice did notfalter, and though she had no reason to suppose his eye wanderingtowards her while he spoke, Anne felt the utter impossibility, from herknowledge of his mind, that he could be unvisited by remembrance anymore than herself. There must be the same immediate association ofthought, though she was very far from conceiving it to be of equal pain. 

They had no conversation together, no intercourse but what thecommonest civility required. Once so much to each other! Now nothing!There had been a time, when of all the large party now filling thedrawing-room at Uppercross, they would have found it most difficult tocease to speak to one another. With the exception, perhaps, of Admiraland Mrs Croft, who seemed particularly attached and happy, (Anne couldallow no other exceptions even among the married couples), there couldhave been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings soin unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers;nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. Itwas a perpetual estrangement. 

When he talked, she heard the same voice, and discerned the same mind. There was a very general ignorance of all naval matters throughout theparty; and he was very much questioned, and especially by the two MissMusgroves, who seemed hardly to have any eyes but for him, as to themanner of living on board, daily regulations, food, hours, &c. , andtheir surprise at his accounts, at learning the degree of accommodationand arrangement which was practicable, drew from him some pleasantridicule, which reminded Anne of the early days when she too had beenignorant, and she too had been accused of supposing sailors to beliving on board without anything to eat, or any cook to dress it ifthere were, or any servant to wait, or any knife and fork to use. 

From thus listening and thinking, she was roused by a whisper of MrsMusgrove's who, overcome by fond regrets, could not help saying--

"Ah! Miss Anne, if it had pleased Heaven to spare my poor son, I daresay he would have been just such another by this time. "

Anne suppressed a smile, and listened kindly, while Mrs Musgroverelieved her heart a little more; and for a few minutes, therefore, could not keep pace with the conversation of the others. 

When she could let her attention take its natural course again, shefound the Miss Musgroves just fetching the Navy List (their own navylist, the first that had ever been at Uppercross), and sitting downtogether to pore over it, with the professed view of finding out theships that Captain Wentworth had commanded. 

"Your first was the Asp, I remember; we will look for the Asp. "

"You will not find her there. Quite worn out and broken up. I was thelast man who commanded her. Hardly fit for service then. Reported fitfor home service for a year or two, and so I was sent off to the WestIndies. "

The girls looked all amazement. 

"The Admiralty, " he continued, "entertain themselves now and then, withsending a few hundred men to sea, in a ship not fit to be employed. But they have a great many to provide for; and among the thousands thatmay just as well go to the bottom as not, it is impossible for them todistinguish the very set who may be least missed. "

"Phoo! phoo!" cried the Admiral, "what stuff these young fellows talk!Never was a better sloop than the Asp in her day. For an old builtsloop, you would not see her equal. Lucky fellow to get her! He knowsthere must have been twenty better men than himself applying for her atthe same time. Lucky fellow to get anything so soon, with no moreinterest than his. "

"I felt my luck, Admiral, I assure you;" replied Captain Wentworth, seriously. "I was as well satisfied with my appointment as you candesire. It was a great object with me at that time to be at sea; avery great object, I wanted to be doing something. "

"To be sure you did. What should a young fellow like you do ashore forhalf a year together? If a man had not a wife, he soon wants to beafloat again. "

"But, Captain Wentworth, " cried Louisa, "how vexed you must have beenwhen you came to the Asp, to see what an old thing they had given you. "

"I knew pretty well what she was before that day;" said he, smiling. "I had no more discoveries to make than you would have as to thefashion and strength of any old pelisse, which you had seen lent aboutamong half your acquaintance ever since you could remember, and whichat last, on some very wet day, is lent to yourself. Ah! she was a dearold Asp to me. She did all that I wanted. I knew she would. I knewthat we should either go to the bottom together, or that she would bethe making of me; and I never had two days of foul weather all the timeI was at sea in her; and after taking privateers enough to be veryentertaining, I had the good luck in my passage home the next autumn, to fall in with the very French frigate I wanted. I brought her intoPlymouth; and here another instance of luck. We had not been six hoursin the Sound, when a gale came on, which lasted four days and nights, and which would have done for poor old Asp in half the time; our touchwith the Great Nation not having much improved our condition. Four-and-twenty hours later, and I should only have been a gallantCaptain Wentworth, in a small paragraph at one corner of thenewspapers; and being lost in only a sloop, nobody would have thoughtabout me. " Anne's shudderings were to herself alone; but the MissMusgroves could be as open as they were sincere, in their exclamationsof pity and horror. 

"And so then, I suppose, " said Mrs Musgrove, in a low voice, as ifthinking aloud, "so then he went away to the Laconia, and there he metwith our poor boy. Charles, my dear, " (beckoning him to her), "do askCaptain Wentworth where it was he first met with your poor brother. Ialways forgot. "

"It was at Gibraltar, mother, I know. Dick had been left ill atGibraltar, with a recommendation from his former captain to CaptainWentworth. "

"Oh! but, Charles, tell Captain Wentworth, he need not be afraid ofmentioning poor Dick before me, for it would be rather a pleasure tohear him talked of by such a good friend. "

Charles, being somewhat more mindful of the probabilities of the case, only nodded in reply, and walked away. 

The girls were now hunting for the Laconia; and Captain Wentworth couldnot deny himself the pleasure of taking the precious volume into hisown hands to save them the trouble, and once more read aloud the littlestatement of her name and rate, and present non-commissioned class, observing over it that she too had been one of the best friends manever had. 

"Ah! those were pleasant days when I had the Laconia! How fast I mademoney in her. A friend of mine and I had such a lovely cruise togetheroff the Western Islands. Poor Harville, sister! You know how much hewanted money: worse than myself. He had a wife. Excellent fellow. Ishall never forget his happiness. He felt it all, so much for hersake. I wished for him again the next summer, when I had still thesame luck in the Mediterranean. "

"And I am sure, Sir, " said Mrs Musgrove, "it was a lucky day for us, when you were put captain into that ship. We shall never forget whatyou did. "

Her feelings made her speak low; and Captain Wentworth, hearing only inpart, and probably not having Dick Musgrove at all near his thoughts, looked rather in suspense, and as if waiting for more. 

"My brother, " whispered one of the girls; "mamma is thinking of poorRichard. "

"Poor dear fellow!" continued Mrs Musgrove; "he was grown so steady, and such an excellent correspondent, while he was under your care! Ah!it would have been a happy thing, if he had never left you. I assureyou, Captain Wentworth, we are very sorry he ever left you. "

There was a momentary expression in Captain Wentworth's face at thisspeech, a certain glance of his bright eye, and curl of his handsomemouth, which convinced Anne, that instead of sharing in Mrs Musgrove'skind wishes, as to her son, he had probably been at some pains to getrid of him; but it was too transient an indulgence of self-amusement tobe detected by any who understood him less than herself; in anothermoment he was perfectly collected and serious, and almost instantlyafterwards coming up to the sofa, on which she and Mrs Musgrove weresitting, took a place by the latter, and entered into conversation withher, in a low voice, about her son, doing it with so much sympathy andnatural grace, as shewed the kindest consideration for all that wasreal and unabsurd in the parent's feelings. 

They were actually on the same sofa, for Mrs Musgrove had most readilymade room for him; they were divided only by Mrs Musgrove. It was noinsignificant barrier, indeed. Mrs Musgrove was of a comfortable, substantial size, infinitely more fitted by nature to express goodcheer and good humour, than tenderness and sentiment; and while theagitations of Anne's slender form, and pensive face, may be consideredas very completely screened, Captain Wentworth should be allowed somecredit for the self-command with which he attended to her large fatsighings over the destiny of a son, whom alive nobody had cared for. 

Personal size and mental sorrow have certainly no necessaryproportions. A large bulky figure has as good a right to be in deepaffliction, as the most graceful set of limbs in the world. But, fairor not fair, there are unbecoming conjunctions, which reason willpatronize in vain--which taste cannot tolerate--which ridicule willseize. 

The Admiral, after taking two or three refreshing turns about the roomwith his hands behind him, being called to order by his wife, now cameup to Captain Wentworth, and without any observation of what he mightbe interrupting, thinking only of his own thoughts, began with--

"If you had been a week later at Lisbon, last spring, Frederick, youwould have been asked to give a passage to Lady Mary Grierson and herdaughters. "

"Should I? I am glad I was not a week later then. "

The Admiral abused him for his want of gallantry. He defended himself;though professing that he would never willingly admit any ladies onboard a ship of his, excepting for a ball, or a visit, which a fewhours might comprehend. 

"But, if I know myself, " said he, "this is from no want of gallantrytowards them. It is rather from feeling how impossible it is, with allone's efforts, and all one's sacrifices, to make the accommodations onboard such as women ought to have. There can be no want of gallantry, Admiral, in rating the claims of women to every personal comfort high, and this is what I do. I hate to hear of women on board, or to seethem on board; and no ship under my command shall ever convey a familyof ladies anywhere, if I can help it. "

This brought his sister upon him. 

"Oh! Frederick! But I cannot believe it of you. --All idlerefinement!--Women may be as comfortable on board, as in the best housein England. I believe I have lived as much on board as most women, andI know nothing superior to the accommodations of a man-of-war. Ideclare I have not a comfort or an indulgence about me, even atKellynch Hall, " (with a kind bow to Anne), "beyond what I always had inmost of the ships I have lived in; and they have been five altogether. "

"Nothing to the purpose, " replied her brother. "You were living withyour husband, and were the only woman on board. "

"But you, yourself, brought Mrs Harville, her sister, her cousin, andthree children, round from Portsmouth to Plymouth. Where was thissuperfine, extraordinary sort of gallantry of yours then?"

"All merged in my friendship, Sophia. I would assist any brotherofficer's wife that I could, and I would bring anything of Harville'sfrom the world's end, if he wanted it. But do not imagine that I didnot feel it an evil in itself. "

"Depend upon it, they were all perfectly comfortable. "

"I might not like them the better for that perhaps. Such a number ofwomen and children have no right to be comfortable on board. "

"My dear Frederick, you are talking quite idly. Pray, what wouldbecome of us poor sailors' wives, who often want to be conveyed to oneport or another, after our husbands, if everybody had your feelings?"

"My feelings, you see, did not prevent my taking Mrs Harville and allher family to Plymouth. "

"But I hate to hear you talking so like a fine gentleman, and as ifwomen were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none ofus expect to be in smooth water all our days. "

"Ah! my dear, " said the Admiral, "when he had got a wife, he will singa different tune. When he is married, if we have the good luck to liveto another war, we shall see him do as you and I, and a great manyothers, have done. We shall have him very thankful to anybody thatwill bring him his wife. "

"Ay, that we shall. "

"Now I have done, " cried Captain Wentworth. "When once married peoplebegin to attack me with, --'Oh! you will think very differently, whenyou are married. ' I can only say, 'No, I shall not;' and then they sayagain, 'Yes, you will, ' and there is an end of it. "

He got up and moved away. 

"What a great traveller you must have been, ma'am!" said Mrs Musgroveto Mrs Croft. 

"Pretty well, ma'am in the fifteen years of my marriage; though manywomen have done more. I have crossed the Atlantic four times, and havebeen once to the East Indies, and back again, and only once; besidesbeing in different places about home: Cork, and Lisbon, and Gibraltar. But I never went beyond the Streights, and never was in the WestIndies. We do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the West Indies. "

Mrs Musgrove had not a word to say in dissent; she could not accuseherself of having ever called them anything in the whole course of herlife. 

"And I do assure you, ma'am, " pursued Mrs Croft, "that nothing canexceed the accommodations of a man-of-war; I speak, you know, of thehigher rates. When you come to a frigate, of course, you are moreconfined; though any reasonable woman may be perfectly happy in one ofthem; and I can safely say, that the happiest part of my life has beenspent on board a ship. While we were together, you know, there wasnothing to be feared. Thank God! I have always been blessed withexcellent health, and no climate disagrees with me. A littledisordered always the first twenty-four hours of going to sea, butnever knew what sickness was afterwards. The only time I ever reallysuffered in body or mind, the only time that I ever fancied myselfunwell, or had any ideas of danger, was the winter that I passed bymyself at Deal, when the Admiral (Captain Croft then) was in the NorthSeas. I lived in perpetual fright at that time, and had all manner ofimaginary complaints from not knowing what to do with myself, or when Ishould hear from him next; but as long as we could be together, nothingever ailed me, and I never met with the smallest inconvenience. "

"Aye, to be sure. Yes, indeed, oh yes! I am quite of your opinion, Mrs Croft, " was Mrs Musgrove's hearty answer. "There is nothing so badas a separation. I am quite of your opinion. I know what it is, forMr Musgrove always attends the assizes, and I am so glad when they areover, and he is safe back again. "

The evening ended with dancing. On its being proposed, Anne offeredher services, as usual; and though her eyes would sometimes fill withtears as she sat at the instrument, she was extremely glad to beemployed, and desired nothing in return but to be unobserved. 

It was a merry, joyous party, and no one seemed in higher spirits thanCaptain Wentworth. She felt that he had every thing to elevate himwhich general attention and deference, and especially the attention ofall the young women, could do. The Miss Hayters, the females of thefamily of cousins already mentioned, were apparently admitted to thehonour of being in love with him; and as for Henrietta and Louisa, theyboth seemed so entirely occupied by him, that nothing but the continuedappearance of the most perfect good-will between themselves could havemade it credible that they were not decided rivals. If he were alittle spoilt by such universal, such eager admiration, who couldwonder?

These were some of the thoughts which occupied Anne, while her fingerswere mechanically at work, proceeding for half an hour together, equally without error, and without consciousness. Once she felt thathe was looking at herself, observing her altered features, perhaps, trying to trace in them the ruins of the face which had once charmedhim; and once she knew that he must have spoken of her; she was hardlyaware of it, till she heard the answer; but then she was sure of hishaving asked his partner whether Miss Elliot never danced? The answerwas, "Oh, no; never; she has quite given up dancing. She had ratherplay. She is never tired of playing. " Once, too, he spoke to her. She had left the instrument on the dancing being over, and he had satdown to try to make out an air which he wished to give the MissMusgroves an idea of. Unintentionally she returned to that part of theroom; he saw her, and, instantly rising, said, with studied politeness--

"I beg your pardon, madam, this is your seat;" and though sheimmediately drew back with a decided negative, he was not to be inducedto sit down again. 

Anne did not wish for more of such looks and speeches. His coldpoliteness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything. 

Chapter 9

Captain Wentworth was come to Kellynch as to a home, to stay as long ashe liked, being as thoroughly the object of the Admiral's fraternalkindness as of his wife's. He had intended, on first arriving, toproceed very soon into Shropshire, and visit the brother settled inthat country, but the attractions of Uppercross induced him to put thisoff. There was so much of friendliness, and of flattery, and ofeverything most bewitching in his reception there; the old were sohospitable, the young so agreeable, that he could not but resolve toremain where he was, and take all the charms and perfections ofEdward's wife upon credit a little longer. 

It was soon Uppercross with him almost every day. The Musgroves couldhardly be more ready to invite than he to come, particularly in themorning, when he had no companion at home, for the Admiral and MrsCroft were generally out of doors together, interesting themselves intheir new possessions, their grass, and their sheep, and dawdling aboutin a way not endurable to a third person, or driving out in a gig, lately added to their establishment. 

Hitherto there had been but one opinion of Captain Wentworth among theMusgroves and their dependencies. It was unvarying, warm admirationeverywhere; but this intimate footing was not more than established, when a certain Charles Hayter returned among them, to be a good dealdisturbed by it, and to think Captain Wentworth very much in the way. 

Charles Hayter was the eldest of all the cousins, and a very amiable, pleasing young man, between whom and Henrietta there had been aconsiderable appearance of attachment previous to Captain Wentworth'sintroduction. He was in orders; and having a curacy in theneighbourhood, where residence was not required, lived at his father'shouse, only two miles from Uppercross. A short absence from home hadleft his fair one unguarded by his attentions at this critical period, and when he came back he had the pain of finding very altered manners, and of seeing Captain Wentworth. 

Mrs Musgrove and Mrs Hayter were sisters. They had each had money, buttheir marriages had made a material difference in their degree ofconsequence. Mr Hayter had some property of his own, but it wasinsignificant compared with Mr Musgrove's; and while the Musgroves werein the first class of society in the country, the young Hayters would, from their parents' inferior, retired, and unpolished way of living, and their own defective education, have been hardly in any class atall, but for their connexion with Uppercross, this eldest son of courseexcepted, who had chosen to be a scholar and a gentleman, and who wasvery superior in cultivation and manners to all the rest. 

The two families had always been on excellent terms, there being nopride on one side, and no envy on the other, and only such aconsciousness of superiority in the Miss Musgroves, as made thempleased to improve their cousins. Charles's attentions to Henriettahad been observed by her father and mother without any disapprobation. "It would not be a great match for her; but if Henrietta liked him, "--and Henrietta did seem to like him. 

Henrietta fully thought so herself, before Captain Wentworth came; butfrom that time Cousin Charles had been very much forgotten. 

Which of the two sisters was preferred by Captain Wentworth was as yetquite doubtful, as far as Anne's observation reached. Henrietta wasperhaps the prettiest, Louisa had the higher spirits; and she knew notnow, whether the more gentle or the more lively character were mostlikely to attract him. 

Mr and Mrs Musgrove, either from seeing little, or from an entireconfidence in the discretion of both their daughters, and of all theyoung men who came near them, seemed to leave everything to take itschance. There was not the smallest appearance of solicitude or remarkabout them in the Mansion-house; but it was different at the Cottage:the young couple there were more disposed to speculate and wonder; andCaptain Wentworth had not been above four or five times in the MissMusgroves' company, and Charles Hayter had but just reappeared, whenAnne had to listen to the opinions of her brother and sister, as towhich was the one liked best. Charles gave it for Louisa, Mary forHenrietta, but quite agreeing that to have him marry either could beextremely delightful. 

Charles "had never seen a pleasanter man in his life; and from what hehad once heard Captain Wentworth himself say, was very sure that he hadnot made less than twenty thousand pounds by the war. Here was afortune at once; besides which, there would be the chance of what mightbe done in any future war; and he was sure Captain Wentworth was aslikely a man to distinguish himself as any officer in the navy. Oh! itwould be a capital match for either of his sisters. "

"Upon my word it would, " replied Mary. "Dear me! If he should rise toany very great honours! If he should ever be made a baronet! 'LadyWentworth' sounds very well. That would be a noble thing, indeed, forHenrietta! She would take place of me then, and Henrietta would notdislike that. Sir Frederick and Lady Wentworth! It would be but a newcreation, however, and I never think much of your new creations. "

It suited Mary best to think Henrietta the one preferred on the veryaccount of Charles Hayter, whose pretensions she wished to see put anend to. She looked down very decidedly upon the Hayters, and thoughtit would be quite a misfortune to have the existing connection betweenthe families renewed--very sad for herself and her children. 

"You know, " said she, "I cannot think him at all a fit match forHenrietta; and considering the alliances which the Musgroves have made, she has no right to throw herself away. I do not think any young womanhas a right to make a choice that may be disagreeable and inconvenientto the principal part of her family, and be giving bad connections tothose who have not been used to them. And, pray, who is CharlesHayter? Nothing but a country curate. A most improper match for MissMusgrove of Uppercross. "

Her husband, however, would not agree with her here; for besides havinga regard for his cousin, Charles Hayter was an eldest son, and he sawthings as an eldest son himself. 

"Now you are talking nonsense, Mary, " was therefore his answer. "Itwould not be a great match for Henrietta, but Charles has a very fairchance, through the Spicers, of getting something from the Bishop inthe course of a year or two; and you will please to remember, that heis the eldest son; whenever my uncle dies, he steps into very prettyproperty. The estate at Winthrop is not less than two hundred andfifty acres, besides the farm near Taunton, which is some of the bestland in the country. I grant you, that any of them but Charles wouldbe a very shocking match for Henrietta, and indeed it could not be; heis the only one that could be possible; but he is a very good-natured, good sort of a fellow; and whenever Winthrop comes into his hands, hewill make a different sort of place of it, and live in a very differentsort of way; and with that property, he will never be a contemptibleman--good, freehold property. No, no; Henrietta might do worse thanmarry Charles Hayter; and if she has him, and Louisa can get CaptainWentworth, I shall be very well satisfied. "

"Charles may say what he pleases, " cried Mary to Anne, as soon as hewas out of the room, "but it would be shocking to have Henrietta marryCharles Hayter; a very bad thing for her, and still worse for me; andtherefore it is very much to be wished that Captain Wentworth may soonput him quite out of her head, and I have very little doubt that hehas. She took hardly any notice of Charles Hayter yesterday. I wishyou had been there to see her behaviour. And as to Captain Wentworth'sliking Louisa as well as Henrietta, it is nonsense to say so; for hecertainly does like Henrietta a great deal the best. But Charles is sopositive! I wish you had been with us yesterday, for then you mighthave decided between us; and I am sure you would have thought as I did, unless you had been determined to give it against me. "

A dinner at Mr Musgrove's had been the occasion when all these thingsshould have been seen by Anne; but she had staid at home, under themixed plea of a headache of her own, and some return of indispositionin little Charles. She had thought only of avoiding Captain Wentworth;but an escape from being appealed to as umpire was now added to theadvantages of a quiet evening. 

As to Captain Wentworth's views, she deemed it of more consequence thathe should know his own mind early enough not to be endangering thehappiness of either sister, or impeaching his own honour, than that heshould prefer Henrietta to Louisa, or Louisa to Henrietta. Either ofthem would, in all probability, make him an affectionate, good-humouredwife. With regard to Charles Hayter, she had delicacy which must bepained by any lightness of conduct in a well-meaning young woman, and aheart to sympathize in any of the sufferings it occasioned; but ifHenrietta found herself mistaken in the nature of her feelings, thealternation could not be understood too soon. 

Charles Hayter had met with much to disquiet and mortify him in hiscousin's behaviour. She had too old a regard for him to be so whollyestranged as might in two meetings extinguish every past hope, andleave him nothing to do but to keep away from Uppercross: but therewas such a change as became very alarming, when such a man as CaptainWentworth was to be regarded as the probable cause. He had been absentonly two Sundays, and when they parted, had left her interested, evento the height of his wishes, in his prospect of soon quitting hispresent curacy, and obtaining that of Uppercross instead. It had thenseemed the object nearest her heart, that Dr Shirley, the rector, whofor more than forty years had been zealously discharging all the dutiesof his office, but was now growing too infirm for many of them, shouldbe quite fixed on engaging a curate; should make his curacy quite asgood as he could afford, and should give Charles Hayter the promise ofit. The advantage of his having to come only to Uppercross, instead ofgoing six miles another way; of his having, in every respect, a bettercuracy; of his belonging to their dear Dr Shirley, and of dear, good DrShirley's being relieved from the duty which he could no longer getthrough without most injurious fatigue, had been a great deal, even toLouisa, but had been almost everything to Henrietta. When he cameback, alas! the zeal of the business was gone by. Louisa could notlisten at all to his account of a conversation which he had just heldwith Dr Shirley: she was at a window, looking out for CaptainWentworth; and even Henrietta had at best only a divided attention togive, and seemed to have forgotten all the former doubt and solicitudeof the negotiation. 

"Well, I am very glad indeed: but I always thought you would have it;I always thought you sure. It did not appear to me that--in short, youknow, Dr Shirley must have a curate, and you had secured his promise. Is he coming, Louisa?"

One morning, very soon after the dinner at the Musgroves, at which Annehad not been present, Captain Wentworth walked into the drawing-room atthe Cottage, where were only herself and the little invalid Charles, who was lying on the sofa. 

The surprise of finding himself almost alone with Anne Elliot, deprivedhis manners of their usual composure: he started, and could only say, "I thought the Miss Musgroves had been here: Mrs Musgrove told me Ishould find them here, " before he walked to the window to recollecthimself, and feel how he ought to behave. 

"They are up stairs with my sister: they will be down in a fewmoments, I dare say, " had been Anne's reply, in all the confusion thatwas natural; and if the child had not called her to come and dosomething for him, she would have been out of the room the next moment, and released Captain Wentworth as well as herself. 

He continued at the window; and after calmly and politely saying, "Ihope the little boy is better, " was silent. 

She was obliged to kneel down by the sofa, and remain there to satisfyher patient; and thus they continued a few minutes, when, to her verygreat satisfaction, she heard some other person crossing the littlevestibule. She hoped, on turning her head, to see the master of thehouse; but it proved to be one much less calculated for making matterseasy--Charles Hayter, probably not at all better pleased by the sightof Captain Wentworth than Captain Wentworth had been by the sight ofAnne. 

She only attempted to say, "How do you do? Will you not sit down? Theothers will be here presently. "

Captain Wentworth, however, came from his window, apparently notill-disposed for conversation; but Charles Hayter soon put an end tohis attempts by seating himself near the table, and taking up thenewspaper; and Captain Wentworth returned to his window. 

Another minute brought another addition. The younger boy, a remarkablestout, forward child, of two years old, having got the door opened forhim by some one without, made his determined appearance among them, andwent straight to the sofa to see what was going on, and put in hisclaim to anything good that might be giving away. 

There being nothing to eat, he could only have some play; and as hisaunt would not let him tease his sick brother, he began to fastenhimself upon her, as she knelt, in such a way that, busy as she wasabout Charles, she could not shake him off. She spoke to him, ordered, entreated, and insisted in vain. Once she did contrive to push himaway, but the boy had the greater pleasure in getting upon her backagain directly. 

"Walter, " said she, "get down this moment. You are extremelytroublesome. I am very angry with you. "

"Walter, " cried Charles Hayter, "why do you not do as you are bid? Donot you hear your aunt speak? Come to me, Walter, come to cousinCharles. "

But not a bit did Walter stir. 

In another moment, however, she found herself in the state of beingreleased from him; some one was taking him from her, though he had bentdown her head so much, that his little sturdy hands were unfastenedfrom around her neck, and he was resolutely borne away, before she knewthat Captain Wentworth had done it. 

Her sensations on the discovery made her perfectly speechless. Shecould not even thank him. She could only hang over little Charles, with most disordered feelings. His kindness in stepping forward to herrelief, the manner, the silence in which it had passed, the littleparticulars of the circumstance, with the conviction soon forced on herby the noise he was studiously making with the child, that he meant toavoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought to testify that herconversation was the last of his wants, produced such a confusion ofvarying, but very painful agitation, as she could not recover from, till enabled by the entrance of Mary and the Miss Musgroves to makeover her little patient to their cares, and leave the room. She couldnot stay. It might have been an opportunity of watching the loves andjealousies of the four--they were now altogether; but she could stayfor none of it. It was evident that Charles Hayter was not wellinclined towards Captain Wentworth. She had a strong impression of hishaving said, in a vext tone of voice, after Captain Wentworth'sinterference, "You ought to have minded me, Walter; I told you not toteaze your aunt;" and could comprehend his regretting that CaptainWentworth should do what he ought to have done himself. But neitherCharles Hayter's feelings, nor anybody's feelings, could interest her, till she had a little better arranged her own. She was ashamed ofherself, quite ashamed of being so nervous, so overcome by such atrifle; but so it was, and it required a long application of solitudeand reflection to recover her. 

Chapter 10

Other opportunities of making her observations could not fail to occur. Anne had soon been in company with all the four together often enoughto have an opinion, though too wise to acknowledge as much at home, where she knew it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife; forwhile she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite, she could notbut think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory andexperience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either. Theywere more in love with him; yet there it was not love. It was a littlefever of admiration; but it might, probably must, end in love withsome. Charles Hayter seemed aware of being slighted, and yet Henriettahad sometimes the air of being divided between them. Anne longed forthe power of representing to them all what they were about, and ofpointing out some of the evils they were exposing themselves to. Shedid not attribute guile to any. It was the highest satisfaction to herto believe Captain Wentworth not in the least aware of the pain he wasoccasioning. There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in his manner. He had, probably, never heard, and never thought of any claims ofCharles Hayter. He was only wrong in accepting the attentions (foraccepting must be the word) of two young women at once. 

After a short struggle, however, Charles Hayter seemed to quit thefield. Three days had passed without his coming once to Uppercross; amost decided change. He had even refused one regular invitation todinner; and having been found on the occasion by Mr Musgrove with somelarge books before him, Mr and Mrs Musgrove were sure all could not beright, and talked, with grave faces, of his studying himself to death. It was Mary's hope and belief that he had received a positive dismissalfrom Henrietta, and her husband lived under the constant dependence ofseeing him to-morrow. Anne could only feel that Charles Hayter waswise. 

One morning, about this time Charles Musgrove and Captain Wentworthbeing gone a-shooting together, as the sisters in the Cottage weresitting quietly at work, they were visited at the window by the sistersfrom the Mansion-house. 

It was a very fine November day, and the Miss Musgroves came throughthe little grounds, and stopped for no other purpose than to say, thatthey were going to take a long walk, and therefore concluded Mary couldnot like to go with them; and when Mary immediately replied, with somejealousy at not being supposed a good walker, "Oh, yes, I should liketo join you very much, I am very fond of a long walk;" Anne feltpersuaded, by the looks of the two girls, that it was precisely whatthey did not wish, and admired again the sort of necessity which thefamily habits seemed to produce, of everything being to becommunicated, and everything being to be done together, howeverundesired and inconvenient. She tried to dissuade Mary from going, butin vain; and that being the case, thought it best to accept the MissMusgroves' much more cordial invitation to herself to go likewise, asshe might be useful in turning back with her sister, and lessening theinterference in any plan of their own. 

"I cannot imagine why they should suppose I should not like a longwalk, " said Mary, as she went up stairs. "Everybody is alwayssupposing that I am not a good walker; and yet they would not have beenpleased, if we had refused to join them. When people come in thismanner on purpose to ask us, how can one say no?"

Just as they were setting off, the gentlemen returned. They had takenout a young dog, who had spoilt their sport, and sent them back early. Their time and strength, and spirits, were, therefore, exactly readyfor this walk, and they entered into it with pleasure. Could Anne haveforeseen such a junction, she would have staid at home; but, from somefeelings of interest and curiosity, she fancied now that it was toolate to retract, and the whole six set forward together in thedirection chosen by the Miss Musgroves, who evidently considered thewalk as under their guidance. 

Anne's object was, not to be in the way of anybody; and where thenarrow paths across the fields made many separations necessary, to keepwith her brother and sister. Her pleasure in the walk must arise fromthe exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the yearupon the tawny leaves, and withered hedges, and from repeating toherself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant ofautumn, that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mindof taste and tenderness, that season which had drawn from every poet, worthy of being read, some attempt at description, or some lines offeeling. She occupied her mind as much as possible in such likemusings and quotations; but it was not possible, that when within reachof Captain Wentworth's conversation with either of the Miss Musgroves, she should not try to hear it; yet she caught little very remarkable. It was mere lively chat, such as any young persons, on an intimatefooting, might fall into. He was more engaged with Louisa than withHenrietta. Louisa certainly put more forward for his notice than hersister. This distinction appeared to increase, and there was onespeech of Louisa's which struck her. After one of the many praises ofthe day, which were continually bursting forth, Captain Wentworthadded:--

"What glorious weather for the Admiral and my sister! They meant totake a long drive this morning; perhaps we may hail them from some ofthese hills. They talked of coming into this side of the country. Iwonder whereabouts they will upset to-day. Oh! it does happen veryoften, I assure you; but my sister makes nothing of it; she would aslieve be tossed out as not. "

"Ah! You make the most of it, I know, " cried Louisa, "but if it werereally so, I should do just the same in her place. If I loved a man, as she loves the Admiral, I would always be with him, nothing shouldever separate us, and I would rather be overturned by him, than drivensafely by anybody else. "

It was spoken with enthusiasm. 

"Had you?" cried he, catching the same tone; "I honour you!" And therewas silence between them for a little while. 

Anne could not immediately fall into a quotation again. The sweetscenes of autumn were for a while put by, unless some tender sonnet, fraught with the apt analogy of the declining year, with declininghappiness, and the images of youth and hope, and spring, all gonetogether, blessed her memory. She roused herself to say, as theystruck by order into another path, "Is not this one of the ways toWinthrop?" But nobody heard, or, at least, nobody answered her. 

Winthrop, however, or its environs--for young men are, sometimes to bemet with, strolling about near home--was their destination; and afteranother half mile of gradual ascent through large enclosures, where theploughs at work, and the fresh made path spoke the farmer counteractingthe sweets of poetical despondence, and meaning to have spring again, they gained the summit of the most considerable hill, which partedUppercross and Winthrop, and soon commanded a full view of the latter, at the foot of the hill on the other side. 

Winthrop, without beauty and without dignity, was stretched before theman indifferent house, standing low, and hemmed in by the barns andbuildings of a farm-yard. 

Mary exclaimed, "Bless me! here is Winthrop. I declare I had no idea!Well now, I think we had better turn back; I am excessively tired. "

Henrietta, conscious and ashamed, and seeing no cousin Charles walkingalong any path, or leaning against any gate, was ready to do as Marywished; but "No!" said Charles Musgrove, and "No, no!" cried Louisamore eagerly, and taking her sister aside, seemed to be arguing thematter warmly. 

Charles, in the meanwhile, was very decidedly declaring his resolutionof calling on his aunt, now that he was so near; and very evidently, though more fearfully, trying to induce his wife to go too. But thiswas one of the points on which the lady shewed her strength; and whenhe recommended the advantage of resting herself a quarter of an hour atWinthrop, as she felt so tired, she resolutely answered, "Oh! no, indeed! walking up that hill again would do her more harm than anysitting down could do her good;" and, in short, her look and mannerdeclared, that go she would not. 

After a little succession of these sort of debates and consultations, it was settled between Charles and his two sisters, that he andHenrietta should just run down for a few minutes, to see their aunt andcousins, while the rest of the party waited for them at the top of thehill. Louisa seemed the principal arranger of the plan; and, as shewent a little way with them, down the hill, still talking to Henrietta, Mary took the opportunity of looking scornfully around her, and sayingto Captain Wentworth--

"It is very unpleasant, having such connexions! But, I assure you, Ihave never been in the house above twice in my life. "

She received no other answer, than an artificial, assenting smile, followed by a contemptuous glance, as he turned away, which Anneperfectly knew the meaning of. 

The brow of the hill, where they remained, was a cheerful spot: Louisareturned; and Mary, finding a comfortable seat for herself on the stepof a stile, was very well satisfied so long as the others all stoodabout her; but when Louisa drew Captain Wentworth away, to try for agleaning of nuts in an adjoining hedge-row, and they were gone bydegrees quite out of sight and sound, Mary was happy no longer; shequarrelled with her own seat, was sure Louisa had got a much bettersomewhere, and nothing could prevent her from going to look for abetter also. She turned through the same gate, but could not see them. Anne found a nice seat for her, on a dry sunny bank, under thehedge-row, in which she had no doubt of their still being, in some spotor other. Mary sat down for a moment, but it would not do; she wassure Louisa had found a better seat somewhere else, and she would go ontill she overtook her. 

Anne, really tired herself, was glad to sit down; and she very soonheard Captain Wentworth and Louisa in the hedge-row, behind her, as ifmaking their way back along the rough, wild sort of channel, down thecentre. They were speaking as they drew near. Louisa's voice was thefirst distinguished. She seemed to be in the middle of some eagerspeech. What Anne first heard was--

"And so, I made her go. I could not bear that she should be frightenedfrom the visit by such nonsense. What! would I be turned back fromdoing a thing that I had determined to do, and that I knew to be right, by the airs and interference of such a person, or of any person I maysay? No, I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I havemade up my mind, I have made it; and Henrietta seemed entirely to havemade up hers to call at Winthrop to-day; and yet, she was as neargiving it up, out of nonsensical complaisance!"

"She would have turned back then, but for you?"

"She would indeed. I am almost ashamed to say it. "

"Happy for her, to have such a mind as yours at hand! After the hintsyou gave just now, which did but confirm my own observations, the lasttime I was in company with him, I need not affect to have nocomprehension of what is going on. I see that more than a mere dutifulmorning visit to your aunt was in question; and woe betide him, and hertoo, when it comes to things of consequence, when they are placed incircumstances requiring fortitude and strength of mind, if she have notresolution enough to resist idle interference in such a trifle as this. Your sister is an amiable creature; but yours is the character ofdecision and firmness, I see. If you value her conduct or happiness, infuse as much of your own spirit into her as you can. But this, nodoubt, you have been always doing. It is the worst evil of tooyielding and indecisive a character, that no influence over it can bedepended on. You are never sure of a good impression being durable;everybody may sway it. Let those who would be happy be firm. Here isa nut, " said he, catching one down from an upper bough, "to exemplify:a beautiful glossy nut, which, blessed with original strength, hasoutlived all the storms of autumn. Not a puncture, not a weak spotanywhere. This nut, " he continued, with playful solemnity, "while somany of his brethren have fallen and been trodden under foot, is stillin possession of all the happiness that a hazel nut can be supposedcapable of. " Then returning to his former earnest tone--"My firstwish for all whom I am interested in, is that they should be firm. IfLouisa Musgrove would be beautiful and happy in her November of life, she will cherish all her present powers of mind. "

He had done, and was unanswered. It would have surprised Anne ifLouisa could have readily answered such a speech: words of suchinterest, spoken with such serious warmth! She could imagine whatLouisa was feeling. For herself, she feared to move, lest she shouldbe seen. While she remained, a bush of low rambling holly protectedher, and they were moving on. Before they were beyond her hearing, however, Louisa spoke again. 

"Mary is good-natured enough in many respects, " said she; "but she doessometimes provoke me excessively, by her nonsense and pride--the Elliotpride. She has a great deal too much of the Elliot pride. We do sowish that Charles had married Anne instead. I suppose you know hewanted to marry Anne?"

After a moment's pause, Captain Wentworth said--

"Do you mean that she refused him?"

"Oh! yes; certainly. "

"When did that happen?"

"I do not exactly know, for Henrietta and I were at school at the time;but I believe about a year before he married Mary. I wish she hadaccepted him. We should all have liked her a great deal better; andpapa and mamma always think it was her great friend Lady Russell'sdoing, that she did not. They think Charles might not be learned andbookish enough to please Lady Russell, and that therefore, shepersuaded Anne to refuse him. "

The sounds were retreating, and Anne distinguished no more. Her ownemotions still kept her fixed. She had much to recover from, beforeshe could move. The listener's proverbial fate was not absolutelyhers; she had heard no evil of herself, but she had heard a great dealof very painful import. She saw how her own character was consideredby Captain Wentworth, and there had been just that degree of feelingand curiosity about her in his manner which must give her extremeagitation. 

As soon as she could, she went after Mary, and having found, and walkedback with her to their former station, by the stile, felt some comfortin their whole party being immediately afterwards collected, and oncemore in motion together. Her spirits wanted the solitude and silencewhich only numbers could give. 

Charles and Henrietta returned, bringing, as may be conjectured, Charles Hayter with them. The minutiae of the business Anne could notattempt to understand; even Captain Wentworth did not seem admitted toperfect confidence here; but that there had been a withdrawing on thegentleman's side, and a relenting on the lady's, and that they were nowvery glad to be together again, did not admit a doubt. Henriettalooked a little ashamed, but very well pleased;--Charles Hayterexceedingly happy: and they were devoted to each other almost from thefirst instant of their all setting forward for Uppercross. 

Everything now marked out Louisa for Captain Wentworth; nothing couldbe plainer; and where many divisions were necessary, or even where theywere not, they walked side by side nearly as much as the other two. Ina long strip of meadow land, where there was ample space for all, theywere thus divided, forming three distinct parties; and to that party ofthe three which boasted least animation, and least complaisance, Annenecessarily belonged. She joined Charles and Mary, and was tiredenough to be very glad of Charles's other arm; but Charles, though invery good humour with her, was out of temper with his wife. Mary hadshewn herself disobliging to him, and was now to reap the consequence, which consequence was his dropping her arm almost every moment to cutoff the heads of some nettles in the hedge with his switch; and whenMary began to complain of it, and lament her being ill-used, accordingto custom, in being on the hedge side, while Anne was never incommodedon the other, he dropped the arms of both to hunt after a weasel whichhe had a momentary glance of, and they could hardly get him along atall. 

This long meadow bordered a lane, which their footpath, at the end ofit was to cross, and when the party had all reached the gate of exit, the carriage advancing in the same direction, which had been some timeheard, was just coming up, and proved to be Admiral Croft's gig. Heand his wife had taken their intended drive, and were returning home. Upon hearing how long a walk the young people had engaged in, theykindly offered a seat to any lady who might be particularly tired; itwould save her a full mile, and they were going through Uppercross. The invitation was general, and generally declined. The Miss Musgroveswere not at all tired, and Mary was either offended, by not being askedbefore any of the others, or what Louisa called the Elliot pride couldnot endure to make a third in a one horse chaise. 

The walking party had crossed the lane, and were surmounting anopposite stile, and the Admiral was putting his horse in motion again, when Captain Wentworth cleared the hedge in a moment to say somethingto his sister. The something might be guessed by its effects. 

"Miss Elliot, I am sure you are tired, " cried Mrs Croft. "Do let ushave the pleasure of taking you home. Here is excellent room forthree, I assure you. If we were all like you, I believe we might sitfour. You must, indeed, you must. "

Anne was still in the lane; and though instinctively beginning todecline, she was not allowed to proceed. The Admiral's kind urgencycame in support of his wife's; they would not be refused; theycompressed themselves into the smallest possible space to leave her acorner, and Captain Wentworth, without saying a word, turned to her, and quietly obliged her to be assisted into the carriage. 

Yes; he had done it. She was in the carriage, and felt that he hadplaced her there, that his will and his hands had done it, that sheowed it to his perception of her fatigue, and his resolution to giveher rest. She was very much affected by the view of his dispositiontowards her, which all these things made apparent. This littlecircumstance seemed the completion of all that had gone before. Sheunderstood him. He could not forgive her, but he could not beunfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it withhigh and unjust resentment, though perfectly careless of her, andthough becoming attached to another, still he could not see her suffer, without the desire of giving her relief. It was a remainder of formersentiment; it was an impulse of pure, though unacknowledged friendship;it was a proof of his own warm and amiable heart, which she could notcontemplate without emotions so compounded of pleasure and pain, thatshe knew not which prevailed. 

Her answers to the kindness and the remarks of her companions were atfirst unconsciously given. They had travelled half their way along therough lane, before she was quite awake to what they said. She thenfound them talking of "Frederick. "

"He certainly means to have one or other of those two girls, Sophy, "said the Admiral; "but there is no saying which. He has been runningafter them, too, long enough, one would think, to make up his mind. Ay, this comes of the peace. If it were war now, he would have settledit long ago. We sailors, Miss Elliot, cannot afford to make longcourtships in time of war. How many days was it, my dear, between thefirst time of my seeing you and our sitting down together in ourlodgings at North Yarmouth?"

"We had better not talk about it, my dear, " replied Mrs Croft, pleasantly; "for if Miss Elliot were to hear how soon we came to anunderstanding, she would never be persuaded that we could be happytogether. I had known you by character, however, long before. "

"Well, and I had heard of you as a very pretty girl, and what were weto wait for besides? I do not like having such things so long in hand. I wish Frederick would spread a little more canvass, and bring us homeone of these young ladies to Kellynch. Then there would always becompany for them. And very nice young ladies they both are; I hardlyknow one from the other. "

"Very good humoured, unaffected girls, indeed, " said Mrs Croft, in atone of calmer praise, such as made Anne suspect that her keener powersmight not consider either of them as quite worthy of her brother; "anda very respectable family. One could not be connected with betterpeople. My dear Admiral, that post! we shall certainly take thatpost. "

But by coolly giving the reins a better direction herself they happilypassed the danger; and by once afterwards judiciously putting out herhand they neither fell into a rut, nor ran foul of a dung-cart; andAnne, with some amusement at their style of driving, which she imaginedno bad representation of the general guidance of their affairs, foundherself safely deposited by them at the Cottage. 

Chapter 11

The time now approached for Lady Russell's return: the day was evenfixed; and Anne, being engaged to join her as soon as she wasresettled, was looking forward to an early removal to Kellynch, andbeginning to think how her own comfort was likely to be affected by it. 

It would place her in the same village with Captain Wentworth, withinhalf a mile of him; they would have to frequent the same church, andthere must be intercourse between the two families. This was againsther; but on the other hand, he spent so much of his time at Uppercross, that in removing thence she might be considered rather as leaving himbehind, than as going towards him; and, upon the whole, she believedshe must, on this interesting question, be the gainer, almost ascertainly as in her change of domestic society, in leaving poor Maryfor Lady Russell. 

She wished it might be possible for her to avoid ever seeing CaptainWentworth at the Hall: those rooms had witnessed former meetings whichwould be brought too painfully before her; but she was yet more anxiousfor the possibility of Lady Russell and Captain Wentworth never meetinganywhere. They did not like each other, and no renewal of acquaintancenow could do any good; and were Lady Russell to see them together, shemight think that he had too much self-possession, and she too little. 

These points formed her chief solicitude in anticipating her removalfrom Uppercross, where she felt she had been stationed quite longenough. Her usefulness to little Charles would always give somesweetness to the memory of her two months' visit there, but he wasgaining strength apace, and she had nothing else to stay for. 

The conclusion of her visit, however, was diversified in a way whichshe had not at all imagined. Captain Wentworth, after being unseen andunheard of at Uppercross for two whole days, appeared again among themto justify himself by a relation of what had kept him away. 

A letter from his friend, Captain Harville, having found him out atlast, had brought intelligence of Captain Harville's being settled withhis family at Lyme for the winter; of their being therefore, quiteunknowingly, within twenty miles of each other. Captain Harville hadnever been in good health since a severe wound which he received twoyears before, and Captain Wentworth's anxiety to see him had determinedhim to go immediately to Lyme. He had been there for four-and-twentyhours. His acquittal was complete, his friendship warmly honoured, alively interest excited for his friend, and his description of the finecountry about Lyme so feelingly attended to by the party, that anearnest desire to see Lyme themselves, and a project for going thitherwas the consequence. 

The young people were all wild to see Lyme. Captain Wentworth talkedof going there again himself, it was only seventeen miles fromUppercross; though November, the weather was by no means bad; and, inshort, Louisa, who was the most eager of the eager, having formed theresolution to go, and besides the pleasure of doing as she liked, beingnow armed with the idea of merit in maintaining her own way, bore downall the wishes of her father and mother for putting it off till summer;and to Lyme they were to go--Charles, Mary, Anne, Henrietta, Louisa, and Captain Wentworth. 

The first heedless scheme had been to go in the morning and return atnight; but to this Mr Musgrove, for the sake of his horses, would notconsent; and when it came to be rationally considered, a day in themiddle of November would not leave much time for seeing a new place, after deducting seven hours, as the nature of the country required, forgoing and returning. They were, consequently, to stay the night there, and not to be expected back till the next day's dinner. This was feltto be a considerable amendment; and though they all met at the GreatHouse at rather an early breakfast hour, and set off very punctually, it was so much past noon before the two carriages, Mr Musgrove's coachcontaining the four ladies, and Charles's curricle, in which he droveCaptain Wentworth, were descending the long hill into Lyme, andentering upon the still steeper street of the town itself, that it wasvery evident they would not have more than time for looking about them, before the light and warmth of the day were gone. 

After securing accommodations, and ordering a dinner at one of theinns, the next thing to be done was unquestionably to walk directlydown to the sea. They were come too late in the year for any amusementor variety which Lyme, as a public place, might offer. The rooms wereshut up, the lodgers almost all gone, scarcely any family but of theresidents left; and, as there is nothing to admire in the buildingsthemselves, the remarkable situation of the town, the principal streetalmost hurrying into the water, the walk to the Cobb, skirting roundthe pleasant little bay, which, in the season, is animated with bathingmachines and company; the Cobb itself, its old wonders and newimprovements, with the very beautiful line of cliffs stretching out tothe east of the town, are what the stranger's eye will seek; and a verystrange stranger it must be, who does not see charms in the immediateenvirons of Lyme, to make him wish to know it better. The scenes inits neighbourhood, Charmouth, with its high grounds and extensivesweeps of country, and still more, its sweet, retired bay, backed bydark cliffs, where fragments of low rock among the sands, make it thehappiest spot for watching the flow of the tide, for sitting inunwearied contemplation; the woody varieties of the cheerful village ofUp Lyme; and, above all, Pinny, with its green chasms between romanticrocks, where the scattered forest trees and orchards of luxuriantgrowth, declare that many a generation must have passed away since thefirst partial falling of the cliff prepared the ground for such astate, where a scene so wonderful and so lovely is exhibited, as maymore than equal any of the resembling scenes of the far-famed Isle ofWight: these places must be visited, and visited again, to make theworth of Lyme understood. 

The party from Uppercross passing down by the now deserted andmelancholy looking rooms, and still descending, soon found themselveson the sea-shore; and lingering only, as all must linger and gaze on afirst return to the sea, who ever deserved to look on it at all, proceeded towards the Cobb, equally their object in itself and onCaptain Wentworth's account: for in a small house, near the foot of anold pier of unknown date, were the Harvilles settled. CaptainWentworth turned in to call on his friend; the others walked on, and hewas to join them on the Cobb. 

They were by no means tired of wondering and admiring; and not evenLouisa seemed to feel that they had parted with Captain Wentworth long, when they saw him coming after them, with three companions, all wellknown already, by description, to be Captain and Mrs Harville, and aCaptain Benwick, who was staying with them. 

Captain Benwick had some time ago been first lieutenant of the Laconia;and the account which Captain Wentworth had given of him, on his returnfrom Lyme before, his warm praise of him as an excellent young man andan officer, whom he had always valued highly, which must have stampedhim well in the esteem of every listener, had been followed by a littlehistory of his private life, which rendered him perfectly interestingin the eyes of all the ladies. He had been engaged to CaptainHarville's sister, and was now mourning her loss. They had been a yearor two waiting for fortune and promotion. Fortune came, hisprize-money as lieutenant being great; promotion, too, came at last;but Fanny Harville did not live to know it. She had died the precedingsummer while he was at sea. Captain Wentworth believed it impossiblefor man to be more attached to woman than poor Benwick had been toFanny Harville, or to be more deeply afflicted under the dreadfulchange. He considered his disposition as of the sort which must sufferheavily, uniting very strong feelings with quiet, serious, and retiringmanners, and a decided taste for reading, and sedentary pursuits. Tofinish the interest of the story, the friendship between him and theHarvilles seemed, if possible, augmented by the event which closed alltheir views of alliance, and Captain Benwick was now living with thementirely. Captain Harville had taken his present house for half ayear; his taste, and his health, and his fortune, all directing him toa residence inexpensive, and by the sea; and the grandeur of thecountry, and the retirement of Lyme in the winter, appeared exactlyadapted to Captain Benwick's state of mind. The sympathy and good-willexcited towards Captain Benwick was very great. 

"And yet, " said Anne to herself, as they now moved forward to meet theparty, "he has not, perhaps, a more sorrowing heart than I have. Icannot believe his prospects so blighted for ever. He is younger thanI am; younger in feeling, if not in fact; younger as a man. He willrally again, and be happy with another. "

They all met, and were introduced. Captain Harville was a tall, darkman, with a sensible, benevolent countenance; a little lame; and fromstrong features and want of health, looking much older than CaptainWentworth. Captain Benwick looked, and was, the youngest of the three, and, compared with either of them, a little man. He had a pleasingface and a melancholy air, just as he ought to have, and drew back fromconversation. 

Captain Harville, though not equalling Captain Wentworth in manners, was a perfect gentleman, unaffected, warm, and obliging. Mrs Harville, a degree less polished than her husband, seemed, however, to have thesame good feelings; and nothing could be more pleasant than theirdesire of considering the whole party as friends of their own, becausethe friends of Captain Wentworth, or more kindly hospitable than theirentreaties for their all promising to dine with them. The dinner, already ordered at the inn, was at last, though unwillingly, acceptedas a excuse; but they seemed almost hurt that Captain Wentworth shouldhave brought any such party to Lyme, without considering it as a thingof course that they should dine with them. 

There was so much attachment to Captain Wentworth in all this, and sucha bewitching charm in a degree of hospitality so uncommon, so unlikethe usual style of give-and-take invitations, and dinners of formalityand display, that Anne felt her spirits not likely to be benefited byan increasing acquaintance among his brother-officers. "These wouldhave been all my friends, " was her thought; and she had to struggleagainst a great tendency to lowness. 

On quitting the Cobb, they all went in-doors with their new friends, and found rooms so small as none but those who invite from the heartcould think capable of accommodating so many. Anne had a moment'sastonishment on the subject herself; but it was soon lost in thepleasanter feelings which sprang from the sight of all the ingeniouscontrivances and nice arrangements of Captain Harville, to turn theactual space to the best account, to supply the deficiencies oflodging-house furniture, and defend the windows and doors against thewinter storms to be expected. The varieties in the fitting-up of therooms, where the common necessaries provided by the owner, in thecommon indifferent plight, were contrasted with some few articles of arare species of wood, excellently worked up, and with something curiousand valuable from all the distant countries Captain Harville hadvisited, were more than amusing to Anne; connected as it all was withhis profession, the fruit of its labours, the effect of its influenceon his habits, the picture of repose and domestic happiness itpresented, made it to her a something more, or less, than gratification. 

Captain Harville was no reader; but he had contrived excellentaccommodations, and fashioned very pretty shelves, for a tolerablecollection of well-bound volumes, the property of Captain Benwick. Hislameness prevented him from taking much exercise; but a mind ofusefulness and ingenuity seemed to furnish him with constant employmentwithin. He drew, he varnished, he carpentered, he glued; he made toysfor the children; he fashioned new netting-needles and pins withimprovements; and if everything else was done, sat down to his largefishing-net at one corner of the room. 

Anne thought she left great happiness behind her when they quitted thehouse; and Louisa, by whom she found herself walking, burst forth intoraptures of admiration and delight on the character of the navy; theirfriendliness, their brotherliness, their openness, their uprightness;protesting that she was convinced of sailors having more worth andwarmth than any other set of men in England; that they only knew how tolive, and they only deserved to be respected and loved. 

They went back to dress and dine; and so well had the scheme answeredalready, that nothing was found amiss; though its being "so entirelyout of season, " and the "no thoroughfare of Lyme, " and the "noexpectation of company, " had brought many apologies from the heads ofthe inn. 

Anne found herself by this time growing so much more hardened to beingin Captain Wentworth's company than she had at first imagined couldever be, that the sitting down to the same table with him now, and theinterchange of the common civilities attending on it (they never gotbeyond), was become a mere nothing. 

The nights were too dark for the ladies to meet again till the morrow, but Captain Harville had promised them a visit in the evening; and hecame, bringing his friend also, which was more than had been expected, it having been agreed that Captain Benwick had all the appearance ofbeing oppressed by the presence of so many strangers. He venturedamong them again, however, though his spirits certainly did not seemfit for the mirth of the party in general. 

While Captains Wentworth and Harville led the talk on one side of theroom, and by recurring to former days, supplied anecdotes in abundanceto occupy and entertain the others, it fell to Anne's lot to be placedrather apart with Captain Benwick; and a very good impulse of hernature obliged her to begin an acquaintance with him. He was shy, anddisposed to abstraction; but the engaging mildness of her countenance, and gentleness of her manners, soon had their effect; and Anne was wellrepaid the first trouble of exertion. He was evidently a young man ofconsiderable taste in reading, though principally in poetry; andbesides the persuasion of having given him at least an evening'sindulgence in the discussion of subjects, which his usual companionshad probably no concern in, she had the hope of being of real use tohim in some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of strugglingagainst affliction, which had naturally grown out of theirconversation. For, though shy, he did not seem reserved; it had ratherthe appearance of feelings glad to burst their usual restraints; andhaving talked of poetry, the richness of the present age, and gonethrough a brief comparison of opinion as to the first-rate poets, trying to ascertain whether Marmion or The Lady of the Lake were to bepreferred, and how ranked the Giaour and The Bride of Abydos; andmoreover, how the Giaour was to be pronounced, he showed himself sointimately acquainted with all the tenderest songs of the one poet, andall the impassioned descriptions of hopeless agony of the other; herepeated, with such tremulous feeling, the various lines which imaged abroken heart, or a mind destroyed by wretchedness, and looked soentirely as if he meant to be understood, that she ventured to hope hedid not always read only poetry, and to say, that she thought it wasthe misfortune of poetry to be seldom safely enjoyed by those whoenjoyed it completely; and that the strong feelings which alone couldestimate it truly were the very feelings which ought to taste it butsparingly. 

His looks shewing him not pained, but pleased with this allusion to hissituation, she was emboldened to go on; and feeling in herself theright of seniority of mind, she ventured to recommend a largerallowance of prose in his daily study; and on being requested toparticularize, mentioned such works of our best moralists, suchcollections of the finest letters, such memoirs of characters of worthand suffering, as occurred to her at the moment as calculated to rouseand fortify the mind by the highest precepts, and the strongestexamples of moral and religious endurances. 

Captain Benwick listened attentively, and seemed grateful for theinterest implied; and though with a shake of the head, and sighs whichdeclared his little faith in the efficacy of any books on grief likehis, noted down the names of those she recommended, and promised toprocure and read them. 

When the evening was over, Anne could not but be amused at the idea ofher coming to Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a young manwhom she had never seen before; nor could she help fearing, on moreserious reflection, that, like many other great moralists andpreachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conductwould ill bear examination. 

Chapter 12

Anne and Henrietta, finding themselves the earliest of the party thenext morning, agreed to stroll down to the sea before breakfast. Theywent to the sands, to watch the flowing of the tide, which a finesouth-easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which soflat a shore admitted. They praised the morning; gloried in the sea;sympathized in the delight of the fresh-feeling breeze--and weresilent; till Henrietta suddenly began again with--

"Oh! yes, --I am quite convinced that, with very few exceptions, thesea-air always does good. There can be no doubt of its having been ofthe greatest service to Dr Shirley, after his illness, last springtwelve-month. He declares himself, that coming to Lyme for a month, did him more good than all the medicine he took; and, that being by thesea, always makes him feel young again. Now, I cannot help thinking ita pity that he does not live entirely by the sea. I do think he hadbetter leave Uppercross entirely, and fix at Lyme. Do not you, Anne?Do not you agree with me, that it is the best thing he could do, bothfor himself and Mrs Shirley? She has cousins here, you know, and manyacquaintance, which would make it cheerful for her, and I am sure shewould be glad to get to a place where she could have medical attendanceat hand, in case of his having another seizure. Indeed I think itquite melancholy to have such excellent people as Dr and Mrs Shirley, who have been doing good all their lives, wearing out their last daysin a place like Uppercross, where, excepting our family, they seem shutout from all the world. I wish his friends would propose it to him. Ireally think they ought. And, as to procuring a dispensation, therecould be no difficulty at his time of life, and with his character. Myonly doubt is, whether anything could persuade him to leave his parish. He is so very strict and scrupulous in his notions; over-scrupulous Imust say. Do not you think, Anne, it is being over-scrupulous? Do notyou think it is quite a mistaken point of conscience, when a clergymansacrifices his health for the sake of duties, which may be just as wellperformed by another person? And at Lyme too, only seventeen milesoff, he would be near enough to hear, if people thought there wasanything to complain of. "

Anne smiled more than once to herself during this speech, and enteredinto the subject, as ready to do good by entering into the feelings ofa young lady as of a young man, though here it was good of a lowerstandard, for what could be offered but general acquiescence? She saidall that was reasonable and proper on the business; felt the claims ofDr Shirley to repose as she ought; saw how very desirable it was thathe should have some active, respectable young man, as a residentcurate, and was even courteous enough to hint at the advantage of suchresident curate's being married. 

"I wish, " said Henrietta, very well pleased with her companion, "I wishLady Russell lived at Uppercross, and were intimate with Dr Shirley. Ihave always heard of Lady Russell as a woman of the greatest influencewith everybody! I always look upon her as able to persuade a person toanything! I am afraid of her, as I have told you before, quite afraidof her, because she is so very clever; but I respect her amazingly, andwish we had such a neighbour at Uppercross. "

Anne was amused by Henrietta's manner of being grateful, and amusedalso that the course of events and the new interests of Henrietta'sviews should have placed her friend at all in favour with any of theMusgrove family; she had only time, however, for a general answer, anda wish that such another woman were at Uppercross, before all subjectssuddenly ceased, on seeing Louisa and Captain Wentworth coming towardsthem. They came also for a stroll till breakfast was likely to beready; but Louisa recollecting, immediately afterwards that she hadsomething to procure at a shop, invited them all to go back with herinto the town. They were all at her disposal. 

When they came to the steps, leading upwards from the beach, agentleman, at the same moment preparing to come down, politely drewback, and stopped to give them way. They ascended and passed him; andas they passed, Anne's face caught his eye, and he looked at her with adegree of earnest admiration, which she could not be insensible of. She was looking remarkably well; her very regular, very prettyfeatures, having the bloom and freshness of youth restored by the finewind which had been blowing on her complexion, and by the animation ofeye which it had also produced. It was evident that the gentleman, (completely a gentleman in manner) admired her exceedingly. CaptainWentworth looked round at her instantly in a way which shewed hisnoticing of it. He gave her a momentary glance, a glance ofbrightness, which seemed to say, "That man is struck with you, and evenI, at this moment, see something like Anne Elliot again. "

After attending Louisa through her business, and loitering about alittle longer, they returned to the inn; and Anne, in passingafterwards quickly from her own chamber to their dining-room, hadnearly run against the very same gentleman, as he came out of anadjoining apartment. She had before conjectured him to be a strangerlike themselves, and determined that a well-looking groom, who wasstrolling about near the two inns as they came back, should be hisservant. Both master and man being in mourning assisted the idea. Itwas now proved that he belonged to the same inn as themselves; and thissecond meeting, short as it was, also proved again by the gentleman'slooks, that he thought hers very lovely, and by the readiness andpropriety of his apologies, that he was a man of exceedingly goodmanners. He seemed about thirty, and though not handsome, had anagreeable person. Anne felt that she should like to know who he was. 

They had nearly done breakfast, when the sound of a carriage, (almostthe first they had heard since entering Lyme) drew half the party tothe window. It was a gentleman's carriage, a curricle, but only cominground from the stable-yard to the front door; somebody must be goingaway. It was driven by a servant in mourning. 

The word curricle made Charles Musgrove jump up that he might compareit with his own; the servant in mourning roused Anne's curiosity, andthe whole six were collected to look, by the time the owner of thecurricle was to be seen issuing from the door amidst the bows andcivilities of the household, and taking his seat, to drive off. 

"Ah!" cried Captain Wentworth, instantly, and with half a glance atAnne, "it is the very man we passed. "

The Miss Musgroves agreed to it; and having all kindly watched him asfar up the hill as they could, they returned to the breakfast table. The waiter came into the room soon afterwards. 

"Pray, " said Captain Wentworth, immediately, "can you tell us the nameof the gentleman who is just gone away?"

"Yes, Sir, a Mr Elliot, a gentleman of large fortune, came in lastnight from Sidmouth. Dare say you heard the carriage, sir, while youwere at dinner; and going on now for Crewkherne, in his way to Bath andLondon. "

"Elliot!" Many had looked on each other, and many had repeated thename, before all this had been got through, even by the smart rapidityof a waiter. 

"Bless me!" cried Mary; "it must be our cousin; it must be our MrElliot, it must, indeed! Charles, Anne, must not it? In mourning, yousee, just as our Mr Elliot must be. How very extraordinary! In thevery same inn with us! Anne, must not it be our Mr Elliot? myfather's next heir? Pray sir, " turning to the waiter, "did not youhear, did not his servant say whether he belonged to the Kellynchfamily?"

"No, ma'am, he did not mention no particular family; but he said hismaster was a very rich gentleman, and would be a baronight some day. "

"There! you see!" cried Mary in an ecstasy, "just as I said! Heir toSir Walter Elliot! I was sure that would come out, if it was so. Depend upon it, that is a circumstance which his servants take care topublish, wherever he goes. But, Anne, only conceive how extraordinary!I wish I had looked at him more. I wish we had been aware in time, whoit was, that he might have been introduced to us. What a pity that weshould not have been introduced to each other! Do you think he had theElliot countenance? I hardly looked at him, I was looking at thehorses; but I think he had something of the Elliot countenance, Iwonder the arms did not strike me! Oh! the great-coat was hanging overthe panel, and hid the arms, so it did; otherwise, I am sure, I shouldhave observed them, and the livery too; if the servant had not been inmourning, one should have known him by the livery. "

"Putting all these very extraordinary circumstances together, " saidCaptain Wentworth, "we must consider it to be the arrangement ofProvidence, that you should not be introduced to your cousin. "

When she could command Mary's attention, Anne quietly tried to convinceher that their father and Mr Elliot had not, for many years, been onsuch terms as to make the power of attempting an introduction at alldesirable. 

At the same time, however, it was a secret gratification to herself tohave seen her cousin, and to know that the future owner of Kellynch wasundoubtedly a gentleman, and had an air of good sense. She would not, upon any account, mention her having met with him the second time;luckily Mary did not much attend to their having passed close by him intheir earlier walk, but she would have felt quite ill-used by Anne'shaving actually run against him in the passage, and received his verypolite excuses, while she had never been near him at all; no, thatcousinly little interview must remain a perfect secret. 

"Of course, " said Mary, "you will mention our seeing Mr Elliot, thenext time you write to Bath. I think my father certainly ought to hearof it; do mention all about him. "

Anne avoided a direct reply, but it was just the circumstance which sheconsidered as not merely unnecessary to be communicated, but as whatought to be suppressed. The offence which had been given her father, many years back, she knew; Elizabeth's particular share in it shesuspected; and that Mr Elliot's idea always produced irritation in bothwas beyond a doubt. Mary never wrote to Bath herself; all the toil ofkeeping up a slow and unsatisfactory correspondence with Elizabeth fellon Anne. 

Breakfast had not been long over, when they were joined by Captain andMrs Harville and Captain Benwick; with whom they had appointed to taketheir last walk about Lyme. They ought to be setting off forUppercross by one, and in the mean while were to be all together, andout of doors as long as they could. 

Anne found Captain Benwick getting near her, as soon as they were allfairly in the street. Their conversation the preceding evening did notdisincline him to seek her again; and they walked together some time, talking as before of Mr Scott and Lord Byron, and still as unable asbefore, and as unable as any other two readers, to think exactly alikeof the merits of either, till something occasioned an almost generalchange amongst their party, and instead of Captain Benwick, she hadCaptain Harville by her side. 

"Miss Elliot, " said he, speaking rather low, "you have done a good deedin making that poor fellow talk so much. I wish he could have suchcompany oftener. It is bad for him, I know, to be shut up as he is;but what can we do? We cannot part. "

"No, " said Anne, "that I can easily believe to be impossible; but intime, perhaps--we know what time does in every case of affliction, andyou must remember, Captain Harville, that your friend may yet be calleda young mourner--only last summer, I understand. "

"Ay, true enough, " (with a deep sigh) "only June. "

"And not known to him, perhaps, so soon. "

"Not till the first week of August, when he came home from the Cape, just made into the Grappler. I was at Plymouth dreading to hear ofhim; he sent in letters, but the Grappler was under orders forPortsmouth. There the news must follow him, but who was to tell it?not I. I would as soon have been run up to the yard-arm. Nobody coulddo it, but that good fellow" (pointing to Captain Wentworth. ) "TheLaconia had come into Plymouth the week before; no danger of her beingsent to sea again. He stood his chance for the rest; wrote up forleave of absence, but without waiting the return, travelled night andday till he got to Portsmouth, rowed off to the Grappler that instant, and never left the poor fellow for a week. That's what he did, andnobody else could have saved poor James. You may think, Miss Elliot, whether he is dear to us!"

Anne did think on the question with perfect decision, and said as muchin reply as her own feeling could accomplish, or as his seemed able tobear, for he was too much affected to renew the subject, and when hespoke again, it was of something totally different. 

Mrs Harville's giving it as her opinion that her husband would havequite walking enough by the time he reached home, determined thedirection of all the party in what was to be their last walk; theywould accompany them to their door, and then return and set offthemselves. By all their calculations there was just time for this;but as they drew near the Cobb, there was such a general wish to walkalong it once more, all were so inclined, and Louisa soon grew sodetermined, that the difference of a quarter of an hour, it was found, would be no difference at all; so with all the kind leave-taking, andall the kind interchange of invitations and promises which may beimagined, they parted from Captain and Mrs Harville at their own door, and still accompanied by Captain Benwick, who seemed to cling to themto the last, proceeded to make the proper adieus to the Cobb. 

Anne found Captain Benwick again drawing near her. Lord Byron's "darkblue seas" could not fail of being brought forward by their presentview, and she gladly gave him all her attention as long as attentionwas possible. It was soon drawn, perforce another way. 

There was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasantfor the ladies, and they agreed to get down the steps to the lower, andall were contented to pass quietly and carefully down the steep flight, excepting Louisa; she must be jumped down them by Captain Wentworth. In all their walks, he had had to jump her from the stiles; thesensation was delightful to her. The hardness of the pavement for herfeet, made him less willing upon the present occasion; he did it, however. She was safely down, and instantly, to show her enjoyment, ran up the steps to be jumped down again. He advised her against it, thought the jar too great; but no, he reasoned and talked in vain, shesmiled and said, "I am determined I will:" he put out his hands; shewas too precipitate by half a second, she fell on the pavement on theLower Cobb, and was taken up lifeless! There was no wound, no blood, no visible bruise; but her eyes were closed, she breathed not, her facewas like death. The horror of the moment to all who stood around!

Captain Wentworth, who had caught her up, knelt with her in his arms, looking on her with a face as pallid as her own, in an agony ofsilence. "She is dead! she is dead!" screamed Mary, catching hold ofher husband, and contributing with his own horror to make himimmoveable; and in another moment, Henrietta, sinking under theconviction, lost her senses too, and would have fallen on the steps, but for Captain Benwick and Anne, who caught and supported her betweenthem. 

"Is there no one to help me?" were the first words which burst fromCaptain Wentworth, in a tone of despair, and as if all his own strengthwere gone. 

"Go to him, go to him, " cried Anne, "for heaven's sake go to him. Ican support her myself. Leave me, and go to him. Rub her hands, rubher temples; here are salts; take them, take them. "

Captain Benwick obeyed, and Charles at the same moment, disengaginghimself from his wife, they were both with him; and Louisa was raisedup and supported more firmly between them, and everything was done thatAnne had prompted, but in vain; while Captain Wentworth, staggeringagainst the wall for his support, exclaimed in the bitterest agony--

"Oh God! her father and mother!"

"A surgeon!" said Anne. 

He caught the word; it seemed to rouse him at once, and saying only--"True, true, a surgeon this instant, " was darting away, when Anneeagerly suggested--

"Captain Benwick, would not it be better for Captain Benwick? He knowswhere a surgeon is to be found. "

Every one capable of thinking felt the advantage of the idea, and in amoment (it was all done in rapid moments) Captain Benwick had resignedthe poor corpse-like figure entirely to the brother's care, and wasoff for the town with the utmost rapidity. 

As to the wretched party left behind, it could scarcely be said whichof the three, who were completely rational, was suffering most: CaptainWentworth, Anne, or Charles, who, really a very affectionate brother, hung over Louisa with sobs of grief, and could only turn his eyes fromone sister, to see the other in a state as insensible, or to witnessthe hysterical agitations of his wife, calling on him for help which hecould not give. 

Anne, attending with all the strength and zeal, and thought, whichinstinct supplied, to Henrietta, still tried, at intervals, to suggestcomfort to the others, tried to quiet Mary, to animate Charles, toassuage the feelings of Captain Wentworth. Both seemed to look to herfor directions. 

"Anne, Anne, " cried Charles, "What is to be done next? What, inheaven's name, is to be done next?"

Captain Wentworth's eyes were also turned towards her. 

"Had not she better be carried to the inn? Yes, I am sure: carry hergently to the inn. "

"Yes, yes, to the inn, " repeated Captain Wentworth, comparativelycollected, and eager to be doing something. "I will carry her myself. Musgrove, take care of the others. "

By this time the report of the accident had spread among the workmenand boatmen about the Cobb, and many were collected near them, to beuseful if wanted, at any rate, to enjoy the sight of a dead young lady, nay, two dead young ladies, for it proved twice as fine as the firstreport. To some of the best-looking of these good people Henrietta wasconsigned, for, though partially revived, she was quite helpless; andin this manner, Anne walking by her side, and Charles attending to hiswife, they set forward, treading back with feelings unutterable, theground, which so lately, so very lately, and so light of heart, theyhad passed along. 

They were not off the Cobb, before the Harvilles met them. CaptainBenwick had been seen flying by their house, with a countenance whichshowed something to be wrong; and they had set off immediately, informed and directed as they passed, towards the spot. Shocked asCaptain Harville was, he brought senses and nerves that could beinstantly useful; and a look between him and his wife decided what wasto be done. She must be taken to their house; all must go to theirhouse; and await the surgeon's arrival there. They would not listen toscruples: he was obeyed; they were all beneath his roof; and whileLouisa, under Mrs Harville's direction, was conveyed up stairs, andgiven possession of her own bed, assistance, cordials, restorativeswere supplied by her husband to all who needed them. 

Louisa had once opened her eyes, but soon closed them again, withoutapparent consciousness. This had been a proof of life, however, ofservice to her sister; and Henrietta, though perfectly incapable ofbeing in the same room with Louisa, was kept, by the agitation of hopeand fear, from a return of her own insensibility. Mary, too, wasgrowing calmer. 

The surgeon was with them almost before it had seemed possible. Theywere sick with horror, while he examined; but he was not hopeless. Thehead had received a severe contusion, but he had seen greater injuriesrecovered from: he was by no means hopeless; he spoke cheerfully. 

That he did not regard it as a desperate case, that he did not say afew hours must end it, was at first felt, beyond the hope of most; andthe ecstasy of such a reprieve, the rejoicing, deep and silent, after afew fervent ejaculations of gratitude to Heaven had been offered, maybe conceived. 

The tone, the look, with which "Thank God!" was uttered by CaptainWentworth, Anne was sure could never be forgotten by her; nor the sightof him afterwards, as he sat near a table, leaning over it with foldedarms and face concealed, as if overpowered by the various feelings ofhis soul, and trying by prayer and reflection to calm them. 

Louisa's limbs had escaped. There was no injury but to the head. 

It now became necessary for the party to consider what was best to bedone, as to their general situation. They were now able to speak toeach other and consult. That Louisa must remain where she was, howeverdistressing to her friends to be involving the Harvilles in suchtrouble, did not admit a doubt. Her removal was impossible. TheHarvilles silenced all scruples; and, as much as they could, allgratitude. They had looked forward and arranged everything before theothers began to reflect. Captain Benwick must give up his room tothem, and get another bed elsewhere; and the whole was settled. Theywere only concerned that the house could accommodate no more; and yetperhaps, by "putting the children away in the maid's room, or swinginga cot somewhere, " they could hardly bear to think of not finding roomfor two or three besides, supposing they might wish to stay; though, with regard to any attendance on Miss Musgrove, there need not be theleast uneasiness in leaving her to Mrs Harville's care entirely. MrsHarville was a very experienced nurse, and her nursery-maid, who hadlived with her long, and gone about with her everywhere, was just suchanother. Between these two, she could want no possible attendance byday or night. And all this was said with a truth and sincerity offeeling irresistible. 

Charles, Henrietta, and Captain Wentworth were the three inconsultation, and for a little while it was only an interchange ofperplexity and terror. "Uppercross, the necessity of some one's goingto Uppercross; the news to be conveyed; how it could be broken to Mrand Mrs Musgrove; the lateness of the morning; an hour already gonesince they ought to have been off; the impossibility of being intolerable time. " At first, they were capable of nothing more to thepurpose than such exclamations; but, after a while, Captain Wentworth, exerting himself, said--

"We must be decided, and without the loss of another minute. Everyminute is valuable. Some one must resolve on being off for Uppercrossinstantly. Musgrove, either you or I must go. "

Charles agreed, but declared his resolution of not going away. Hewould be as little incumbrance as possible to Captain and Mrs Harville;but as to leaving his sister in such a state, he neither ought, norwould. So far it was decided; and Henrietta at first declared thesame. She, however, was soon persuaded to think differently. Theusefulness of her staying! She who had not been able to remain inLouisa's room, or to look at her, without sufferings which made herworse than helpless! She was forced to acknowledge that she could dono good, yet was still unwilling to be away, till, touched by thethought of her father and mother, she gave it up; she consented, shewas anxious to be at home. 

The plan had reached this point, when Anne, coming quietly down fromLouisa's room, could not but hear what followed, for the parlour doorwas open. 

"Then it is settled, Musgrove, " cried Captain Wentworth, "that youstay, and that I take care of your sister home. But as to the rest, asto the others, if one stays to assist Mrs Harville, I think it need beonly one. Mrs Charles Musgrove will, of course, wish to get back toher children; but if Anne will stay, no one so proper, so capable asAnne. "

She paused a moment to recover from the emotion of hearing herself sospoken of. The other two warmly agreed with what he said, and she thenappeared. 

"You will stay, I am sure; you will stay and nurse her;" cried he, turning to her and speaking with a glow, and yet a gentleness, whichseemed almost restoring the past. She coloured deeply, and herecollected himself and moved away. She expressed herself mostwilling, ready, happy to remain. "It was what she had been thinkingof, and wishing to be allowed to do. A bed on the floor in Louisa'sroom would be sufficient for her, if Mrs Harville would but think so. "

One thing more, and all seemed arranged. Though it was ratherdesirable that Mr and Mrs Musgrove should be previously alarmed by someshare of delay; yet the time required by the Uppercross horses to takethem back, would be a dreadful extension of suspense; and CaptainWentworth proposed, and Charles Musgrove agreed, that it would be muchbetter for him to take a chaise from the inn, and leave Mr Musgrove'scarriage and horses to be sent home the next morning early, when therewould be the farther advantage of sending an account of Louisa's night. 

Captain Wentworth now hurried off to get everything ready on his part, and to be soon followed by the two ladies. When the plan was madeknown to Mary, however, there was an end of all peace in it. She wasso wretched and so vehement, complained so much of injustice in beingexpected to go away instead of Anne; Anne, who was nothing to Louisa, while she was her sister, and had the best right to stay in Henrietta'sstead! Why was not she to be as useful as Anne? And to go homewithout Charles, too, without her husband! No, it was too unkind. Andin short, she said more than her husband could long withstand, and asnone of the others could oppose when he gave way, there was no help forit; the change of Mary for Anne was inevitable. 

Anne had never submitted more reluctantly to the jealous andill-judging claims of Mary; but so it must be, and they set off for thetown, Charles taking care of his sister, and Captain Benwick attendingto her. She gave a moment's recollection, as they hurried along, tothe little circumstances which the same spots had witnessed earlier inthe morning. There she had listened to Henrietta's schemes for DrShirley's leaving Uppercross; farther on, she had first seen Mr Elliot;a moment seemed all that could now be given to any one but Louisa, orthose who were wrapt up in her welfare. 

Captain Benwick was most considerately attentive to her; and, united asthey all seemed by the distress of the day, she felt an increasingdegree of good-will towards him, and a pleasure even in thinking thatit might, perhaps, be the occasion of continuing their acquaintance. 

Captain Wentworth was on the watch for them, and a chaise and four inwaiting, stationed for their convenience in the lowest part of thestreet; but his evident surprise and vexation at the substitution ofone sister for the other, the change in his countenance, theastonishment, the expressions begun and suppressed, with which Charleswas listened to, made but a mortifying reception of Anne; or must atleast convince her that she was valued only as she could be useful toLouisa. 

She endeavoured to be composed, and to be just. Without emulating thefeelings of an Emma towards her Henry, she would have attended onLouisa with a zeal above the common claims of regard, for his sake; andshe hoped he would not long be so unjust as to suppose she would shrinkunnecessarily from the office of a friend. 

In the mean while she was in the carriage. He had handed them both in, and placed himself between them; and in this manner, under thesecircumstances, full of astonishment and emotion to Anne, she quittedLyme. How the long stage would pass; how it was to affect theirmanners; what was to be their sort of intercourse, she could notforesee. It was all quite natural, however. He was devoted toHenrietta; always turning towards her; and when he spoke at all, alwayswith the view of supporting her hopes and raising her spirits. Ingeneral, his voice and manner were studiously calm. To spare Henriettafrom agitation seemed the governing principle. Once only, when she hadbeen grieving over the last ill-judged, ill-fated walk to the Cobb, bitterly lamenting that it ever had been thought of, he burst forth, asif wholly overcome--

"Don't talk of it, don't talk of it, " he cried. "Oh God! that I hadnot given way to her at the fatal moment! Had I done as I ought! Butso eager and so resolute! Dear, sweet Louisa!"

Anne wondered whether it ever occurred to him now, to question thejustness of his own previous opinion as to the universal felicity andadvantage of firmness of character; and whether it might not strike himthat, like all other qualities of the mind, it should have itsproportions and limits. She thought it could scarcely escape him tofeel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour ofhappiness as a very resolute character. 

They got on fast. Anne was astonished to recognise the same hills andthe same objects so soon. Their actual speed, heightened by some dreadof the conclusion, made the road appear but half as long as on the daybefore. It was growing quite dusk, however, before they were in theneighbourhood of Uppercross, and there had been total silence amongthem for some time, Henrietta leaning back in the corner, with a shawlover her face, giving the hope of her having cried herself to sleep;when, as they were going up their last hill, Anne found herself all atonce addressed by Captain Wentworth. In a low, cautious voice, hesaid:--

"I have been considering what we had best do. She must not appear atfirst. She could not stand it. I have been thinking whether you hadnot better remain in the carriage with her, while I go in and break itto Mr and Mrs Musgrove. Do you think this is a good plan?"

She did: he was satisfied, and said no more. But the remembrance ofthe appeal remained a pleasure to her, as a proof of friendship, and ofdeference for her judgement, a great pleasure; and when it became asort of parting proof, its value did not lessen. 

When the distressing communication at Uppercross was over, and he hadseen the father and mother quite as composed as could be hoped, and thedaughter all the better for being with them, he announced his intentionof returning in the same carriage to Lyme; and when the horses werebaited, he was off. 

(End of volume one. )

Chapter 13

The remainder of Anne's time at Uppercross, comprehending only twodays, was spent entirely at the Mansion House; and she had thesatisfaction of knowing herself extremely useful there, both as animmediate companion, and as assisting in all those arrangements for thefuture, which, in Mr and Mrs Musgrove's distressed state of spirits, would have been difficulties. 

They had an early account from Lyme the next morning. Louisa was muchthe same. No symptoms worse than before had appeared. Charles came afew hours afterwards, to bring a later and more particular account. Hewas tolerably cheerful. A speedy cure must not be hoped, buteverything was going on as well as the nature of the case admitted. Inspeaking of the Harvilles, he seemed unable to satisfy his own sense oftheir kindness, especially of Mrs Harville's exertions as a nurse. "She really left nothing for Mary to do. He and Mary had beenpersuaded to go early to their inn last night. Mary had beenhysterical again this morning. When he came away, she was going towalk out with Captain Benwick, which, he hoped, would do her good. Healmost wished she had been prevailed on to come home the day before;but the truth was, that Mrs Harville left nothing for anybody to do. "

Charles was to return to Lyme the same afternoon, and his father had atfirst half a mind to go with him, but the ladies could not consent. Itwould be going only to multiply trouble to the others, and increase hisown distress; and a much better scheme followed and was acted upon. Achaise was sent for from Crewkherne, and Charles conveyed back a farmore useful person in the old nursery-maid of the family, one whohaving brought up all the children, and seen the very last, thelingering and long-petted Master Harry, sent to school after hisbrothers, was now living in her deserted nursery to mend stockings anddress all the blains and bruises she could get near her, and who, consequently, was only too happy in being allowed to go and help nursedear Miss Louisa. Vague wishes of getting Sarah thither, had occurredbefore to Mrs Musgrove and Henrietta; but without Anne, it would hardlyhave been resolved on, and found practicable so soon. 

They were indebted, the next day, to Charles Hayter, for all the minuteknowledge of Louisa, which it was so essential to obtain everytwenty-four hours. He made it his business to go to Lyme, and hisaccount was still encouraging. The intervals of sense andconsciousness were believed to be stronger. Every report agreed inCaptain Wentworth's appearing fixed in Lyme. 

Anne was to leave them on the morrow, an event which they all dreaded. "What should they do without her? They were wretched comforters forone another. " And so much was said in this way, that Anne thought shecould not do better than impart among them the general inclination towhich she was privy, and persuaded them all to go to Lyme at once. Shehad little difficulty; it was soon determined that they would go; goto-morrow, fix themselves at the inn, or get into lodgings, as itsuited, and there remain till dear Louisa could be moved. They must betaking off some trouble from the good people she was with; they mightat least relieve Mrs Harville from the care of her own children; and inshort, they were so happy in the decision, that Anne was delighted withwhat she had done, and felt that she could not spend her last morningat Uppercross better than in assisting their preparations, and sendingthem off at an early hour, though her being left to the solitary rangeof the house was the consequence. 

She was the last, excepting the little boys at the cottage, she was thevery last, the only remaining one of all that had filled and animatedboth houses, of all that had given Uppercross its cheerful character. A few days had made a change indeed!

If Louisa recovered, it would all be well again. More than formerhappiness would be restored. There could not be a doubt, to her mindthere was none, of what would follow her recovery. A few months hence, and the room now so deserted, occupied but by her silent, pensive self, might be filled again with all that was happy and gay, all that wasglowing and bright in prosperous love, all that was most unlike AnneElliot!

An hour's complete leisure for such reflections as these, on a darkNovember day, a small thick rain almost blotting out the very fewobjects ever to be discerned from the windows, was enough to make thesound of Lady Russell's carriage exceedingly welcome; and yet, thoughdesirous to be gone, she could not quit the Mansion House, or look anadieu to the Cottage, with its black, dripping and comfortless veranda, or even notice through the misty glasses the last humble tenements ofthe village, without a saddened heart. Scenes had passed in Uppercrosswhich made it precious. It stood the record of many sensations ofpain, once severe, but now softened; and of some instances of relentingfeeling, some breathings of friendship and reconciliation, which couldnever be looked for again, and which could never cease to be dear. Sheleft it all behind her, all but the recollection that such things hadbeen. 

Anne had never entered Kellynch since her quitting Lady Russell's housein September. It had not been necessary, and the few occasions of itsbeing possible for her to go to the Hall she had contrived to evade andescape from. Her first return was to resume her place in the modernand elegant apartments of the Lodge, and to gladden the eyes of itsmistress. 

There was some anxiety mixed with Lady Russell's joy in meeting her. She knew who had been frequenting Uppercross. But happily, either Annewas improved in plumpness and looks, or Lady Russell fancied her so;and Anne, in receiving her compliments on the occasion, had theamusement of connecting them with the silent admiration of her cousin, and of hoping that she was to be blessed with a second spring of youthand beauty. 

When they came to converse, she was soon sensible of some mentalchange. The subjects of which her heart had been full on leavingKellynch, and which she had felt slighted, and been compelled tosmother among the Musgroves, were now become but of secondary interest. She had lately lost sight even of her father and sister and Bath. Their concerns had been sunk under those of Uppercross; and when LadyRussell reverted to their former hopes and fears, and spoke hersatisfaction in the house in Camden Place, which had been taken, andher regret that Mrs Clay should still be with them, Anne would havebeen ashamed to have it known how much more she was thinking of Lymeand Louisa Musgrove, and all her acquaintance there; how much moreinteresting to her was the home and the friendship of the Harvilles andCaptain Benwick, than her own father's house in Camden Place, or herown sister's intimacy with Mrs Clay. She was actually forced to exertherself to meet Lady Russell with anything like the appearance of equalsolicitude, on topics which had by nature the first claim on her. 

There was a little awkwardness at first in their discourse on anothersubject. They must speak of the accident at Lyme. Lady Russell hadnot been arrived five minutes the day before, when a full account ofthe whole had burst on her; but still it must be talked of, she mustmake enquiries, she must regret the imprudence, lament the result, andCaptain Wentworth's name must be mentioned by both. Anne was consciousof not doing it so well as Lady Russell. She could not speak the name, and look straight forward to Lady Russell's eye, till she had adoptedthe expedient of telling her briefly what she thought of the attachmentbetween him and Louisa. When this was told, his name distressed her nolonger. 

Lady Russell had only to listen composedly, and wish them happy, butinternally her heart revelled in angry pleasure, in pleased contempt, that the man who at twenty-three had seemed to understand somewhat ofthe value of an Anne Elliot, should, eight years afterwards, be charmedby a Louisa Musgrove. 

The first three or four days passed most quietly, with no circumstanceto mark them excepting the receipt of a note or two from Lyme, whichfound their way to Anne, she could not tell how, and brought a ratherimproving account of Louisa. At the end of that period, Lady Russell'spoliteness could repose no longer, and the fainter self-threatenings ofthe past became in a decided tone, "I must call on Mrs Croft; I reallymust call upon her soon. Anne, have you courage to go with me, and paya visit in that house? It will be some trial to us both. "

Anne did not shrink from it; on the contrary, she truly felt as shesaid, in observing--

"I think you are very likely to suffer the most of the two; yourfeelings are less reconciled to the change than mine. By remaining inthe neighbourhood, I am become inured to it. "

She could have said more on the subject; for she had in fact so high anopinion of the Crofts, and considered her father so very fortunate inhis tenants, felt the parish to be so sure of a good example, and thepoor of the best attention and relief, that however sorry and ashamedfor the necessity of the removal, she could not but in conscience feelthat they were gone who deserved not to stay, and that Kellynch Hallhad passed into better hands than its owners'. These convictions mustunquestionably have their own pain, and severe was its kind; but theyprecluded that pain which Lady Russell would suffer in entering thehouse again, and returning through the well-known apartments. 

In such moments Anne had no power of saying to herself, "These roomsought to belong only to us. Oh, how fallen in their destination! Howunworthily occupied! An ancient family to be so driven away!Strangers filling their place!" No, except when she thought of hermother, and remembered where she had been used to sit and preside, shehad no sigh of that description to heave. 

Mrs Croft always met her with a kindness which gave her the pleasure offancying herself a favourite, and on the present occasion, receivingher in that house, there was particular attention. 

The sad accident at Lyme was soon the prevailing topic, and oncomparing their latest accounts of the invalid, it appeared that eachlady dated her intelligence from the same hour of yestermorn; thatCaptain Wentworth had been in Kellynch yesterday (the first time sincethe accident), had brought Anne the last note, which she had not beenable to trace the exact steps of; had staid a few hours and thenreturned again to Lyme, and without any present intention of quittingit any more. He had enquired after her, she found, particularly; hadexpressed his hope of Miss Elliot's not being the worse for herexertions, and had spoken of those exertions as great. This washandsome, and gave her more pleasure than almost anything else couldhave done. 

As to the sad catastrophe itself, it could be canvassed only in onestyle by a couple of steady, sensible women, whose judgements had towork on ascertained events; and it was perfectly decided that it hadbeen the consequence of much thoughtlessness and much imprudence; thatits effects were most alarming, and that it was frightful to think, howlong Miss Musgrove's recovery might yet be doubtful, and how liable shewould still remain to suffer from the concussion hereafter! TheAdmiral wound it up summarily by exclaiming--

"Ay, a very bad business indeed. A new sort of way this, for a youngfellow to be making love, by breaking his mistress's head, is not it, Miss Elliot? This is breaking a head and giving a plaster, truly!"

Admiral Croft's manners were not quite of the tone to suit LadyRussell, but they delighted Anne. His goodness of heart and simplicityof character were irresistible. 

"Now, this must be very bad for you, " said he, suddenly rousing from alittle reverie, "to be coming and finding us here. I had notrecollected it before, I declare, but it must be very bad. But now, donot stand upon ceremony. Get up and go over all the rooms in the houseif you like it. "

"Another time, Sir, I thank you, not now. "

"Well, whenever it suits you. You can slip in from the shrubbery atany time; and there you will find we keep our umbrellas hanging up bythat door. A good place is not it? But, " (checking himself), "youwill not think it a good place, for yours were always kept in thebutler's room. Ay, so it always is, I believe. One man's ways may beas good as another's, but we all like our own best. And so you mustjudge for yourself, whether it would be better for you to go about thehouse or not. "

Anne, finding she might decline it, did so, very gratefully. 

"We have made very few changes either, " continued the Admiral, afterthinking a moment. "Very few. We told you about the laundry-door, atUppercross. That has been a very great improvement. The wonder was, how any family upon earth could bear with the inconvenience of itsopening as it did, so long! You will tell Sir Walter what we havedone, and that Mr Shepherd thinks it the greatest improvement the houseever had. Indeed, I must do ourselves the justice to say, that the fewalterations we have made have been all very much for the better. Mywife should have the credit of them, however. I have done very littlebesides sending away some of the large looking-glasses from mydressing-room, which was your father's. A very good man, and very muchthe gentleman I am sure: but I should think, Miss Elliot, " (lookingwith serious reflection), "I should think he must be rather a dressyman for his time of life. Such a number of looking-glasses! oh Lord!there was no getting away from one's self. So I got Sophy to lend me ahand, and we soon shifted their quarters; and now I am quite snug, withmy little shaving glass in one corner, and another great thing that Inever go near. "

Anne, amused in spite of herself, was rather distressed for an answer, and the Admiral, fearing he might not have been civil enough, took upthe subject again, to say--

"The next time you write to your good father, Miss Elliot, pray givehim my compliments and Mrs Croft's, and say that we are settled herequite to our liking, and have no fault at all to find with the place. The breakfast-room chimney smokes a little, I grant you, but it is onlywhen the wind is due north and blows hard, which may not happen threetimes a winter. And take it altogether, now that we have been intomost of the houses hereabouts and can judge, there is not one that welike better than this. Pray say so, with my compliments. He will beglad to hear it. "

Lady Russell and Mrs Croft were very well pleased with each other: butthe acquaintance which this visit began was fated not to proceed far atpresent; for when it was returned, the Crofts announced themselves tobe going away for a few weeks, to visit their connexions in the northof the county, and probably might not be at home again before LadyRussell would be removing to Bath. 

So ended all danger to Anne of meeting Captain Wentworth at KellynchHall, or of seeing him in company with her friend. Everything was safeenough, and she smiled over the many anxious feelings she had wasted onthe subject. 

Chapter 14

Though Charles and Mary had remained at Lyme much longer after Mr andMrs Musgrove's going than Anne conceived they could have been at allwanted, they were yet the first of the family to be at home again; andas soon as possible after their return to Uppercross they drove over tothe Lodge. They had left Louisa beginning to sit up; but her head, though clear, was exceedingly weak, and her nerves susceptible to thehighest extreme of tenderness; and though she might be pronounced to bealtogether doing very well, it was still impossible to say when shemight be able to bear the removal home; and her father and mother, whomust return in time to receive their younger children for the Christmasholidays, had hardly a hope of being allowed to bring her with them. 

They had been all in lodgings together. Mrs Musgrove had got MrsHarville's children away as much as she could, every possible supplyfrom Uppercross had been furnished, to lighten the inconvenience to theHarvilles, while the Harvilles had been wanting them to come to dinnerevery day; and in short, it seemed to have been only a struggle on eachside as to which should be most disinterested and hospitable. 

Mary had had her evils; but upon the whole, as was evident by herstaying so long, she had found more to enjoy than to suffer. CharlesHayter had been at Lyme oftener than suited her; and when they dinedwith the Harvilles there had been only a maid-servant to wait, and atfirst Mrs Harville had always given Mrs Musgrove precedence; but then, she had received so very handsome an apology from her on finding outwhose daughter she was, and there had been so much going on every day, there had been so many walks between their lodgings and the Harvilles, and she had got books from the library, and changed them so often, thatthe balance had certainly been much in favour of Lyme. She had beentaken to Charmouth too, and she had bathed, and she had gone to church, and there were a great many more people to look at in the church atLyme than at Uppercross; and all this, joined to the sense of being sovery useful, had made really an agreeable fortnight. 

Anne enquired after Captain Benwick, Mary's face was clouded directly. Charles laughed. 

"Oh! Captain Benwick is very well, I believe, but he is a very oddyoung man. I do not know what he would be at. We asked him to comehome with us for a day or two: Charles undertook to give him someshooting, and he seemed quite delighted, and, for my part, I thought itwas all settled; when behold! on Tuesday night, he made a very awkwardsort of excuse; 'he never shot' and he had 'been quite misunderstood, 'and he had promised this and he had promised that, and the end of itwas, I found, that he did not mean to come. I suppose he was afraid offinding it dull; but upon my word I should have thought we were livelyenough at the Cottage for such a heart-broken man as Captain Benwick. "

Charles laughed again and said, "Now Mary, you know very well how itreally was. It was all your doing, " (turning to Anne. ) "He fanciedthat if he went with us, he should find you close by: he fanciedeverybody to be living in Uppercross; and when he discovered that LadyRussell lived three miles off, his heart failed him, and he had notcourage to come. That is the fact, upon my honour, Mary knows it is. "

But Mary did not give into it very graciously, whether from notconsidering Captain Benwick entitled by birth and situation to be inlove with an Elliot, or from not wanting to believe Anne a greaterattraction to Uppercross than herself, must be left to be guessed. Anne's good-will, however, was not to be lessened by what she heard. She boldly acknowledged herself flattered, and continued her enquiries. 

"Oh! he talks of you, " cried Charles, "in such terms--" Maryinterrupted him. "I declare, Charles, I never heard him mention Annetwice all the time I was there. I declare, Anne, he never talks of youat all. "

"No, " admitted Charles, "I do not know that he ever does, in a generalway; but however, it is a very clear thing that he admires youexceedingly. His head is full of some books that he is reading uponyour recommendation, and he wants to talk to you about them; he hasfound out something or other in one of them which he thinks--oh! Icannot pretend to remember it, but it was something very fine--Ioverheard him telling Henrietta all about it; and then 'Miss Elliot'was spoken of in the highest terms! Now Mary, I declare it was so, Iheard it myself, and you were in the other room. 'Elegance, sweetness, beauty. ' Oh! there was no end of Miss Elliot's charms. "

"And I am sure, " cried Mary, warmly, "it was a very little to hiscredit, if he did. Miss Harville only died last June. Such a heart isvery little worth having; is it, Lady Russell? I am sure you willagree with me. "

"I must see Captain Benwick before I decide, " said Lady Russell, smiling. 

"And that you are very likely to do very soon, I can tell you, ma'am, "said Charles. "Though he had not nerves for coming away with us, andsetting off again afterwards to pay a formal visit here, he will makehis way over to Kellynch one day by himself, you may depend on it. Itold him the distance and the road, and I told him of the church'sbeing so very well worth seeing; for as he has a taste for those sortof things, I thought that would be a good excuse, and he listened withall his understanding and soul; and I am sure from his manner that youwill have him calling here soon. So, I give you notice, Lady Russell. "

"Any acquaintance of Anne's will always be welcome to me, " was LadyRussell's kind answer. 

"Oh! as to being Anne's acquaintance, " said Mary, "I think he is rathermy acquaintance, for I have been seeing him every day this lastfortnight. "

"Well, as your joint acquaintance, then, I shall be very happy to seeCaptain Benwick. "

"You will not find anything very agreeable in him, I assure you, ma'am. He is one of the dullest young men that ever lived. He has walked withme, sometimes, from one end of the sands to the other, without saying aword. He is not at all a well-bred young man. I am sure you will notlike him. "

"There we differ, Mary, " said Anne. "I think Lady Russell would likehim. I think she would be so much pleased with his mind, that shewould very soon see no deficiency in his manner. "

"So do I, Anne, " said Charles. "I am sure Lady Russell would like him. He is just Lady Russell's sort. Give him a book, and he will read allday long. "

"Yes, that he will!" exclaimed Mary, tauntingly. "He will sit poringover his book, and not know when a person speaks to him, or when onedrop's one's scissors, or anything that happens. Do you think LadyRussell would like that?"

Lady Russell could not help laughing. "Upon my word, " said she, "Ishould not have supposed that my opinion of any one could have admittedof such difference of conjecture, steady and matter of fact as I maycall myself. I have really a curiosity to see the person who can giveoccasion to such directly opposite notions. I wish he may be inducedto call here. And when he does, Mary, you may depend upon hearing myopinion; but I am determined not to judge him beforehand. "

"You will not like him, I will answer for it. "

Lady Russell began talking of something else. Mary spoke withanimation of their meeting with, or rather missing, Mr Elliot soextraordinarily. 

"He is a man, " said Lady Russell, "whom I have no wish to see. Hisdeclining to be on cordial terms with the head of his family, has lefta very strong impression in his disfavour with me. "

This decision checked Mary's eagerness, and stopped her short in themidst of the Elliot countenance. 

With regard to Captain Wentworth, though Anne hazarded no enquiries, there was voluntary communication sufficient. His spirits had beengreatly recovering lately as might be expected. As Louisa improved, hehad improved, and he was now quite a different creature from what hehad been the first week. He had not seen Louisa; and was so extremelyfearful of any ill consequence to her from an interview, that he didnot press for it at all; and, on the contrary, seemed to have a plan ofgoing away for a week or ten days, till her head was stronger. He hadtalked of going down to Plymouth for a week, and wanted to persuadeCaptain Benwick to go with him; but, as Charles maintained to the last, Captain Benwick seemed much more disposed to ride over to Kellynch. 

There can be no doubt that Lady Russell and Anne were both occasionallythinking of Captain Benwick, from this time. Lady Russell could nothear the door-bell without feeling that it might be his herald; norcould Anne return from any stroll of solitary indulgence in herfather's grounds, or any visit of charity in the village, withoutwondering whether she might see him or hear of him. Captain Benwickcame not, however. He was either less disposed for it than Charles hadimagined, or he was too shy; and after giving him a week's indulgence, Lady Russell determined him to be unworthy of the interest which he hadbeen beginning to excite. 

The Musgroves came back to receive their happy boys and girls fromschool, bringing with them Mrs Harville's little children, to improvethe noise of Uppercross, and lessen that of Lyme. Henrietta remainedwith Louisa; but all the rest of the family were again in their usualquarters. 

Lady Russell and Anne paid their compliments to them once, when Annecould not but feel that Uppercross was already quite alive again. Though neither Henrietta, nor Louisa, nor Charles Hayter, nor CaptainWentworth were there, the room presented as strong a contrast as couldbe wished to the last state she had seen it in. 

Immediately surrounding Mrs Musgrove were the little Harvilles, whomshe was sedulously guarding from the tyranny of the two children fromthe Cottage, expressly arrived to amuse them. On one side was a tableoccupied by some chattering girls, cutting up silk and gold paper; andon the other were tressels and trays, bending under the weight of brawnand cold pies, where riotous boys were holding high revel; the wholecompleted by a roaring Christmas fire, which seemed determined to beheard, in spite of all the noise of the others. Charles and Mary alsocame in, of course, during their visit, and Mr Musgrove made a point ofpaying his respects to Lady Russell, and sat down close to her for tenminutes, talking with a very raised voice, but from the clamour of thechildren on his knees, generally in vain. It was a fine family-piece. 

Anne, judging from her own temperament, would have deemed such adomestic hurricane a bad restorative of the nerves, which Louisa'sillness must have so greatly shaken. But Mrs Musgrove, who got Annenear her on purpose to thank her most cordially, again and again, forall her attentions to them, concluded a short recapitulation of whatshe had suffered herself by observing, with a happy glance round theroom, that after all she had gone through, nothing was so likely to doher good as a little quiet cheerfulness at home. 

Louisa was now recovering apace. Her mother could even think of herbeing able to join their party at home, before her brothers and sisterswent to school again. The Harvilles had promised to come with her andstay at Uppercross, whenever she returned. Captain Wentworth was gone, for the present, to see his brother in Shropshire. 

"I hope I shall remember, in future, " said Lady Russell, as soon asthey were reseated in the carriage, "not to call at Uppercross in theChristmas holidays. "

Everybody has their taste in noises as well as in other matters; andsounds are quite innoxious, or most distressing, by their sort ratherthan their quantity. When Lady Russell not long afterwards, wasentering Bath on a wet afternoon, and driving through the long courseof streets from the Old Bridge to Camden Place, amidst the dash ofother carriages, the heavy rumble of carts and drays, the bawling ofnewspapermen, muffin-men and milkmen, and the ceaseless clink ofpattens, she made no complaint. No, these were noises which belongedto the winter pleasures; her spirits rose under their influence; andlike Mrs Musgrove, she was feeling, though not saying, that after beinglong in the country, nothing could be so good for her as a little quietcheerfulness. 

Anne did not share these feelings. She persisted in a very determined, though very silent disinclination for Bath; caught the first dim viewof the extensive buildings, smoking in rain, without any wish of seeingthem better; felt their progress through the streets to be, howeverdisagreeable, yet too rapid; for who would be glad to see her when shearrived? And looked back, with fond regret, to the bustles ofUppercross and the seclusion of Kellynch. 

Elizabeth's last letter had communicated a piece of news of someinterest. Mr Elliot was in Bath. He had called in Camden Place; hadcalled a second time, a third; had been pointedly attentive. IfElizabeth and her father did not deceive themselves, had been takingmuch pains to seek the acquaintance, and proclaim the value of theconnection, as he had formerly taken pains to shew neglect. This wasvery wonderful if it were true; and Lady Russell was in a state of veryagreeable curiosity and perplexity about Mr Elliot, already recantingthe sentiment she had so lately expressed to Mary, of his being "a manwhom she had no wish to see. " She had a great wish to see him. If hereally sought to reconcile himself like a dutiful branch, he must beforgiven for having dismembered himself from the paternal tree. 

Anne was not animated to an equal pitch by the circumstance, but shefelt that she would rather see Mr Elliot again than not, which was morethan she could say for many other persons in Bath. 

She was put down in Camden Place; and Lady Russell then drove to herown lodgings, in Rivers Street. 

Chapter 15

Sir Walter had taken a very good house in Camden Place, a loftydignified situation, such as becomes a man of consequence; and both heand Elizabeth were settled there, much to their satisfaction. 

Anne entered it with a sinking heart, anticipating an imprisonment ofmany months, and anxiously saying to herself, "Oh! when shall I leaveyou again?" A degree of unexpected cordiality, however, in the welcomeshe received, did her good. Her father and sister were glad to seeher, for the sake of shewing her the house and furniture, and met herwith kindness. Her making a fourth, when they sat down to dinner, wasnoticed as an advantage. 

Mrs Clay was very pleasant, and very smiling, but her courtesies andsmiles were more a matter of course. Anne had always felt that shewould pretend what was proper on her arrival, but the complaisance ofthe others was unlooked for. They were evidently in excellent spirits, and she was soon to listen to the causes. They had no inclination tolisten to her. After laying out for some compliments of being deeplyregretted in their old neighbourhood, which Anne could not pay, theyhad only a few faint enquiries to make, before the talk must be alltheir own. Uppercross excited no interest, Kellynch very little: itwas all Bath. 

They had the pleasure of assuring her that Bath more than answeredtheir expectations in every respect. Their house was undoubtedly thebest in Camden Place; their drawing-rooms had many decided advantagesover all the others which they had either seen or heard of, and thesuperiority was not less in the style of the fitting-up, or the tasteof the furniture. Their acquaintance was exceedingly sought after. Everybody was wanting to visit them. They had drawn back from manyintroductions, and still were perpetually having cards left by peopleof whom they knew nothing. 

Here were funds of enjoyment. Could Anne wonder that her father andsister were happy? She might not wonder, but she must sigh that herfather should feel no degradation in his change, should see nothing toregret in the duties and dignity of the resident landholder, shouldfind so much to be vain of in the littlenesses of a town; and she mustsigh, and smile, and wonder too, as Elizabeth threw open thefolding-doors and walked with exultation from one drawing-room to theother, boasting of their space; at the possibility of that woman, whohad been mistress of Kellynch Hall, finding extent to be proud ofbetween two walls, perhaps thirty feet asunder. 

But this was not all which they had to make them happy. They had MrElliot too. Anne had a great deal to hear of Mr Elliot. He was notonly pardoned, they were delighted with him. He had been in Bath abouta fortnight; (he had passed through Bath in November, in his way toLondon, when the intelligence of Sir Walter's being settled there hadof course reached him, though only twenty-four hours in the place, buthe had not been able to avail himself of it;) but he had now been afortnight in Bath, and his first object on arriving, had been to leavehis card in Camden Place, following it up by such assiduous endeavoursto meet, and when they did meet, by such great openness of conduct, such readiness to apologize for the past, such solicitude to bereceived as a relation again, that their former good understanding wascompletely re-established. 

They had not a fault to find in him. He had explained away all theappearance of neglect on his own side. It had originated inmisapprehension entirely. He had never had an idea of throwing himselfoff; he had feared that he was thrown off, but knew not why, anddelicacy had kept him silent. Upon the hint of having spokendisrespectfully or carelessly of the family and the family honours, hewas quite indignant. He, who had ever boasted of being an Elliot, andwhose feelings, as to connection, were only too strict to suit theunfeudal tone of the present day. He was astonished, indeed, but hischaracter and general conduct must refute it. He could refer SirWalter to all who knew him; and certainly, the pains he had been takingon this, the first opportunity of reconciliation, to be restored to thefooting of a relation and heir-presumptive, was a strong proof of hisopinions on the subject. 

The circumstances of his marriage, too, were found to admit of muchextenuation. This was an article not to be entered on by himself; buta very intimate friend of his, a Colonel Wallis, a highly respectableman, perfectly the gentleman, (and not an ill-looking man, Sir Walteradded), who was living in very good style in Marlborough Buildings, andhad, at his own particular request, been admitted to their acquaintancethrough Mr Elliot, had mentioned one or two things relative to themarriage, which made a material difference in the discredit of it. 

Colonel Wallis had known Mr Elliot long, had been well acquainted alsowith his wife, had perfectly understood the whole story. She wascertainly not a woman of family, but well educated, accomplished, rich, and excessively in love with his friend. There had been the charm. She had sought him. Without that attraction, not all her money wouldhave tempted Elliot, and Sir Walter was, moreover, assured of herhaving been a very fine woman. Here was a great deal to soften thebusiness. A very fine woman with a large fortune, in love with him!Sir Walter seemed to admit it as complete apology; and though Elizabethcould not see the circumstance in quite so favourable a light, sheallowed it be a great extenuation. 

Mr Elliot had called repeatedly, had dined with them once, evidentlydelighted by the distinction of being asked, for they gave no dinnersin general; delighted, in short, by every proof of cousinly notice, andplacing his whole happiness in being on intimate terms in Camden Place. 

Anne listened, but without quite understanding it. Allowances, largeallowances, she knew, must be made for the ideas of those who spoke. She heard it all under embellishment. All that sounded extravagant orirrational in the progress of the reconciliation might have no originbut in the language of the relators. Still, however, she had thesensation of there being something more than immediately appeared, inMr Elliot's wishing, after an interval of so many years, to be wellreceived by them. In a worldly view, he had nothing to gain by beingon terms with Sir Walter; nothing to risk by a state of variance. Inall probability he was already the richer of the two, and the Kellynchestate would as surely be his hereafter as the title. A sensible man, and he had looked like a very sensible man, why should it be an objectto him? She could only offer one solution; it was, perhaps, forElizabeth's sake. There might really have been a liking formerly, though convenience and accident had drawn him a different way; and nowthat he could afford to please himself, he might mean to pay hisaddresses to her. Elizabeth was certainly very handsome, withwell-bred, elegant manners, and her character might never have beenpenetrated by Mr Elliot, knowing her but in public, and when very younghimself. How her temper and understanding might bear the investigationof his present keener time of life was another concern and rather afearful one. Most earnestly did she wish that he might not be toonice, or too observant if Elizabeth were his object; and that Elizabethwas disposed to believe herself so, and that her friend Mrs Clay wasencouraging the idea, seemed apparent by a glance or two between them, while Mr Elliot's frequent visits were talked of. 

Anne mentioned the glimpses she had had of him at Lyme, but withoutbeing much attended to. "Oh! yes, perhaps, it had been Mr Elliot. They did not know. It might be him, perhaps. " They could not listento her description of him. They were describing him themselves; SirWalter especially. He did justice to his very gentlemanlikeappearance, his air of elegance and fashion, his good shaped face, hissensible eye; but, at the same time, "must lament his being very muchunder-hung, a defect which time seemed to have increased; nor could hepretend to say that ten years had not altered almost every feature forthe worse. Mr Elliot appeared to think that he (Sir Walter) waslooking exactly as he had done when they last parted;" but Sir Walterhad "not been able to return the compliment entirely, which hadembarrassed him. He did not mean to complain, however. Mr Elliot wasbetter to look at than most men, and he had no objection to being seenwith him anywhere. "

Mr Elliot, and his friends in Marlborough Buildings, were talked of thewhole evening. "Colonel Wallis had been so impatient to be introducedto them! and Mr Elliot so anxious that he should!" and there was a MrsWallis, at present known only to them by description, as she was indaily expectation of her confinement; but Mr Elliot spoke of her as "amost charming woman, quite worthy of being known in Camden Place, " andas soon as she recovered they were to be acquainted. Sir Walterthought much of Mrs Wallis; she was said to be an excessively prettywoman, beautiful. "He longed to see her. He hoped she might make someamends for the many very plain faces he was continually passing in thestreets. The worst of Bath was the number of its plain women. He didnot mean to say that there were no pretty women, but the number of theplain was out of all proportion. He had frequently observed, as hewalked, that one handsome face would be followed by thirty, orfive-and-thirty frights; and once, as he had stood in a shop on BondStreet, he had counted eighty-seven women go by, one after another, without there being a tolerable face among them. It had been a frostymorning, to be sure, a sharp frost, which hardly one woman in athousand could stand the test of. But still, there certainly were adreadful multitude of ugly women in Bath; and as for the men! theywere infinitely worse. Such scarecrows as the streets were full of!It was evident how little the women were used to the sight of anythingtolerable, by the effect which a man of decent appearance produced. Hehad never walked anywhere arm-in-arm with Colonel Wallis (who was afine military figure, though sandy-haired) without observing that everywoman's eye was upon him; every woman's eye was sure to be upon ColonelWallis. " Modest Sir Walter! He was not allowed to escape, however. His daughter and Mrs Clay united in hinting that Colonel Wallis'scompanion might have as good a figure as Colonel Wallis, and certainlywas not sandy-haired. 

"How is Mary looking?" said Sir Walter, in the height of his goodhumour. "The last time I saw her she had a red nose, but I hope thatmay not happen every day. "

"Oh! no, that must have been quite accidental. In general she has beenin very good health and very good looks since Michaelmas. "

"If I thought it would not tempt her to go out in sharp winds, and growcoarse, I would send her a new hat and pelisse. "

Anne was considering whether she should venture to suggest that a gown, or a cap, would not be liable to any such misuse, when a knock at thedoor suspended everything. "A knock at the door! and so late! It wasten o'clock. Could it be Mr Elliot? They knew he was to dine inLansdown Crescent. It was possible that he might stop in his way hometo ask them how they did. They could think of no one else. Mrs Claydecidedly thought it Mr Elliot's knock. " Mrs Clay was right. With allthe state which a butler and foot-boy could give, Mr Elliot was usheredinto the room. 

It was the same, the very same man, with no difference but of dress. Anne drew a little back, while the others received his compliments, andher sister his apologies for calling at so unusual an hour, but "hecould not be so near without wishing to know that neither she nor herfriend had taken cold the day before, " &c. &c; which was all aspolitely done, and as politely taken, as possible, but her part mustfollow then. Sir Walter talked of his youngest daughter; "Mr Elliotmust give him leave to present him to his youngest daughter" (there wasno occasion for remembering Mary); and Anne, smiling and blushing, verybecomingly shewed to Mr Elliot the pretty features which he had by nomeans forgotten, and instantly saw, with amusement at his little startof surprise, that he had not been at all aware of who she was. Helooked completely astonished, but not more astonished than pleased; hiseyes brightened! and with the most perfect alacrity he welcomed therelationship, alluded to the past, and entreated to be received as anacquaintance already. He was quite as good-looking as he had appearedat Lyme, his countenance improved by speaking, and his manners were soexactly what they ought to be, so polished, so easy, so particularlyagreeable, that she could compare them in excellence to only oneperson's manners. They were not the same, but they were, perhaps, equally good. 

He sat down with them, and improved their conversation very much. There could be no doubt of his being a sensible man. Ten minutes wereenough to certify that. His tone, his expressions, his choice ofsubject, his knowing where to stop; it was all the operation of asensible, discerning mind. As soon as he could, he began to talk toher of Lyme, wanting to compare opinions respecting the place, butespecially wanting to speak of the circumstance of their happening tobe guests in the same inn at the same time; to give his own route, understand something of hers, and regret that he should have lost suchan opportunity of paying his respects to her. She gave him a shortaccount of her party and business at Lyme. His regret increased as helistened. He had spent his whole solitary evening in the roomadjoining theirs; had heard voices, mirth continually; thought theymust be a most delightful set of people, longed to be with them, butcertainly without the smallest suspicion of his possessing the shadowof a right to introduce himself. If he had but asked who the partywere! The name of Musgrove would have told him enough. "Well, itwould serve to cure him of an absurd practice of never asking aquestion at an inn, which he had adopted, when quite a young man, onthe principal of its being very ungenteel to be curious. 

"The notions of a young man of one or two and twenty, " said he, "as towhat is necessary in manners to make him quite the thing, are moreabsurd, I believe, than those of any other set of beings in the world. The folly of the means they often employ is only to be equalled by thefolly of what they have in view. "

But he must not be addressing his reflections to Anne alone: he knewit; he was soon diffused again among the others, and it was only atintervals that he could return to Lyme. 

His enquiries, however, produced at length an account of the scene shehad been engaged in there, soon after his leaving the place. Havingalluded to "an accident, " he must hear the whole. When he questioned, Sir Walter and Elizabeth began to question also, but the difference intheir manner of doing it could not be unfelt. She could only compareMr Elliot to Lady Russell, in the wish of really comprehending what hadpassed, and in the degree of concern for what she must have suffered inwitnessing it. 

He staid an hour with them. The elegant little clock on the mantel-piecehad struck "eleven with its silver sounds, " and the watchman wasbeginning to be heard at a distance telling the same tale, before MrElliot or any of them seemed to feel that he had been there long. 

Anne could not have supposed it possible that her first evening inCamden Place could have passed so well!

Chapter 16

There was one point which Anne, on returning to her family, would havebeen more thankful to ascertain even than Mr Elliot's being in lovewith Elizabeth, which was, her father's not being in love with MrsClay; and she was very far from easy about it, when she had been athome a few hours. On going down to breakfast the next morning, shefound there had just been a decent pretence on the lady's side ofmeaning to leave them. She could imagine Mrs Clay to have said, that"now Miss Anne was come, she could not suppose herself at all wanted;"for Elizabeth was replying in a sort of whisper, "That must not be anyreason, indeed. I assure you I feel it none. She is nothing to me, compared with you;" and she was in full time to hear her father say, "My dear madam, this must not be. As yet, you have seen nothing ofBath. You have been here only to be useful. You must not run awayfrom us now. You must stay to be acquainted with Mrs Wallis, thebeautiful Mrs Wallis. To your fine mind, I well know the sight ofbeauty is a real gratification. "

He spoke and looked so much in earnest, that Anne was not surprised tosee Mrs Clay stealing a glance at Elizabeth and herself. Hercountenance, perhaps, might express some watchfulness; but the praiseof the fine mind did not appear to excite a thought in her sister. Thelady could not but yield to such joint entreaties, and promise to stay. 

In the course of the same morning, Anne and her father chancing to bealone together, he began to compliment her on her improved looks; hethought her "less thin in her person, in her cheeks; her skin, hercomplexion, greatly improved; clearer, fresher. Had she been using anything in particular?" "No, nothing. " "Merely Gowland, " he supposed. "No, nothing at all. " "Ha! he was surprised at that;" and added, "certainly you cannot do better than to continue as you are; you cannotbe better than well; or I should recommend Gowland, the constant use ofGowland, during the spring months. Mrs Clay has been using it at myrecommendation, and you see what it has done for her. You see how ithas carried away her freckles. "

If Elizabeth could but have heard this! Such personal praise mighthave struck her, especially as it did not appear to Anne that thefreckles were at all lessened. But everything must take its chance. The evil of a marriage would be much diminished, if Elizabeth were alsoto marry. As for herself, she might always command a home with LadyRussell. 

Lady Russell's composed mind and polite manners were put to some trialon this point, in her intercourse in Camden Place. The sight of MrsClay in such favour, and of Anne so overlooked, was a perpetualprovocation to her there; and vexed her as much when she was away, as aperson in Bath who drinks the water, gets all the new publications, andhas a very large acquaintance, has time to be vexed. 

As Mr Elliot became known to her, she grew more charitable, or moreindifferent, towards the others. His manners were an immediaterecommendation; and on conversing with him she found the solid so fullysupporting the superficial, that she was at first, as she told Anne, almost ready to exclaim, "Can this be Mr Elliot?" and could notseriously picture to herself a more agreeable or estimable man. Everything united in him; good understanding, correct opinions, knowledge of the world, and a warm heart. He had strong feelings offamily attachment and family honour, without pride or weakness; helived with the liberality of a man of fortune, without display; hejudged for himself in everything essential, without defying publicopinion in any point of worldly decorum. He was steady, observant, moderate, candid; never run away with by spirits or by selfishness, which fancied itself strong feeling; and yet, with a sensibility towhat was amiable and lovely, and a value for all the felicities ofdomestic life, which characters of fancied enthusiasm and violentagitation seldom really possess. She was sure that he had not beenhappy in marriage. Colonel Wallis said it, and Lady Russell saw it;but it had been no unhappiness to sour his mind, nor (she began prettysoon to suspect) to prevent his thinking of a second choice. Hersatisfaction in Mr Elliot outweighed all the plague of Mrs Clay. 

It was now some years since Anne had begun to learn that she and herexcellent friend could sometimes think differently; and it did notsurprise her, therefore, that Lady Russell should see nothingsuspicious or inconsistent, nothing to require more motives thanappeared, in Mr Elliot's great desire of a reconciliation. In LadyRussell's view, it was perfectly natural that Mr Elliot, at a maturetime of life, should feel it a most desirable object, and what wouldvery generally recommend him among all sensible people, to be on goodterms with the head of his family; the simplest process in the world oftime upon a head naturally clear, and only erring in the heyday ofyouth. Anne presumed, however, still to smile about it, and at last tomention "Elizabeth. " Lady Russell listened, and looked, and made onlythis cautious reply:--"Elizabeth! very well; time will explain. "

It was a reference to the future, which Anne, after a littleobservation, felt she must submit to. She could determine nothing atpresent. In that house Elizabeth must be first; and she was in thehabit of such general observance as "Miss Elliot, " that anyparticularity of attention seemed almost impossible. Mr Elliot, too, it must be remembered, had not been a widower seven months. A littledelay on his side might be very excusable. In fact, Anne could neversee the crape round his hat, without fearing that she was theinexcusable one, in attributing to him such imaginations; for thoughhis marriage had not been very happy, still it had existed so manyyears that she could not comprehend a very rapid recovery from theawful impression of its being dissolved. 

However it might end, he was without any question their pleasantestacquaintance in Bath: she saw nobody equal to him; and it was a greatindulgence now and then to talk to him about Lyme, which he seemed tohave as lively a wish to see again, and to see more of, as herself. They went through the particulars of their first meeting a great manytimes. He gave her to understand that he had looked at her with someearnestness. She knew it well; and she remembered another person'slook also. 

They did not always think alike. His value for rank and connexion sheperceived was greater than hers. It was not merely complaisance, itmust be a liking to the cause, which made him enter warmly into herfather and sister's solicitudes on a subject which she thought unworthyto excite them. The Bath paper one morning announced the arrival ofthe Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple, and her daughter, the HonourableMiss Carteret; and all the comfort of No. --, Camden Place, was sweptaway for many days; for the Dalrymples (in Anne's opinion, mostunfortunately) were cousins of the Elliots; and the agony was how tointroduce themselves properly. 

Anne had never seen her father and sister before in contact withnobility, and she must acknowledge herself disappointed. She had hopedbetter things from their high ideas of their own situation in life, andwas reduced to form a wish which she had never foreseen; a wish thatthey had more pride; for "our cousins Lady Dalrymple and MissCarteret;" "our cousins, the Dalrymples, " sounded in her ears all daylong. 

Sir Walter had once been in company with the late viscount, but hadnever seen any of the rest of the family; and the difficulties of thecase arose from there having been a suspension of all intercourse byletters of ceremony, ever since the death of that said late viscount, when, in consequence of a dangerous illness of Sir Walter's at the sametime, there had been an unlucky omission at Kellynch. No letter ofcondolence had been sent to Ireland. The neglect had been visited onthe head of the sinner; for when poor Lady Elliot died herself, noletter of condolence was received at Kellynch, and, consequently, therewas but too much reason to apprehend that the Dalrymples considered therelationship as closed. How to have this anxious business set torights, and be admitted as cousins again, was the question: and it wasa question which, in a more rational manner, neither Lady Russell norMr Elliot thought unimportant. "Family connexions were always worthpreserving, good company always worth seeking; Lady Dalrymple had takena house, for three months, in Laura Place, and would be living instyle. She had been at Bath the year before, and Lady Russell hadheard her spoken of as a charming woman. It was very desirable thatthe connexion should be renewed, if it could be done, without anycompromise of propriety on the side of the Elliots. "

Sir Walter, however, would choose his own means, and at last wrote avery fine letter of ample explanation, regret, and entreaty, to hisright honourable cousin. Neither Lady Russell nor Mr Elliot couldadmire the letter; but it did all that was wanted, in bringing threelines of scrawl from the Dowager Viscountess. "She was very muchhonoured, and should be happy in their acquaintance. " The toils of thebusiness were over, the sweets began. They visited in Laura Place, they had the cards of Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple, and the HonourableMiss Carteret, to be arranged wherever they might be most visible: and"Our cousins in Laura Place, "--"Our cousin, Lady Dalrymple and MissCarteret, " were talked of to everybody. 

Anne was ashamed. Had Lady Dalrymple and her daughter even been veryagreeable, she would still have been ashamed of the agitation theycreated, but they were nothing. There was no superiority of manner, accomplishment, or understanding. Lady Dalrymple had acquired the nameof "a charming woman, " because she had a smile and a civil answer foreverybody. Miss Carteret, with still less to say, was so plain and soawkward, that she would never have been tolerated in Camden Place butfor her birth. 

Lady Russell confessed she had expected something better; but yet "itwas an acquaintance worth having;" and when Anne ventured to speak heropinion of them to Mr Elliot, he agreed to their being nothing inthemselves, but still maintained that, as a family connexion, as goodcompany, as those who would collect good company around them, they hadtheir value. Anne smiled and said, "My idea of good company, Mr Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that iswhat I call good company. "

"You are mistaken, " said he gently, "that is not good company; that isthe best. Good company requires only birth, education, and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good mannersare essential; but a little learning is by no means a dangerous thingin good company; on the contrary, it will do very well. My cousin Anneshakes her head. She is not satisfied. She is fastidious. My dearcousin" (sitting down by her), "you have a better right to befastidious than almost any other woman I know; but will it answer?Will it make you happy? Will it not be wiser to accept the society ofthose good ladies in Laura Place, and enjoy all the advantages of theconnexion as far as possible? You may depend upon it, that they willmove in the first set in Bath this winter, and as rank is rank, yourbeing known to be related to them will have its use in fixing yourfamily (our family let me say) in that degree of consideration which wemust all wish for. "

"Yes, " sighed Anne, "we shall, indeed, be known to be related to them!"then recollecting herself, and not wishing to be answered, she added, "I certainly do think there has been by far too much trouble taken toprocure the acquaintance. I suppose" (smiling) "I have more pride thanany of you; but I confess it does vex me, that we should be sosolicitous to have the relationship acknowledged, which we may be verysure is a matter of perfect indifference to them. "

"Pardon me, dear cousin, you are unjust in your own claims. In London, perhaps, in your present quiet style of living, it might be as you say:but in Bath; Sir Walter Elliot and his family will always be worthknowing: always acceptable as acquaintance. "

"Well, " said Anne, "I certainly am proud, too proud to enjoy a welcomewhich depends so entirely upon place. "

"I love your indignation, " said he; "it is very natural. But here youare in Bath, and the object is to be established here with all thecredit and dignity which ought to belong to Sir Walter Elliot. Youtalk of being proud; I am called proud, I know, and I shall not wish tobelieve myself otherwise; for our pride, if investigated, would havethe same object, I have no doubt, though the kind may seem a littledifferent. In one point, I am sure, my dear cousin, " (he continued, speaking lower, though there was no one else in the room) "in onepoint, I am sure, we must feel alike. We must feel that every additionto your father's society, among his equals or superiors, may be of usein diverting his thoughts from those who are beneath him. "

He looked, as he spoke, to the seat which Mrs Clay had been latelyoccupying: a sufficient explanation of what he particularly meant; andthough Anne could not believe in their having the same sort of pride, she was pleased with him for not liking Mrs Clay; and her conscienceadmitted that his wishing to promote her father's getting greatacquaintance was more than excusable in the view of defeating her. 

Chapter 17

While Sir Walter and Elizabeth were assiduously pushing their goodfortune in Laura Place, Anne was renewing an acquaintance of a verydifferent description. 

She had called on her former governess, and had heard from her of therebeing an old school-fellow in Bath, who had the two strong claims onher attention of past kindness and present suffering. Miss Hamilton, now Mrs Smith, had shewn her kindness in one of those periods of herlife when it had been most valuable. Anne had gone unhappy to school, grieving for the loss of a mother whom she had dearly loved, feelingher separation from home, and suffering as a girl of fourteen, ofstrong sensibility and not high spirits, must suffer at such a time;and Miss Hamilton, three years older than herself, but still from thewant of near relations and a settled home, remaining another year atschool, had been useful and good to her in a way which had considerablylessened her misery, and could never be remembered with indifference. 

Miss Hamilton had left school, had married not long afterwards, wassaid to have married a man of fortune, and this was all that Anne hadknown of her, till now that their governess's account brought hersituation forward in a more decided but very different form. 

She was a widow and poor. Her husband had been extravagant; and at hisdeath, about two years before, had left his affairs dreadfullyinvolved. She had had difficulties of every sort to contend with, andin addition to these distresses had been afflicted with a severerheumatic fever, which, finally settling in her legs, had made her forthe present a cripple. She had come to Bath on that account, and wasnow in lodgings near the hot baths, living in a very humble way, unableeven to afford herself the comfort of a servant, and of course almostexcluded from society. 

Their mutual friend answered for the satisfaction which a visit fromMiss Elliot would give Mrs Smith, and Anne therefore lost no time ingoing. She mentioned nothing of what she had heard, or what sheintended, at home. It would excite no proper interest there. She onlyconsulted Lady Russell, who entered thoroughly into her sentiments, andwas most happy to convey her as near to Mrs Smith's lodgings inWestgate Buildings, as Anne chose to be taken. 

The visit was paid, their acquaintance re-established, their interestin each other more than re-kindled. The first ten minutes had itsawkwardness and its emotion. Twelve years were gone since they hadparted, and each presented a somewhat different person from what theother had imagined. Twelve years had changed Anne from the blooming, silent, unformed girl of fifteen, to the elegant little woman ofseven-and-twenty, with every beauty except bloom, and with manners asconsciously right as they were invariably gentle; and twelve years hadtransformed the fine-looking, well-grown Miss Hamilton, in all the glowof health and confidence of superiority, into a poor, infirm, helplesswidow, receiving the visit of her former protegee as a favour; but allthat was uncomfortable in the meeting had soon passed away, and leftonly the interesting charm of remembering former partialities andtalking over old times. 

Anne found in Mrs Smith the good sense and agreeable manners which shehad almost ventured to depend on, and a disposition to converse and becheerful beyond her expectation. Neither the dissipations of thepast--and she had lived very much in the world--nor the restrictions ofthe present, neither sickness nor sorrow seemed to have closed herheart or ruined her spirits. 

In the course of a second visit she talked with great openness, andAnne's astonishment increased. She could scarcely imagine a morecheerless situation in itself than Mrs Smith's. She had been very fondof her husband: she had buried him. She had been used to affluence:it was gone. She had no child to connect her with life and happinessagain, no relations to assist in the arrangement of perplexed affairs, no health to make all the rest supportable. Her accommodations werelimited to a noisy parlour, and a dark bedroom behind, with nopossibility of moving from one to the other without assistance, whichthere was only one servant in the house to afford, and she neverquitted the house but to be conveyed into the warm bath. Yet, in spiteof all this, Anne had reason to believe that she had moments only oflanguor and depression, to hours of occupation and enjoyment. Howcould it be? She watched, observed, reflected, and finally determinedthat this was not a case of fortitude or of resignation only. Asubmissive spirit might be patient, a strong understanding would supplyresolution, but here was something more; here was that elasticity ofmind, that disposition to be comforted, that power of turning readilyfrom evil to good, and of finding employment which carried her out ofherself, which was from nature alone. It was the choicest gift ofHeaven; and Anne viewed her friend as one of those instances in which, by a merciful appointment, it seems designed to counterbalance almostevery other want. 

There had been a time, Mrs Smith told her, when her spirits had nearlyfailed. She could not call herself an invalid now, compared with herstate on first reaching Bath. Then she had, indeed, been a pitiableobject; for she had caught cold on the journey, and had hardly takenpossession of her lodgings before she was again confined to her bed andsuffering under severe and constant pain; and all this among strangers, with the absolute necessity of having a regular nurse, and finances atthat moment particularly unfit to meet any extraordinary expense. Shehad weathered it, however, and could truly say that it had done hergood. It had increased her comforts by making her feel herself to bein good hands. She had seen too much of the world, to expect sudden ordisinterested attachment anywhere, but her illness had proved to herthat her landlady had a character to preserve, and would not use herill; and she had been particularly fortunate in her nurse, as a sisterof her landlady, a nurse by profession, and who had always a home inthat house when unemployed, chanced to be at liberty just in time toattend her. "And she, " said Mrs Smith, "besides nursing me mostadmirably, has really proved an invaluable acquaintance. As soon as Icould use my hands she taught me to knit, which has been a greatamusement; and she put me in the way of making these littlethread-cases, pin-cushions and card-racks, which you always find me sobusy about, and which supply me with the means of doing a little goodto one or two very poor families in this neighbourhood. She had alarge acquaintance, of course professionally, among those who canafford to buy, and she disposes of my merchandise. She always takesthe right time for applying. Everybody's heart is open, you know, whenthey have recently escaped from severe pain, or are recovering theblessing of health, and Nurse Rooke thoroughly understands when tospeak. She is a shrewd, intelligent, sensible woman. Hers is a linefor seeing human nature; and she has a fund of good sense andobservation, which, as a companion, make her infinitely superior tothousands of those who having only received 'the best education in theworld, ' know nothing worth attending to. Call it gossip, if you will, but when Nurse Rooke has half an hour's leisure to bestow on me, she issure to have something to relate that is entertaining and profitable:something that makes one know one's species better. One likes to hearwhat is going on, to be au fait as to the newest modes of beingtrifling and silly. To me, who live so much alone, her conversation, Iassure you, is a treat. "

Anne, far from wishing to cavil at the pleasure, replied, "I can easilybelieve it. Women of that class have great opportunities, and if theyare intelligent may be well worth listening to. Such varieties ofhuman nature as they are in the habit of witnessing! And it is notmerely in its follies, that they are well read; for they see itoccasionally under every circumstance that can be most interesting oraffecting. What instances must pass before them of ardent, disinterested, self-denying attachment, of heroism, fortitude, patience, resignation: of all the conflicts and all the sacrificesthat ennoble us most. A sick chamber may often furnish the worth ofvolumes. "

"Yes, " said Mrs Smith more doubtingly, "sometimes it may, though I fearits lessons are not often in the elevated style you describe. Here andthere, human nature may be great in times of trial; but generallyspeaking, it is its weakness and not its strength that appears in asick chamber: it is selfishness and impatience rather than generosityand fortitude, that one hears of. There is so little real friendshipin the world! and unfortunately" (speaking low and tremulously) "thereare so many who forget to think seriously till it is almost too late. "

Anne saw the misery of such feelings. The husband had not been what heought, and the wife had been led among that part of mankind which madeher think worse of the world than she hoped it deserved. It was but apassing emotion however with Mrs Smith; she shook it off, and soonadded in a different tone--

"I do not suppose the situation my friend Mrs Rooke is in at present, will furnish much either to interest or edify me. She is only nursingMrs Wallis of Marlborough Buildings; a mere pretty, silly, expensive, fashionable woman, I believe; and of course will have nothing to reportbut of lace and finery. I mean to make my profit of Mrs Wallis, however. She has plenty of money, and I intend she shall buy all thehigh-priced things I have in hand now. "

Anne had called several times on her friend, before the existence ofsuch a person was known in Camden Place. At last, it became necessaryto speak of her. Sir Walter, Elizabeth and Mrs Clay, returned onemorning from Laura Place, with a sudden invitation from Lady Dalrymplefor the same evening, and Anne was already engaged, to spend thatevening in Westgate Buildings. She was not sorry for the excuse. Theywere only asked, she was sure, because Lady Dalrymple being kept athome by a bad cold, was glad to make use of the relationship which hadbeen so pressed on her; and she declined on her own account with greatalacrity--"She was engaged to spend the evening with an oldschoolfellow. " They were not much interested in anything relative toAnne; but still there were questions enough asked, to make itunderstood what this old schoolfellow was; and Elizabeth wasdisdainful, and Sir Walter severe. 

"Westgate Buildings!" said he, "and who is Miss Anne Elliot to bevisiting in Westgate Buildings? A Mrs Smith. A widow Mrs Smith; andwho was her husband? One of five thousand Mr Smiths whose names are tobe met with everywhere. And what is her attraction? That she is oldand sickly. Upon my word, Miss Anne Elliot, you have the mostextraordinary taste! Everything that revolts other people, lowcompany, paltry rooms, foul air, disgusting associations are invitingto you. But surely you may put off this old lady till to-morrow: sheis not so near her end, I presume, but that she may hope to see anotherday. What is her age? Forty?"

"No, sir, she is not one-and-thirty; but I do not think I can put offmy engagement, because it is the only evening for some time which willat once suit her and myself. She goes into the warm bath to-morrow, and for the rest of the week, you know, we are engaged. "

"But what does Lady Russell think of this acquaintance?" askedElizabeth. 

"She sees nothing to blame in it, " replied Anne; "on the contrary, sheapproves it, and has generally taken me when I have called on MrsSmith. "

"Westgate Buildings must have been rather surprised by the appearanceof a carriage drawn up near its pavement, " observed Sir Walter. "SirHenry Russell's widow, indeed, has no honours to distinguish her arms, but still it is a handsome equipage, and no doubt is well known toconvey a Miss Elliot. A widow Mrs Smith lodging in Westgate Buildings!A poor widow barely able to live, between thirty and forty; a mere MrsSmith, an every-day Mrs Smith, of all people and all names in theworld, to be the chosen friend of Miss Anne Elliot, and to be preferredby her to her own family connections among the nobility of England andIreland! Mrs Smith! Such a name!"

Mrs Clay, who had been present while all this passed, now thought itadvisable to leave the room, and Anne could have said much, and didlong to say a little in defence of her friend's not very dissimilarclaims to theirs, but her sense of personal respect to her fatherprevented her. She made no reply. She left it to himself torecollect, that Mrs Smith was not the only widow in Bath between thirtyand forty, with little to live on, and no surname of dignity. 

Anne kept her appointment; the others kept theirs, and of course sheheard the next morning that they had had a delightful evening. She hadbeen the only one of the set absent, for Sir Walter and Elizabeth hadnot only been quite at her ladyship's service themselves, but hadactually been happy to be employed by her in collecting others, and hadbeen at the trouble of inviting both Lady Russell and Mr Elliot; and MrElliot had made a point of leaving Colonel Wallis early, and LadyRussell had fresh arranged all her evening engagements in order to waiton her. Anne had the whole history of all that such an evening couldsupply from Lady Russell. To her, its greatest interest must be, inhaving been very much talked of between her friend and Mr Elliot; inhaving been wished for, regretted, and at the same time honoured forstaying away in such a cause. Her kind, compassionate visits to thisold schoolfellow, sick and reduced, seemed to have quite delighted MrElliot. He thought her a most extraordinary young woman; in hertemper, manners, mind, a model of female excellence. He could meeteven Lady Russell in a discussion of her merits; and Anne could not begiven to understand so much by her friend, could not know herself to beso highly rated by a sensible man, without many of those agreeablesensations which her friend meant to create. 

Lady Russell was now perfectly decided in her opinion of Mr Elliot. She was as much convinced of his meaning to gain Anne in time as of hisdeserving her, and was beginning to calculate the number of weeks whichwould free him from all the remaining restraints of widowhood, andleave him at liberty to exert his most open powers of pleasing. Shewould not speak to Anne with half the certainty she felt on thesubject, she would venture on little more than hints of what might behereafter, of a possible attachment on his side, of the desirablenessof the alliance, supposing such attachment to be real and returned. Anne heard her, and made no violent exclamations; she only smiled, blushed, and gently shook her head. 

"I am no match-maker, as you well know, " said Lady Russell, "being muchtoo well aware of the uncertainty of all human events and calculations. I only mean that if Mr Elliot should some time hence pay his addressesto you, and if you should be disposed to accept him, I think therewould be every possibility of your being happy together. A mostsuitable connection everybody must consider it, but I think it might bea very happy one. "

"Mr Elliot is an exceedingly agreeable man, and in many respects Ithink highly of him, " said Anne; "but we should not suit. "

Lady Russell let this pass, and only said in rejoinder, "I own that tobe able to regard you as the future mistress of Kellynch, the futureLady Elliot, to look forward and see you occupying your dear mother'splace, succeeding to all her rights, and all her popularity, as well asto all her virtues, would be the highest possible gratification to me. You are your mother's self in countenance and disposition; and if Imight be allowed to fancy you such as she was, in situation and name, and home, presiding and blessing in the same spot, and only superior toher in being more highly valued! My dearest Anne, it would give memore delight than is often felt at my time of life!"

Anne was obliged to turn away, to rise, to walk to a distant table, and, leaning there in pretended employment, try to subdue the feelingsthis picture excited. For a few moments her imagination and her heartwere bewitched. The idea of becoming what her mother had been; ofhaving the precious name of "Lady Elliot" first revived in herself; ofbeing restored to Kellynch, calling it her home again, her home forever, was a charm which she could not immediately resist. Lady Russellsaid not another word, willing to leave the matter to its ownoperation; and believing that, could Mr Elliot at that moment withpropriety have spoken for himself!--she believed, in short, what Annedid not believe. The same image of Mr Elliot speaking for himselfbrought Anne to composure again. The charm of Kellynch and of "LadyElliot" all faded away. She never could accept him. And it was notonly that her feelings were still adverse to any man save one; herjudgement, on a serious consideration of the possibilities of such acase was against Mr Elliot. 

Though they had now been acquainted a month, she could not be satisfiedthat she really knew his character. That he was a sensible man, anagreeable man, that he talked well, professed good opinions, seemed tojudge properly and as a man of principle, this was all clear enough. He certainly knew what was right, nor could she fix on any one articleof moral duty evidently transgressed; but yet she would have beenafraid to answer for his conduct. She distrusted the past, if not thepresent. The names which occasionally dropt of former associates, theallusions to former practices and pursuits, suggested suspicions notfavourable of what he had been. She saw that there had been badhabits; that Sunday travelling had been a common thing; that there hadbeen a period of his life (and probably not a short one) when he hadbeen, at least, careless in all serious matters; and, though he mightnow think very differently, who could answer for the true sentiments ofa clever, cautious man, grown old enough to appreciate a faircharacter? How could it ever be ascertained that his mind was trulycleansed?

Mr Elliot was rational, discreet, polished, but he was not open. Therewas never any burst of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight, at the evil or good of others. This, to Anne, was a decidedimperfection. Her early impressions were incurable. She prized thefrank, the open-hearted, the eager character beyond all others. Warmthand enthusiasm did captivate her still. She felt that she could somuch more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked orsaid a careless or a hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mindnever varied, whose tongue never slipped. 

Mr Elliot was too generally agreeable. Various as were the tempers inher father's house, he pleased them all. He endured too well, stoodtoo well with every body. He had spoken to her with some degree ofopenness of Mrs Clay; had appeared completely to see what Mrs Clay wasabout, and to hold her in contempt; and yet Mrs Clay found him asagreeable as any body. 

Lady Russell saw either less or more than her young friend, for she sawnothing to excite distrust. She could not imagine a man more exactlywhat he ought to be than Mr Elliot; nor did she ever enjoy a sweeterfeeling than the hope of seeing him receive the hand of her belovedAnne in Kellynch church, in the course of the following autumn. 

Chapter 18

It was the beginning of February; and Anne, having been a month inBath, was growing very eager for news from Uppercross and Lyme. Shewanted to hear much more than Mary had communicated. It was threeweeks since she had heard at all. She only knew that Henrietta was athome again; and that Louisa, though considered to be recovering fast, was still in Lyme; and she was thinking of them all very intently oneevening, when a thicker letter than usual from Mary was delivered toher; and, to quicken the pleasure and surprise, with Admiral and MrsCroft's compliments. 

The Crofts must be in Bath! A circumstance to interest her. They werepeople whom her heart turned to very naturally. 

"What is this?" cried Sir Walter. "The Crofts have arrived in Bath?The Crofts who rent Kellynch? What have they brought you?"

"A letter from Uppercross Cottage, Sir. "

"Oh! those letters are convenient passports. They secure anintroduction. I should have visited Admiral Croft, however, at anyrate. I know what is due to my tenant. "

Anne could listen no longer; she could not even have told how the poorAdmiral's complexion escaped; her letter engrossed her. It had beenbegun several days back. 

"February 1st. 

"My dear Anne, --I make no apology for my silence, because I know howlittle people think of letters in such a place as Bath. You must be agreat deal too happy to care for Uppercross, which, as you well know, affords little to write about. We have had a very dull Christmas; Mrand Mrs Musgrove have not had one dinner party all the holidays. I donot reckon the Hayters as anybody. The holidays, however, are over atlast: I believe no children ever had such long ones. I am sure I hadnot. The house was cleared yesterday, except of the little Harvilles;but you will be surprised to hear they have never gone home. MrsHarville must be an odd mother to part with them so long. I do notunderstand it. They are not at all nice children, in my opinion; butMrs Musgrove seems to like them quite as well, if not better, than hergrandchildren. What dreadful weather we have had! It may not be feltin Bath, with your nice pavements; but in the country it is of someconsequence. I have not had a creature call on me since the secondweek in January, except Charles Hayter, who had been calling muchoftener than was welcome. Between ourselves, I think it a great pityHenrietta did not remain at Lyme as long as Louisa; it would have kepther a little out of his way. The carriage is gone to-day, to bringLouisa and the Harvilles to-morrow. We are not asked to dine withthem, however, till the day after, Mrs Musgrove is so afraid of herbeing fatigued by the journey, which is not very likely, consideringthe care that will be taken of her; and it would be much moreconvenient to me to dine there to-morrow. I am glad you find Mr Elliotso agreeable, and wish I could be acquainted with him too; but I havemy usual luck: I am always out of the way when any thing desirable isgoing on; always the last of my family to be noticed. What an immensetime Mrs Clay has been staying with Elizabeth! Does she never mean togo away? But perhaps if she were to leave the room vacant, we mightnot be invited. Let me know what you think of this. I do not expectmy children to be asked, you know. I can leave them at the Great Housevery well, for a month or six weeks. I have this moment heard that theCrofts are going to Bath almost immediately; they think the Admiralgouty. Charles heard it quite by chance; they have not had thecivility to give me any notice, or of offering to take anything. I donot think they improve at all as neighbours. We see nothing of them, and this is really an instance of gross inattention. Charles joins mein love, and everything proper. Yours affectionately, "Mary M---. 

"I am sorry to say that I am very far from well; and Jemima has justtold me that the butcher says there is a bad sore-throat very muchabout. I dare say I shall catch it; and my sore-throats, you know, arealways worse than anybody's. "

So ended the first part, which had been afterwards put into anenvelope, containing nearly as much more. 

"I kept my letter open, that I might send you word how Louisa bore herjourney, and now I am extremely glad I did, having a great deal to add. In the first place, I had a note from Mrs Croft yesterday, offering toconvey anything to you; a very kind, friendly note indeed, addressed tome, just as it ought; I shall therefore be able to make my letter aslong as I like. The Admiral does not seem very ill, and I sincerelyhope Bath will do him all the good he wants. I shall be truly glad tohave them back again. Our neighbourhood cannot spare such a pleasantfamily. But now for Louisa. I have something to communicate that willastonish you not a little. She and the Harvilles came on Tuesday verysafely, and in the evening we went to ask her how she did, when we wererather surprised not to find Captain Benwick of the party, for he hadbeen invited as well as the Harvilles; and what do you think was thereason? Neither more nor less than his being in love with Louisa, andnot choosing to venture to Uppercross till he had had an answer from MrMusgrove; for it was all settled between him and her before she cameaway, and he had written to her father by Captain Harville. True, uponmy honour! Are not you astonished? I shall be surprised at least ifyou ever received a hint of it, for I never did. Mrs Musgrove protestssolemnly that she knew nothing of the matter. We are all very wellpleased, however, for though it is not equal to her marrying CaptainWentworth, it is infinitely better than Charles Hayter; and Mr Musgrovehas written his consent, and Captain Benwick is expected to-day. MrsHarville says her husband feels a good deal on his poor sister'saccount; but, however, Louisa is a great favourite with both. Indeed, Mrs Harville and I quite agree that we love her the better for havingnursed her. Charles wonders what Captain Wentworth will say; but ifyou remember, I never thought him attached to Louisa; I never could seeanything of it. And this is the end, you see, of Captain Benwick'sbeing supposed to be an admirer of yours. How Charles could take sucha thing into his head was always incomprehensible to me. I hope hewill be more agreeable now. Certainly not a great match for LouisaMusgrove, but a million times better than marrying among the Hayters. "

Mary need not have feared her sister's being in any degree prepared forthe news. She had never in her life been more astonished. CaptainBenwick and Louisa Musgrove! It was almost too wonderful for belief, and it was with the greatest effort that she could remain in the room, preserve an air of calmness, and answer the common questions of themoment. Happily for her, they were not many. Sir Walter wanted toknow whether the Crofts travelled with four horses, and whether theywere likely to be situated in such a part of Bath as it might suit MissElliot and himself to visit in; but had little curiosity beyond. 

"How is Mary?" said Elizabeth; and without waiting for an answer, "Andpray what brings the Crofts to Bath?"

"They come on the Admiral's account. He is thought to be gouty. "

"Gout and decrepitude!" said Sir Walter. "Poor old gentleman. "

"Have they any acquaintance here?" asked Elizabeth. 

"I do not know; but I can hardly suppose that, at Admiral Croft's timeof life, and in his profession, he should not have many acquaintance insuch a place as this. "

"I suspect, " said Sir Walter coolly, "that Admiral Croft will be bestknown in Bath as the renter of Kellynch Hall. Elizabeth, may weventure to present him and his wife in Laura Place?"

"Oh, no! I think not. Situated as we are with Lady Dalrymple, cousins, we ought to be very careful not to embarrass her with acquaintance shemight not approve. If we were not related, it would not signify; butas cousins, she would feel scrupulous as to any proposal of ours. Wehad better leave the Crofts to find their own level. There are severalodd-looking men walking about here, who, I am told, are sailors. TheCrofts will associate with them. "

This was Sir Walter and Elizabeth's share of interest in the letter;when Mrs Clay had paid her tribute of more decent attention, in anenquiry after Mrs Charles Musgrove, and her fine little boys, Anne wasat liberty. 

In her own room, she tried to comprehend it. Well might Charles wonderhow Captain Wentworth would feel! Perhaps he had quitted the field, had given Louisa up, had ceased to love, had found he did not love her. She could not endure the idea of treachery or levity, or anything akinto ill usage between him and his friend. She could not endure thatsuch a friendship as theirs should be severed unfairly. 

Captain Benwick and Louisa Musgrove! The high-spirited, joyous-talkingLouisa Musgrove, and the dejected, thinking, feeling, reading, CaptainBenwick, seemed each of them everything that would not suit the other. Their minds most dissimilar! Where could have been the attraction?The answer soon presented itself. It had been in situation. They hadbeen thrown together several weeks; they had been living in the samesmall family party: since Henrietta's coming away, they must have beendepending almost entirely on each other, and Louisa, just recoveringfrom illness, had been in an interesting state, and Captain Benwick wasnot inconsolable. That was a point which Anne had not been able toavoid suspecting before; and instead of drawing the same conclusion asMary, from the present course of events, they served only to confirmthe idea of his having felt some dawning of tenderness toward herself. She did not mean, however, to derive much more from it to gratify hervanity, than Mary might have allowed. She was persuaded that anytolerably pleasing young woman who had listened and seemed to feel forhim would have received the same compliment. He had an affectionateheart. He must love somebody. 

She saw no reason against their being happy. Louisa had fine navalfervour to begin with, and they would soon grow more alike. He wouldgain cheerfulness, and she would learn to be an enthusiast for Scottand Lord Byron; nay, that was probably learnt already; of course theyhad fallen in love over poetry. The idea of Louisa Musgrove turnedinto a person of literary taste, and sentimental reflection wasamusing, but she had no doubt of its being so. The day at Lyme, thefall from the Cobb, might influence her health, her nerves, hercourage, her character to the end of her life, as thoroughly as itappeared to have influenced her fate. 

The conclusion of the whole was, that if the woman who had beensensible of Captain Wentworth's merits could be allowed to preferanother man, there was nothing in the engagement to excite lastingwonder; and if Captain Wentworth lost no friend by it, certainlynothing to be regretted. No, it was not regret which made Anne's heartbeat in spite of herself, and brought the colour into her cheeks whenshe thought of Captain Wentworth unshackled and free. She had somefeelings which she was ashamed to investigate. They were too much likejoy, senseless joy!

She longed to see the Crofts; but when the meeting took place, it wasevident that no rumour of the news had yet reached them. The visit ofceremony was paid and returned; and Louisa Musgrove was mentioned, andCaptain Benwick, too, without even half a smile. 

The Crofts had placed themselves in lodgings in Gay Street, perfectlyto Sir Walter's satisfaction. He was not at all ashamed of theacquaintance, and did, in fact, think and talk a great deal more aboutthe Admiral, than the Admiral ever thought or talked about him. 

The Crofts knew quite as many people in Bath as they wished for, andconsidered their intercourse with the Elliots as a mere matter of form, and not in the least likely to afford them any pleasure. They broughtwith them their country habit of being almost always together. He wasordered to walk to keep off the gout, and Mrs Croft seemed to go shareswith him in everything, and to walk for her life to do him good. Annesaw them wherever she went. Lady Russell took her out in her carriagealmost every morning, and she never failed to think of them, and neverfailed to see them. Knowing their feelings as she did, it was a mostattractive picture of happiness to her. She always watched them aslong as she could, delighted to fancy she understood what they might betalking of, as they walked along in happy independence, or equallydelighted to see the Admiral's hearty shake of the hand when heencountered an old friend, and observe their eagerness of conversationwhen occasionally forming into a little knot of the navy, Mrs Croftlooking as intelligent and keen as any of the officers around her. 

Anne was too much engaged with Lady Russell to be often walkingherself; but it so happened that one morning, about a week or ten daysafter the Croft's arrival, it suited her best to leave her friend, orher friend's carriage, in the lower part of the town, and return aloneto Camden Place, and in walking up Milsom Street she had the goodfortune to meet with the Admiral. He was standing by himself at aprintshop window, with his hands behind him, in earnest contemplationof some print, and she not only might have passed him unseen, but wasobliged to touch as well as address him before she could catch hisnotice. When he did perceive and acknowledge her, however, it was donewith all his usual frankness and good humour. "Ha! is it you? Thankyou, thank you. This is treating me like a friend. Here I am, yousee, staring at a picture. I can never get by this shop withoutstopping. But what a thing here is, by way of a boat! Do look at it. Did you ever see the like? What queer fellows your fine painters mustbe, to think that anybody would venture their lives in such a shapelessold cockleshell as that? And yet here are two gentlemen stuck up in itmightily at their ease, and looking about them at the rocks andmountains, as if they were not to be upset the next moment, which theycertainly must be. I wonder where that boat was built!" (laughingheartily); "I would not venture over a horsepond in it. Well, "(turning away), "now, where are you bound? Can I go anywhere for you, or with you? Can I be of any use?"

"None, I thank you, unless you will give me the pleasure of yourcompany the little way our road lies together. I am going home. "

"That I will, with all my heart, and farther, too. Yes, yes we willhave a snug walk together, and I have something to tell you as we goalong. There, take my arm; that's right; I do not feel comfortable ifI have not a woman there. Lord! what a boat it is!" taking a last lookat the picture, as they began to be in motion. 

"Did you say that you had something to tell me, sir?"

"Yes, I have, presently. But here comes a friend, Captain Brigden; Ishall only say, 'How d'ye do?' as we pass, however. I shall not stop. 'How d'ye do?' Brigden stares to see anybody with me but my wife. She, poor soul, is tied by the leg. She has a blister on one of herheels, as large as a three-shilling piece. If you look across thestreet, you will see Admiral Brand coming down and his brother. Shabbyfellows, both of them! I am glad they are not on this side of the way. Sophy cannot bear them. They played me a pitiful trick once: got awaywith some of my best men. I will tell you the whole story anothertime. There comes old Sir Archibald Drew and his grandson. Look, hesees us; he kisses his hand to you; he takes you for my wife. Ah! thepeace has come too soon for that younker. Poor old Sir Archibald! Howdo you like Bath, Miss Elliot? It suits us very well. We are alwaysmeeting with some old friend or other; the streets full of them everymorning; sure to have plenty of chat; and then we get away from themall, and shut ourselves in our lodgings, and draw in our chairs, andare snug as if we were at Kellynch, ay, or as we used to be even atNorth Yarmouth and Deal. We do not like our lodgings here the worse, Ican tell you, for putting us in mind of those we first had at NorthYarmouth. The wind blows through one of the cupboards just in the sameway. "

When they were got a little farther, Anne ventured to press again forwhat he had to communicate. She hoped when clear of Milsom Street tohave her curiosity gratified; but she was still obliged to wait, forthe Admiral had made up his mind not to begin till they had gained thegreater space and quiet of Belmont; and as she was not really MrsCroft, she must let him have his own way. As soon as they were fairlyascending Belmont, he began--

"Well, now you shall hear something that will surprise you. But firstof all, you must tell me the name of the young lady I am going to talkabout. That young lady, you know, that we have all been so concernedfor. The Miss Musgrove, that all this has been happening to. HerChristian name: I always forget her Christian name. "

Anne had been ashamed to appear to comprehend so soon as she reallydid; but now she could safely suggest the name of "Louisa. "

"Ay, ay, Miss Louisa Musgrove, that is the name. I wish young ladieshad not such a number of fine Christian names. I should never be outif they were all Sophys, or something of that sort. Well, this MissLouisa, we all thought, you know, was to marry Frederick. He wascourting her week after week. The only wonder was, what they could bewaiting for, till the business at Lyme came; then, indeed, it was clearenough that they must wait till her brain was set to right. But eventhen there was something odd in their way of going on. Instead ofstaying at Lyme, he went off to Plymouth, and then he went off to seeEdward. When we came back from Minehead he was gone down to Edward's, and there he has been ever since. We have seen nothing of him sinceNovember. Even Sophy could not understand it. But now, the matter hastaken the strangest turn of all; for this young lady, the same MissMusgrove, instead of being to marry Frederick, is to marry JamesBenwick. You know James Benwick. "

"A little. I am a little acquainted with Captain Benwick. "

"Well, she is to marry him. Nay, most likely they are married already, for I do not know what they should wait for. "

"I thought Captain Benwick a very pleasing young man, " said Anne, "andI understand that he bears an excellent character. "

"Oh! yes, yes, there is not a word to be said against James Benwick. He is only a commander, it is true, made last summer, and these are badtimes for getting on, but he has not another fault that I know of. Anexcellent, good-hearted fellow, I assure you; a very active, zealousofficer too, which is more than you would think for, perhaps, for thatsoft sort of manner does not do him justice. "

"Indeed you are mistaken there, sir; I should never augur want ofspirit from Captain Benwick's manners. I thought them particularlypleasing, and I will answer for it, they would generally please. "

"Well, well, ladies are the best judges; but James Benwick is rathertoo piano for me; and though very likely it is all our partiality, Sophy and I cannot help thinking Frederick's manners better than his. There is something about Frederick more to our taste. "

Anne was caught. She had only meant to oppose the too common idea ofspirit and gentleness being incompatible with each other, not at all torepresent Captain Benwick's manners as the very best that couldpossibly be; and, after a little hesitation, she was beginning to say, "I was not entering into any comparison of the two friends, " but theAdmiral interrupted her with--

"And the thing is certainly true. It is not a mere bit of gossip. Wehave it from Frederick himself. His sister had a letter from himyesterday, in which he tells us of it, and he had just had it in aletter from Harville, written upon the spot, from Uppercross. I fancythey are all at Uppercross. "

This was an opportunity which Anne could not resist; she said, therefore, "I hope, Admiral, I hope there is nothing in the style ofCaptain Wentworth's letter to make you and Mrs Croft particularlyuneasy. It did seem, last autumn, as if there were an attachmentbetween him and Louisa Musgrove; but I hope it may be understood tohave worn out on each side equally, and without violence. I hope hisletter does not breathe the spirit of an ill-used man. "

"Not at all, not at all; there is not an oath or a murmur frombeginning to end. "

Anne looked down to hide her smile. 

"No, no; Frederick is not a man to whine and complain; he has too muchspirit for that. If the girl likes another man better, it is very fitshe should have him. "

"Certainly. But what I mean is, that I hope there is nothing inCaptain Wentworth's manner of writing to make you suppose he thinkshimself ill-used by his friend, which might appear, you know, withoutits being absolutely said. I should be very sorry that such afriendship as has subsisted between him and Captain Benwick should bedestroyed, or even wounded, by a circumstance of this sort. "

"Yes, yes, I understand you. But there is nothing at all of thatnature in the letter. He does not give the least fling at Benwick;does not so much as say, 'I wonder at it, I have a reason of my own forwondering at it. ' No, you would not guess, from his way of writing, that he had ever thought of this Miss (what's her name?) for himself. He very handsomely hopes they will be happy together; and there isnothing very unforgiving in that, I think. "

Anne did not receive the perfect conviction which the Admiral meant toconvey, but it would have been useless to press the enquiry farther. She therefore satisfied herself with common-place remarks or quietattention, and the Admiral had it all his own way. 

"Poor Frederick!" said he at last. "Now he must begin all over againwith somebody else. I think we must get him to Bath. Sophy mustwrite, and beg him to come to Bath. Here are pretty girls enough, I amsure. It would be of no use to go to Uppercross again, for that otherMiss Musgrove, I find, is bespoke by her cousin, the young parson. Donot you think, Miss Elliot, we had better try to get him to Bath?"

Chapter 19

While Admiral Croft was taking this walk with Anne, and expressing hiswish of getting Captain Wentworth to Bath, Captain Wentworth wasalready on his way thither. Before Mrs Croft had written, he wasarrived, and the very next time Anne walked out, she saw him. 

Mr Elliot was attending his two cousins and Mrs Clay. They were inMilsom Street. It began to rain, not much, but enough to make shelterdesirable for women, and quite enough to make it very desirable forMiss Elliot to have the advantage of being conveyed home in LadyDalrymple's carriage, which was seen waiting at a little distance; she, Anne, and Mrs Clay, therefore, turned into Molland's, while Mr Elliotstepped to Lady Dalrymple, to request her assistance. He soon joinedthem again, successful, of course; Lady Dalrymple would be most happyto take them home, and would call for them in a few minutes. 

Her ladyship's carriage was a barouche, and did not hold more than fourwith any comfort. Miss Carteret was with her mother; consequently itwas not reasonable to expect accommodation for all the three CamdenPlace ladies. There could be no doubt as to Miss Elliot. Whoeversuffered inconvenience, she must suffer none, but it occupied a littletime to settle the point of civility between the other two. The rainwas a mere trifle, and Anne was most sincere in preferring a walk withMr Elliot. But the rain was also a mere trifle to Mrs Clay; she wouldhardly allow it even to drop at all, and her boots were so thick! muchthicker than Miss Anne's; and, in short, her civility rendered herquite as anxious to be left to walk with Mr Elliot as Anne could be, and it was discussed between them with a generosity so polite and sodetermined, that the others were obliged to settle it for them; MissElliot maintaining that Mrs Clay had a little cold already, and MrElliot deciding on appeal, that his cousin Anne's boots were rather thethickest. 

It was fixed accordingly, that Mrs Clay should be of the party in thecarriage; and they had just reached this point, when Anne, as she satnear the window, descried, most decidedly and distinctly, CaptainWentworth walking down the street. 

Her start was perceptible only to herself; but she instantly felt thatshe was the greatest simpleton in the world, the most unaccountable andabsurd! For a few minutes she saw nothing before her; it was allconfusion. She was lost, and when she had scolded back her senses, shefound the others still waiting for the carriage, and Mr Elliot (alwaysobliging) just setting off for Union Street on a commission of MrsClay's. 

She now felt a great inclination to go to the outer door; she wanted tosee if it rained. Why was she to suspect herself of another motive?Captain Wentworth must be out of sight. She left her seat, she wouldgo; one half of her should not be always so much wiser than the otherhalf, or always suspecting the other of being worse than it was. Shewould see if it rained. She was sent back, however, in a moment by theentrance of Captain Wentworth himself, among a party of gentlemen andladies, evidently his acquaintance, and whom he must have joined alittle below Milsom Street. He was more obviously struck and confusedby the sight of her than she had ever observed before; he looked quitered. For the first time, since their renewed acquaintance, she feltthat she was betraying the least sensibility of the two. She had theadvantage of him in the preparation of the last few moments. All theoverpowering, blinding, bewildering, first effects of strong surprisewere over with her. Still, however, she had enough to feel! It wasagitation, pain, pleasure, a something between delight and misery. 

He spoke to her, and then turned away. The character of his manner wasembarrassment. She could not have called it either cold or friendly, or anything so certainly as embarrassed. 

After a short interval, however, he came towards her, and spoke again. Mutual enquiries on common subjects passed: neither of them, probably, much the wiser for what they heard, and Anne continuing fully sensibleof his being less at ease than formerly. They had by dint of being sovery much together, got to speak to each other with a considerableportion of apparent indifference and calmness; but he could not do itnow. Time had changed him, or Louisa had changed him. There wasconsciousness of some sort or other. He looked very well, not as if hehad been suffering in health or spirits, and he talked of Uppercross, of the Musgroves, nay, even of Louisa, and had even a momentary look ofhis own arch significance as he named her; but yet it was CaptainWentworth not comfortable, not easy, not able to feign that he was. 

It did not surprise, but it grieved Anne to observe that Elizabethwould not know him. She saw that he saw Elizabeth, that Elizabeth sawhim, that there was complete internal recognition on each side; she wasconvinced that he was ready to be acknowledged as an acquaintance, expecting it, and she had the pain of seeing her sister turn away withunalterable coldness. 

Lady Dalrymple's carriage, for which Miss Elliot was growing veryimpatient, now drew up; the servant came in to announce it. It wasbeginning to rain again, and altogether there was a delay, and abustle, and a talking, which must make all the little crowd in the shopunderstand that Lady Dalrymple was calling to convey Miss Elliot. Atlast Miss Elliot and her friend, unattended but by the servant, (forthere was no cousin returned), were walking off; and Captain Wentworth, watching them, turned again to Anne, and by manner, rather than words, was offering his services to her. 

"I am much obliged to you, " was her answer, "but I am not going withthem. The carriage would not accommodate so many. I walk: I preferwalking. "

"But it rains. "

"Oh! very little, Nothing that I regard. "

After a moment's pause he said: "Though I came only yesterday, I haveequipped myself properly for Bath already, you see, " (pointing to a newumbrella); "I wish you would make use of it, if you are determined towalk; though I think it would be more prudent to let me get you achair. "

She was very much obliged to him, but declined it all, repeating herconviction, that the rain would come to nothing at present, and adding, "I am only waiting for Mr Elliot. He will be here in a moment, I amsure. "

She had hardly spoken the words when Mr Elliot walked in. CaptainWentworth recollected him perfectly. There was no difference betweenhim and the man who had stood on the steps at Lyme, admiring Anne asshe passed, except in the air and look and manner of the privilegedrelation and friend. He came in with eagerness, appeared to see andthink only of her, apologised for his stay, was grieved to have kepther waiting, and anxious to get her away without further loss of timeand before the rain increased; and in another moment they walked offtogether, her arm under his, a gentle and embarrassed glance, and a"Good morning to you!" being all that she had time for, as she passedaway. 

As soon as they were out of sight, the ladies of Captain Wentworth'sparty began talking of them. 

"Mr Elliot does not dislike his cousin, I fancy?"

"Oh! no, that is clear enough. One can guess what will happen there. He is always with them; half lives in the family, I believe. What avery good-looking man!"

"Yes, and Miss Atkinson, who dined with him once at the Wallises, sayshe is the most agreeable man she ever was in company with. "

"She is pretty, I think; Anne Elliot; very pretty, when one comes tolook at her. It is not the fashion to say so, but I confess I admireher more than her sister. "

"Oh! so do I. "

"And so do I. No comparison. But the men are all wild after MissElliot. Anne is too delicate for them. "

Anne would have been particularly obliged to her cousin, if he wouldhave walked by her side all the way to Camden Place, without saying aword. She had never found it so difficult to listen to him, thoughnothing could exceed his solicitude and care, and though his subjectswere principally such as were wont to be always interesting: praise, warm, just, and discriminating, of Lady Russell, and insinuationshighly rational against Mrs Clay. But just now she could think only ofCaptain Wentworth. She could not understand his present feelings, whether he were really suffering much from disappointment or not; andtill that point were settled, she could not be quite herself. 

She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! alas! she mustconfess to herself that she was not wise yet. 

Another circumstance very essential for her to know, was how long hemeant to be in Bath; he had not mentioned it, or she could notrecollect it. He might be only passing through. But it was moreprobable that he should be come to stay. In that case, so liable asevery body was to meet every body in Bath, Lady Russell would in alllikelihood see him somewhere. Would she recollect him? How would itall be?

She had already been obliged to tell Lady Russell that Louisa Musgrovewas to marry Captain Benwick. It had cost her something to encounterLady Russell's surprise; and now, if she were by any chance to bethrown into company with Captain Wentworth, her imperfect knowledge ofthe matter might add another shade of prejudice against him. 

The following morning Anne was out with her friend, and for the firsthour, in an incessant and fearful sort of watch for him in vain; but atlast, in returning down Pulteney Street, she distinguished him on theright hand pavement at such a distance as to have him in view thegreater part of the street. There were many other men about him, manygroups walking the same way, but there was no mistaking him. Shelooked instinctively at Lady Russell; but not from any mad idea of herrecognising him so soon as she did herself. No, it was not to besupposed that Lady Russell would perceive him till they were nearlyopposite. She looked at her however, from time to time, anxiously; andwhen the moment approached which must point him out, though not daringto look again (for her own countenance she knew was unfit to be seen), she was yet perfectly conscious of Lady Russell's eyes being turnedexactly in the direction for him--of her being, in short, intentlyobserving him. She could thoroughly comprehend the sort of fascinationhe must possess over Lady Russell's mind, the difficulty it must be forher to withdraw her eyes, the astonishment she must be feeling thateight or nine years should have passed over him, and in foreign climesand in active service too, without robbing him of one personal grace!

At last, Lady Russell drew back her head. "Now, how would she speak ofhim?"

"You will wonder, " said she, "what has been fixing my eye so long; butI was looking after some window-curtains, which Lady Alicia and MrsFrankland were telling me of last night. They described thedrawing-room window-curtains of one of the houses on this side of theway, and this part of the street, as being the handsomest and best hungof any in Bath, but could not recollect the exact number, and I havebeen trying to find out which it could be; but I confess I can see nocurtains hereabouts that answer their description. "

Anne sighed and blushed and smiled, in pity and disdain, either at herfriend or herself. The part which provoked her most, was that in allthis waste of foresight and caution, she should have lost the rightmoment for seeing whether he saw them. 

A day or two passed without producing anything. The theatre or therooms, where he was most likely to be, were not fashionable enough forthe Elliots, whose evening amusements were solely in the elegantstupidity of private parties, in which they were getting more and moreengaged; and Anne, wearied of such a state of stagnation, sick ofknowing nothing, and fancying herself stronger because her strength wasnot tried, was quite impatient for the concert evening. It was aconcert for the benefit of a person patronised by Lady Dalrymple. Ofcourse they must attend. It was really expected to be a good one, andCaptain Wentworth was very fond of music. If she could only have a fewminutes conversation with him again, she fancied she should besatisfied; and as to the power of addressing him, she felt all overcourage if the opportunity occurred. Elizabeth had turned from him, Lady Russell overlooked him; her nerves were strengthened by thesecircumstances; she felt that she owed him attention. 

She had once partly promised Mrs Smith to spend the evening with her;but in a short hurried call she excused herself and put it off, withthe more decided promise of a longer visit on the morrow. Mrs Smithgave a most good-humoured acquiescence. 

"By all means, " said she; "only tell me all about it, when you do come. Who is your party?"

Anne named them all. Mrs Smith made no reply; but when she was leavingher said, and with an expression half serious, half arch, "Well, Iheartily wish your concert may answer; and do not fail me to-morrow ifyou can come; for I begin to have a foreboding that I may not have manymore visits from you. "

Anne was startled and confused; but after standing in a moment'ssuspense, was obliged, and not sorry to be obliged, to hurry away. 

Chapter 20

Sir Walter, his two daughters, and Mrs Clay, were the earliest of alltheir party at the rooms in the evening; and as Lady Dalrymple must bewaited for, they took their station by one of the fires in the OctagonRoom. But hardly were they so settled, when the door opened again, andCaptain Wentworth walked in alone. Anne was the nearest to him, andmaking yet a little advance, she instantly spoke. He was preparingonly to bow and pass on, but her gentle "How do you do?" brought himout of the straight line to stand near her, and make enquiries inreturn, in spite of the formidable father and sister in the background. Their being in the back ground was a support to Anne; she knewnothing of their looks, and felt equal to everything which she believedright to be done. 

While they were speaking, a whispering between her father and Elizabethcaught her ear. She could not distinguish, but she must guess thesubject; and on Captain Wentworth's making a distant bow, shecomprehended that her father had judged so well as to give him thatsimple acknowledgement of acquaintance, and she was just in time by aside glance to see a slight curtsey from Elizabeth herself. This, though late, and reluctant, and ungracious, was yet better thannothing, and her spirits improved. 

After talking, however, of the weather, and Bath, and the concert, their conversation began to flag, and so little was said at last, thatshe was expecting him to go every moment, but he did not; he seemed inno hurry to leave her; and presently with renewed spirit, with a littlesmile, a little glow, he said--

"I have hardly seen you since our day at Lyme. I am afraid you musthave suffered from the shock, and the more from its not overpoweringyou at the time. "

She assured him that she had not. 

"It was a frightful hour, " said he, "a frightful day!" and he passedhis hand across his eyes, as if the remembrance were still too painful, but in a moment, half smiling again, added, "The day has produced someeffects however; has had some consequences which must be considered asthe very reverse of frightful. When you had the presence of mind tosuggest that Benwick would be the properest person to fetch a surgeon, you could have little idea of his being eventually one of those mostconcerned in her recovery. "

"Certainly I could have none. But it appears--I should hope it wouldbe a very happy match. There are on both sides good principles andgood temper. "

"Yes, " said he, looking not exactly forward; "but there, I think, endsthe resemblance. With all my soul I wish them happy, and rejoice overevery circumstance in favour of it. They have no difficulties tocontend with at home, no opposition, no caprice, no delays. TheMusgroves are behaving like themselves, most honourably and kindly, only anxious with true parental hearts to promote their daughter'scomfort. All this is much, very much in favour of their happiness;more than perhaps--"

He stopped. A sudden recollection seemed to occur, and to give himsome taste of that emotion which was reddening Anne's cheeks and fixingher eyes on the ground. After clearing his throat, however, heproceeded thus--

"I confess that I do think there is a disparity, too great a disparity, and in a point no less essential than mind. I regard Louisa Musgroveas a very amiable, sweet-tempered girl, and not deficient inunderstanding, but Benwick is something more. He is a clever man, areading man; and I confess, that I do consider his attaching himself toher with some surprise. Had it been the effect of gratitude, had helearnt to love her, because he believed her to be preferring him, itwould have been another thing. But I have no reason to suppose it so. It seems, on the contrary, to have been a perfectly spontaneous, untaught feeling on his side, and this surprises me. A man like him, in his situation! with a heart pierced, wounded, almost broken! FannyHarville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her wasindeed attachment. A man does not recover from such a devotion of theheart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not. "

Either from the consciousness, however, that his friend had recovered, or from other consciousness, he went no farther; and Anne who, in spiteof the agitated voice in which the latter part had been uttered, and inspite of all the various noises of the room, the almost ceaseless slamof the door, and ceaseless buzz of persons walking through, haddistinguished every word, was struck, gratified, confused, andbeginning to breathe very quick, and feel an hundred things in amoment. It was impossible for her to enter on such a subject; and yet, after a pause, feeling the necessity of speaking, and having not thesmallest wish for a total change, she only deviated so far as to say--

"You were a good while at Lyme, I think?"

"About a fortnight. I could not leave it till Louisa's doing well wasquite ascertained. I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief tobe soon at peace. It had been my doing, solely mine. She would nothave been obstinate if I had not been weak. The country round Lyme isvery fine. I walked and rode a great deal; and the more I saw, themore I found to admire. "

"I should very much like to see Lyme again, " said Anne. 

"Indeed! I should not have supposed that you could have found anythingin Lyme to inspire such a feeling. The horror and distress you wereinvolved in, the stretch of mind, the wear of spirits! I should havethought your last impressions of Lyme must have been strong disgust. "

"The last hours were certainly very painful, " replied Anne; "but whenpain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure. One doesnot love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has beenall suffering, nothing but suffering, which was by no means the case atLyme. We were only in anxiety and distress during the last two hours, and previously there had been a great deal of enjoyment. So muchnovelty and beauty! I have travelled so little, that every fresh placewould be interesting to me; but there is real beauty at Lyme; and inshort" (with a faint blush at some recollections), "altogether myimpressions of the place are very agreeable. "

As she ceased, the entrance door opened again, and the very partyappeared for whom they were waiting. "Lady Dalrymple, Lady Dalrymple, "was the rejoicing sound; and with all the eagerness compatible withanxious elegance, Sir Walter and his two ladies stepped forward to meether. Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret, escorted by Mr Elliot andColonel Wallis, who had happened to arrive nearly at the same instant, advanced into the room. The others joined them, and it was a group inwhich Anne found herself also necessarily included. She was dividedfrom Captain Wentworth. Their interesting, almost too interestingconversation must be broken up for a time, but slight was the penancecompared with the happiness which brought it on! She had learnt, inthe last ten minutes, more of his feelings towards Louisa, more of allhis feelings than she dared to think of; and she gave herself up to thedemands of the party, to the needful civilities of the moment, withexquisite, though agitated sensations. She was in good humour withall. She had received ideas which disposed her to be courteous andkind to all, and to pity every one, as being less happy than herself. 

The delightful emotions were a little subdued, when on stepping backfrom the group, to be joined again by Captain Wentworth, she saw thathe was gone. She was just in time to see him turn into the ConcertRoom. He was gone; he had disappeared, she felt a moment's regret. But "they should meet again. He would look for her, he would find herout before the evening were over, and at present, perhaps, it was aswell to be asunder. She was in need of a little interval forrecollection. "

Upon Lady Russell's appearance soon afterwards, the whole party wascollected, and all that remained was to marshal themselves, and proceedinto the Concert Room; and be of all the consequence in their power, draw as many eyes, excite as many whispers, and disturb as many peopleas they could. 

Very, very happy were both Elizabeth and Anne Elliot as they walked in. Elizabeth arm in arm with Miss Carteret, and looking on the broad backof the dowager Viscountess Dalrymple before her, had nothing to wishfor which did not seem within her reach; and Anne--but it would be aninsult to the nature of Anne's felicity, to draw any comparison betweenit and her sister's; the origin of one all selfish vanity, of the otherall generous attachment. 

Anne saw nothing, thought nothing of the brilliancy of the room. Herhappiness was from within. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks glowed;but she knew nothing about it. She was thinking only of the last halfhour, and as they passed to their seats, her mind took a hasty rangeover it. His choice of subjects, his expressions, and still more hismanner and look, had been such as she could see in only one light. Hisopinion of Louisa Musgrove's inferiority, an opinion which he hadseemed solicitous to give, his wonder at Captain Benwick, his feelingsas to a first, strong attachment; sentences begun which he could notfinish, his half averted eyes and more than half expressive glance, all, all declared that he had a heart returning to her at least; thatanger, resentment, avoidance, were no more; and that they weresucceeded, not merely by friendship and regard, but by the tendernessof the past. Yes, some share of the tenderness of the past. She couldnot contemplate the change as implying less. He must love her. 

These were thoughts, with their attendant visions, which occupied andflurried her too much to leave her any power of observation; and shepassed along the room without having a glimpse of him, without eventrying to discern him. When their places were determined on, and theywere all properly arranged, she looked round to see if he should happento be in the same part of the room, but he was not; her eye could notreach him; and the concert being just opening, she must consent for atime to be happy in a humbler way. 

The party was divided and disposed of on two contiguous benches: Annewas among those on the foremost, and Mr Elliot had manoeuvred so well, with the assistance of his friend Colonel Wallis, as to have a seat byher. Miss Elliot, surrounded by her cousins, and the principal objectof Colonel Wallis's gallantry, was quite contented. 

Anne's mind was in a most favourable state for the entertainment of theevening; it was just occupation enough: she had feelings for thetender, spirits for the gay, attention for the scientific, and patiencefor the wearisome; and had never liked a concert better, at leastduring the first act. Towards the close of it, in the intervalsucceeding an Italian song, she explained the words of the song to MrElliot. They had a concert bill between them. 

"This, " said she, "is nearly the sense, or rather the meaning of thewords, for certainly the sense of an Italian love-song must not betalked of, but it is as nearly the meaning as I can give; for I do notpretend to understand the language. I am a very poor Italian scholar. "

"Yes, yes, I see you are. I see you know nothing of the matter. Youhave only knowledge enough of the language to translate at sight theseinverted, transposed, curtailed Italian lines, into clear, comprehensible, elegant English. You need not say anything more ofyour ignorance. Here is complete proof. "

"I will not oppose such kind politeness; but I should be sorry to beexamined by a real proficient. "

"I have not had the pleasure of visiting in Camden Place so long, "replied he, "without knowing something of Miss Anne Elliot; and I doregard her as one who is too modest for the world in general to beaware of half her accomplishments, and too highly accomplished formodesty to be natural in any other woman. "

"For shame! for shame! this is too much flattery. I forget what we areto have next, " turning to the bill. 

"Perhaps, " said Mr Elliot, speaking low, "I have had a longeracquaintance with your character than you are aware of. "

"Indeed! How so? You can have been acquainted with it only since Icame to Bath, excepting as you might hear me previously spoken of in myown family. "

"I knew you by report long before you came to Bath. I had heard youdescribed by those who knew you intimately. I have been acquaintedwith you by character many years. Your person, your disposition, accomplishments, manner; they were all present to me. "

Mr Elliot was not disappointed in the interest he hoped to raise. Noone can withstand the charm of such a mystery. To have been describedlong ago to a recent acquaintance, by nameless people, is irresistible;and Anne was all curiosity. She wondered, and questioned him eagerly;but in vain. He delighted in being asked, but he would not tell. 

"No, no, some time or other, perhaps, but not now. He would mention nonames now; but such, he could assure her, had been the fact. He hadmany years ago received such a description of Miss Anne Elliot as hadinspired him with the highest idea of her merit, and excited thewarmest curiosity to know her. "

Anne could think of no one so likely to have spoken with partiality ofher many years ago as the Mr Wentworth of Monkford, Captain Wentworth'sbrother. He might have been in Mr Elliot's company, but she had notcourage to ask the question. 

"The name of Anne Elliot, " said he, "has long had an interesting soundto me. Very long has it possessed a charm over my fancy; and, if Idared, I would breathe my wishes that the name might never change. "

Such, she believed, were his words; but scarcely had she received theirsound, than her attention was caught by other sounds immediately behindher, which rendered every thing else trivial. Her father and LadyDalrymple were speaking. 

"A well-looking man, " said Sir Walter, "a very well-looking man. "

"A very fine young man indeed!" said Lady Dalrymple. "More air thanone often sees in Bath. Irish, I dare say. "

"No, I just know his name. A bowing acquaintance. Wentworth; CaptainWentworth of the navy. His sister married my tenant in Somersetshire, the Croft, who rents Kellynch. "

Before Sir Walter had reached this point, Anne's eyes had caught theright direction, and distinguished Captain Wentworth standing among acluster of men at a little distance. As her eyes fell on him, hisseemed to be withdrawn from her. It had that appearance. It seemed asif she had been one moment too late; and as long as she dared observe, he did not look again: but the performance was recommencing, and shewas forced to seem to restore her attention to the orchestra and lookstraight forward. 

When she could give another glance, he had moved away. He could nothave come nearer to her if he would; she was so surrounded and shut in:but she would rather have caught his eye. 

Mr Elliot's speech, too, distressed her. She had no longer anyinclination to talk to him. She wished him not so near her. 

The first act was over. Now she hoped for some beneficial change; and, after a period of nothing-saying amongst the party, some of them diddecide on going in quest of tea. Anne was one of the few who did notchoose to move. She remained in her seat, and so did Lady Russell; butshe had the pleasure of getting rid of Mr Elliot; and she did not mean, whatever she might feel on Lady Russell's account, to shrink fromconversation with Captain Wentworth, if he gave her the opportunity. She was persuaded by Lady Russell's countenance that she had seen him. 

He did not come however. Anne sometimes fancied she discerned him at adistance, but he never came. The anxious interval wore awayunproductively. The others returned, the room filled again, bencheswere reclaimed and repossessed, and another hour of pleasure or ofpenance was to be sat out, another hour of music was to give delight orthe gapes, as real or affected taste for it prevailed. To Anne, itchiefly wore the prospect of an hour of agitation. She could not quitthat room in peace without seeing Captain Wentworth once more, withoutthe interchange of one friendly look. 

In re-settling themselves there were now many changes, the result ofwhich was favourable for her. Colonel Wallis declined sitting downagain, and Mr Elliot was invited by Elizabeth and Miss Carteret, in amanner not to be refused, to sit between them; and by some otherremovals, and a little scheming of her own, Anne was enabled to placeherself much nearer the end of the bench than she had been before, muchmore within reach of a passer-by. She could not do so, withoutcomparing herself with Miss Larolles, the inimitable Miss Larolles; butstill she did it, and not with much happier effect; though by whatseemed prosperity in the shape of an early abdication in her nextneighbours, she found herself at the very end of the bench before theconcert closed. 

Such was her situation, with a vacant space at hand, when CaptainWentworth was again in sight. She saw him not far off. He saw hertoo; yet he looked grave, and seemed irresolute, and only by very slowdegrees came at last near enough to speak to her. She felt thatsomething must be the matter. The change was indubitable. Thedifference between his present air and what it had been in the OctagonRoom was strikingly great. Why was it? She thought of her father, ofLady Russell. Could there have been any unpleasant glances? He beganby speaking of the concert gravely, more like the Captain Wentworth ofUppercross; owned himself disappointed, had expected singing; and inshort, must confess that he should not be sorry when it was over. Annereplied, and spoke in defence of the performance so well, and yet inallowance for his feelings so pleasantly, that his countenanceimproved, and he replied again with almost a smile. They talked for afew minutes more; the improvement held; he even looked down towards thebench, as if he saw a place on it well worth occupying; when at thatmoment a touch on her shoulder obliged Anne to turn round. It camefrom Mr Elliot. He begged her pardon, but she must be applied to, toexplain Italian again. Miss Carteret was very anxious to have ageneral idea of what was next to be sung. Anne could not refuse; butnever had she sacrificed to politeness with a more suffering spirit. 

A few minutes, though as few as possible, were inevitably consumed; andwhen her own mistress again, when able to turn and look as she had donebefore, she found herself accosted by Captain Wentworth, in a reservedyet hurried sort of farewell. "He must wish her good night; he wasgoing; he should get home as fast as he could. "

"Is not this song worth staying for?" said Anne, suddenly struck by anidea which made her yet more anxious to be encouraging. 

"No!" he replied impressively, "there is nothing worth my staying for;"and he was gone directly. 

Jealousy of Mr Elliot! It was the only intelligible motive. CaptainWentworth jealous of her affection! Could she have believed it a weekago; three hours ago! For a moment the gratification was exquisite. But, alas! there were very different thoughts to succeed. How was suchjealousy to be quieted? How was the truth to reach him? How, in allthe peculiar disadvantages of their respective situations, would heever learn of her real sentiments? It was misery to think of MrElliot's attentions. Their evil was incalculable. 

Chapter 21

Anne recollected with pleasure the next morning her promise of going toMrs Smith, meaning that it should engage her from home at the time whenMr Elliot would be most likely to call; for to avoid Mr Elliot wasalmost a first object. 

She felt a great deal of good-will towards him. In spite of themischief of his attentions, she owed him gratitude and regard, perhapscompassion. She could not help thinking much of the extraordinarycircumstances attending their acquaintance, of the right which heseemed to have to interest her, by everything in situation, by his ownsentiments, by his early prepossession. It was altogether veryextraordinary; flattering, but painful. There was much to regret. Howshe might have felt had there been no Captain Wentworth in the case, was not worth enquiry; for there was a Captain Wentworth; and be theconclusion of the present suspense good or bad, her affection would behis for ever. Their union, she believed, could not divide her morefrom other men, than their final separation. 

Prettier musings of high-wrought love and eternal constancy, couldnever have passed along the streets of Bath, than Anne was sportingwith from Camden Place to Westgate Buildings. It was almost enough tospread purification and perfume all the way. 

She was sure of a pleasant reception; and her friend seemed thismorning particularly obliged to her for coming, seemed hardly to haveexpected her, though it had been an appointment. 

An account of the concert was immediately claimed; and Anne'srecollections of the concert were quite happy enough to animate herfeatures and make her rejoice to talk of it. All that she could tellshe told most gladly, but the all was little for one who had beenthere, and unsatisfactory for such an enquirer as Mrs Smith, who hadalready heard, through the short cut of a laundress and a waiter, rather more of the general success and produce of the evening than Annecould relate, and who now asked in vain for several particulars of thecompany. Everybody of any consequence or notoriety in Bath was wellknow by name to Mrs Smith. 

"The little Durands were there, I conclude, " said she, "with theirmouths open to catch the music, like unfledged sparrows ready to befed. They never miss a concert. "

"Yes; I did not see them myself, but I heard Mr Elliot say they were inthe room. "

"The Ibbotsons, were they there? and the two new beauties, with thetall Irish officer, who is talked of for one of them. "

"I do not know. I do not think they were. "

"Old Lady Mary Maclean? I need not ask after her. She never misses, Iknow; and you must have seen her. She must have been in your owncircle; for as you went with Lady Dalrymple, you were in the seats ofgrandeur, round the orchestra, of course. "

"No, that was what I dreaded. It would have been very unpleasant to mein every respect. But happily Lady Dalrymple always chooses to befarther off; and we were exceedingly well placed, that is, for hearing;I must not say for seeing, because I appear to have seen very little. "

"Oh! you saw enough for your own amusement. I can understand. Thereis a sort of domestic enjoyment to be known even in a crowd, and thisyou had. You were a large party in yourselves, and you wanted nothingbeyond. "

"But I ought to have looked about me more, " said Anne, conscious whileshe spoke that there had in fact been no want of looking about, thatthe object only had been deficient. 

"No, no; you were better employed. You need not tell me that you had apleasant evening. I see it in your eye. I perfectly see how the hourspassed: that you had always something agreeable to listen to. In theintervals of the concert it was conversation. "

Anne half smiled and said, "Do you see that in my eye?"

"Yes, I do. Your countenance perfectly informs me that you were incompany last night with the person whom you think the most agreeable inthe world, the person who interests you at this present time more thanall the rest of the world put together. "

A blush overspread Anne's cheeks. She could say nothing. 

"And such being the case, " continued Mrs Smith, after a short pause, "Ihope you believe that I do know how to value your kindness in coming tome this morning. It is really very good of you to come and sit withme, when you must have so many pleasanter demands upon your time. "

Anne heard nothing of this. She was still in the astonishment andconfusion excited by her friend's penetration, unable to imagine howany report of Captain Wentworth could have reached her. After anothershort silence--

"Pray, " said Mrs Smith, "is Mr Elliot aware of your acquaintance withme? Does he know that I am in Bath?"

"Mr Elliot!" repeated Anne, looking up surprised. A moment'sreflection shewed her the mistake she had been under. She caught itinstantaneously; and recovering her courage with the feeling of safety, soon added, more composedly, "Are you acquainted with Mr Elliot?"

"I have been a good deal acquainted with him, " replied Mrs Smith, gravely, "but it seems worn out now. It is a great while since we met. "

"I was not at all aware of this. You never mentioned it before. Had Iknown it, I would have had the pleasure of talking to him about you. "

"To confess the truth, " said Mrs Smith, assuming her usual air ofcheerfulness, "that is exactly the pleasure I want you to have. I wantyou to talk about me to Mr Elliot. I want your interest with him. Hecan be of essential service to me; and if you would have the goodness, my dear Miss Elliot, to make it an object to yourself, of course it isdone. "

"I should be extremely happy; I hope you cannot doubt my willingness tobe of even the slightest use to you, " replied Anne; "but I suspect thatyou are considering me as having a higher claim on Mr Elliot, a greaterright to influence him, than is really the case. I am sure you have, somehow or other, imbibed such a notion. You must consider me only asMr Elliot's relation. If in that light there is anything which yousuppose his cousin might fairly ask of him, I beg you would nothesitate to employ me. "

Mrs Smith gave her a penetrating glance, and then, smiling, said--

"I have been a little premature, I perceive; I beg your pardon. Iought to have waited for official information, But now, my dear MissElliot, as an old friend, do give me a hint as to when I may speak. Next week? To be sure by next week I may be allowed to think it allsettled, and build my own selfish schemes on Mr Elliot's good fortune. "

"No, " replied Anne, "nor next week, nor next, nor next. I assure youthat nothing of the sort you are thinking of will be settled any week. I am not going to marry Mr Elliot. I should like to know why youimagine I am?"

Mrs Smith looked at her again, looked earnestly, smiled, shook herhead, and exclaimed--

"Now, how I do wish I understood you! How I do wish I knew what youwere at! I have a great idea that you do not design to be cruel, whenthe right moment occurs. Till it does come, you know, we women nevermean to have anybody. It is a thing of course among us, that every manis refused, till he offers. But why should you be cruel? Let me pleadfor my--present friend I cannot call him, but for my former friend. Where can you look for a more suitable match? Where could you expect amore gentlemanlike, agreeable man? Let me recommend Mr Elliot. I amsure you hear nothing but good of him from Colonel Wallis; and who canknow him better than Colonel Wallis?"

"My dear Mrs Smith, Mr Elliot's wife has not been dead much above halfa year. He ought not to be supposed to be paying his addresses to anyone. "

"Oh! if these are your only objections, " cried Mrs Smith, archly, "MrElliot is safe, and I shall give myself no more trouble about him. Donot forget me when you are married, that's all. Let him know me to bea friend of yours, and then he will think little of the troublerequired, which it is very natural for him now, with so many affairsand engagements of his own, to avoid and get rid of as he can; verynatural, perhaps. Ninety-nine out of a hundred would do the same. Ofcourse, he cannot be aware of the importance to me. Well, my dear MissElliot, I hope and trust you will be very happy. Mr Elliot has senseto understand the value of such a woman. Your peace will not beshipwrecked as mine has been. You are safe in all worldly matters, andsafe in his character. He will not be led astray; he will not bemisled by others to his ruin. "

"No, " said Anne, "I can readily believe all that of my cousin. Heseems to have a calm decided temper, not at all open to dangerousimpressions. I consider him with great respect. I have no reason, from any thing that has fallen within my observation, to do otherwise. But I have not known him long; and he is not a man, I think, to beknown intimately soon. Will not this manner of speaking of him, MrsSmith, convince you that he is nothing to me? Surely this must be calmenough. And, upon my word, he is nothing to me. Should he everpropose to me (which I have very little reason to imagine he has anythought of doing), I shall not accept him. I assure you I shall not. I assure you, Mr Elliot had not the share which you have beensupposing, in whatever pleasure the concert of last night might afford:not Mr Elliot; it is not Mr Elliot that--"

She stopped, regretting with a deep blush that she had implied so much;but less would hardly have been sufficient. Mrs Smith would hardlyhave believed so soon in Mr Elliot's failure, but from the perceptionof there being a somebody else. As it was, she instantly submitted, and with all the semblance of seeing nothing beyond; and Anne, eager toescape farther notice, was impatient to know why Mrs Smith should havefancied she was to marry Mr Elliot; where she could have received theidea, or from whom she could have heard it. 

"Do tell me how it first came into your head. "

"It first came into my head, " replied Mrs Smith, "upon finding how muchyou were together, and feeling it to be the most probable thing in theworld to be wished for by everybody belonging to either of you; and youmay depend upon it that all your acquaintance have disposed of you inthe same way. But I never heard it spoken of till two days ago. "

"And has it indeed been spoken of?"

"Did you observe the woman who opened the door to you when you calledyesterday?"

"No. Was not it Mrs Speed, as usual, or the maid? I observed no onein particular. "

"It was my friend Mrs Rooke; Nurse Rooke; who, by-the-bye, had a greatcuriosity to see you, and was delighted to be in the way to let you in. She came away from Marlborough Buildings only on Sunday; and she it waswho told me you were to marry Mr Elliot. She had had it from MrsWallis herself, which did not seem bad authority. She sat an hour withme on Monday evening, and gave me the whole history. " "The wholehistory, " repeated Anne, laughing. "She could not make a very longhistory, I think, of one such little article of unfounded news. "

Mrs Smith said nothing. 

"But, " continued Anne, presently, "though there is no truth in myhaving this claim on Mr Elliot, I should be extremely happy to be ofuse to you in any way that I could. Shall I mention to him your beingin Bath? Shall I take any message?"

"No, I thank you: no, certainly not. In the warmth of the moment, andunder a mistaken impression, I might, perhaps, have endeavoured tointerest you in some circumstances; but not now. No, I thank you, Ihave nothing to trouble you with. "

"I think you spoke of having known Mr Elliot many years?"

"I did. "

"Not before he was married, I suppose?"

"Yes; he was not married when I knew him first. "

"And--were you much acquainted?"

"Intimately. "

"Indeed! Then do tell me what he was at that time of life. I have agreat curiosity to know what Mr Elliot was as a very young man. Was heat all such as he appears now?"

"I have not seen Mr Elliot these three years, " was Mrs Smith's answer, given so gravely that it was impossible to pursue the subject farther;and Anne felt that she had gained nothing but an increase of curiosity. They were both silent: Mrs Smith very thoughtful. At last--

"I beg your pardon, my dear Miss Elliot, " she cried, in her naturaltone of cordiality, "I beg your pardon for the short answers I havebeen giving you, but I have been uncertain what I ought to do. I havebeen doubting and considering as to what I ought to tell you. Therewere many things to be taken into the account. One hates to beofficious, to be giving bad impressions, making mischief. Even thesmooth surface of family-union seems worth preserving, though there maybe nothing durable beneath. However, I have determined; I think I amright; I think you ought to be made acquainted with Mr Elliot's realcharacter. Though I fully believe that, at present, you have not thesmallest intention of accepting him, there is no saying what mayhappen. You might, some time or other, be differently affected towardshim. Hear the truth, therefore, now, while you are unprejudiced. MrElliot is a man without heart or conscience; a designing, wary, cold-blooded being, who thinks only of himself; whom for his owninterest or ease, would be guilty of any cruelty, or any treachery, that could be perpetrated without risk of his general character. Hehas no feeling for others. Those whom he has been the chief cause ofleading into ruin, he can neglect and desert without the smallestcompunction. He is totally beyond the reach of any sentiment ofjustice or compassion. Oh! he is black at heart, hollow and black!"

Anne's astonished air, and exclamation of wonder, made her pause, andin a calmer manner, she added, "My expressions startle you. You must allow for an injured, angrywoman. But I will try to command myself. I will not abuse him. Iwill only tell you what I have found him. Facts shall speak. He wasthe intimate friend of my dear husband, who trusted and loved him, andthought him as good as himself. The intimacy had been formed beforeour marriage. I found them most intimate friends; and I, too, becameexcessively pleased with Mr Elliot, and entertained the highest opinionof him. At nineteen, you know, one does not think very seriously; butMr Elliot appeared to me quite as good as others, and much moreagreeable than most others, and we were almost always together. Wewere principally in town, living in very good style. He was then theinferior in circumstances; he was then the poor one; he had chambers inthe Temple, and it was as much as he could do to support the appearanceof a gentleman. He had always a home with us whenever he chose it; hewas always welcome; he was like a brother. My poor Charles, who hadthe finest, most generous spirit in the world, would have divided hislast farthing with him; and I know that his purse was open to him; Iknow that he often assisted him. "

"This must have been about that very period of Mr Elliot's life, " saidAnne, "which has always excited my particular curiosity. It must havebeen about the same time that he became known to my father and sister. I never knew him myself; I only heard of him; but there was a somethingin his conduct then, with regard to my father and sister, andafterwards in the circumstances of his marriage, which I never couldquite reconcile with present times. It seemed to announce a differentsort of man. "

"I know it all, I know it all, " cried Mrs Smith. "He had beenintroduced to Sir Walter and your sister before I was acquainted withhim, but I heard him speak of them for ever. I know he was invited andencouraged, and I know he did not choose to go. I can satisfy you, perhaps, on points which you would little expect; and as to hismarriage, I knew all about it at the time. I was privy to all the forsand againsts; I was the friend to whom he confided his hopes and plans;and though I did not know his wife previously, her inferior situationin society, indeed, rendered that impossible, yet I knew her all herlife afterwards, or at least till within the last two years of herlife, and can answer any question you may wish to put. "

"Nay, " said Anne, "I have no particular enquiry to make about her. Ihave always understood they were not a happy couple. But I should liketo know why, at that time of his life, he should slight my father'sacquaintance as he did. My father was certainly disposed to take verykind and proper notice of him. Why did Mr Elliot draw back?"

"Mr Elliot, " replied Mrs Smith, "at that period of his life, had oneobject in view: to make his fortune, and by a rather quicker processthan the law. He was determined to make it by marriage. He wasdetermined, at least, not to mar it by an imprudent marriage; and Iknow it was his belief (whether justly or not, of course I cannotdecide), that your father and sister, in their civilities andinvitations, were designing a match between the heir and the younglady, and it was impossible that such a match should have answered hisideas of wealth and independence. That was his motive for drawingback, I can assure you. He told me the whole story. He had noconcealments with me. It was curious, that having just left you behindme in Bath, my first and principal acquaintance on marrying should beyour cousin; and that, through him, I should be continually hearing ofyour father and sister. He described one Miss Elliot, and I thoughtvery affectionately of the other. "

"Perhaps, " cried Anne, struck by a sudden idea, "you sometimes spoke ofme to Mr Elliot?"

"To be sure I did; very often. I used to boast of my own Anne Elliot, and vouch for your being a very different creature from--"

She checked herself just in time. 

"This accounts for something which Mr Elliot said last night, " criedAnne. "This explains it. I found he had been used to hear of me. Icould not comprehend how. What wild imaginations one forms where dearself is concerned! How sure to be mistaken! But I beg your pardon; Ihave interrupted you. Mr Elliot married then completely for money?The circumstances, probably, which first opened your eyes to hischaracter. "

Mrs Smith hesitated a little here. "Oh! those things are too common. When one lives in the world, a man or woman's marrying for money is toocommon to strike one as it ought. I was very young, and associatedonly with the young, and we were a thoughtless, gay set, without anystrict rules of conduct. We lived for enjoyment. I think differentlynow; time and sickness and sorrow have given me other notions; but atthat period I must own I saw nothing reprehensible in what Mr Elliotwas doing. 'To do the best for himself, ' passed as a duty. "

"But was not she a very low woman?"

"Yes; which I objected to, but he would not regard. Money, money, wasall that he wanted. Her father was a grazier, her grandfather had beena butcher, but that was all nothing. She was a fine woman, had had adecent education, was brought forward by some cousins, thrown by chanceinto Mr Elliot's company, and fell in love with him; and not adifficulty or a scruple was there on his side, with respect to herbirth. All his caution was spent in being secured of the real amountof her fortune, before he committed himself. Depend upon it, whateveresteem Mr Elliot may have for his own situation in life now, as a youngman he had not the smallest value for it. His chance for the Kellynchestate was something, but all the honour of the family he held as cheapas dirt. I have often heard him declare, that if baronetcies weresaleable, anybody should have his for fifty pounds, arms and motto, name and livery included; but I will not pretend to repeat half that Iused to hear him say on that subject. It would not be fair; and yetyou ought to have proof, for what is all this but assertion, and youshall have proof. "

"Indeed, my dear Mrs Smith, I want none, " cried Anne. "You haveasserted nothing contradictory to what Mr Elliot appeared to be someyears ago. This is all in confirmation, rather, of what we used tohear and believe. I am more curious to know why he should be sodifferent now. "

"But for my satisfaction, if you will have the goodness to ring forMary; stay: I am sure you will have the still greater goodness ofgoing yourself into my bedroom, and bringing me the small inlaid boxwhich you will find on the upper shelf of the closet. "

Anne, seeing her friend to be earnestly bent on it, did as she wasdesired. The box was brought and placed before her, and Mrs Smith, sighing over it as she unlocked it, said--

"This is full of papers belonging to him, to my husband; a smallportion only of what I had to look over when I lost him. The letter Iam looking for was one written by Mr Elliot to him before our marriage, and happened to be saved; why, one can hardly imagine. But he wascareless and immethodical, like other men, about those things; and whenI came to examine his papers, I found it with others still moretrivial, from different people scattered here and there, while manyletters and memorandums of real importance had been destroyed. Here itis; I would not burn it, because being even then very little satisfiedwith Mr Elliot, I was determined to preserve every document of formerintimacy. I have now another motive for being glad that I can produceit. "

This was the letter, directed to "Charles Smith, Esq. Tunbridge Wells, "and dated from London, as far back as July, 1803:--

"Dear Smith, --I have received yours. Your kindness almost overpowersme. I wish nature had made such hearts as yours more common, but Ihave lived three-and-twenty years in the world, and have seen none likeit. At present, believe me, I have no need of your services, being incash again. Give me joy: I have got rid of Sir Walter and Miss. Theyare gone back to Kellynch, and almost made me swear to visit them thissummer; but my first visit to Kellynch will be with a surveyor, to tellme how to bring it with best advantage to the hammer. The baronet, nevertheless, is not unlikely to marry again; he is quite fool enough. If he does, however, they will leave me in peace, which may be a decentequivalent for the reversion. He is worse than last year. 

"I wish I had any name but Elliot. I am sick of it. The name ofWalter I can drop, thank God! and I desire you will never insult mewith my second W. Again, meaning, for the rest of my life, to be onlyyours truly, --Wm. Elliot. "

Such a letter could not be read without putting Anne in a glow; and MrsSmith, observing the high colour in her face, said--

"The language, I know, is highly disrespectful. Though I have forgotthe exact terms, I have a perfect impression of the general meaning. But it shows you the man. Mark his professions to my poor husband. Can any thing be stronger?"

Anne could not immediately get over the shock and mortification offinding such words applied to her father. She was obliged to recollectthat her seeing the letter was a violation of the laws of honour, thatno one ought to be judged or to be known by such testimonies, that noprivate correspondence could bear the eye of others, before she couldrecover calmness enough to return the letter which she had beenmeditating over, and say--

"Thank you. This is full proof undoubtedly; proof of every thing youwere saying. But why be acquainted with us now?"

"I can explain this too, " cried Mrs Smith, smiling. 

"Can you really?"

"Yes. I have shewn you Mr Elliot as he was a dozen years ago, and Iwill shew him as he is now. I cannot produce written proof again, butI can give as authentic oral testimony as you can desire, of what he isnow wanting, and what he is now doing. He is no hypocrite now. Hetruly wants to marry you. His present attentions to your family arevery sincere: quite from the heart. I will give you my authority: hisfriend Colonel Wallis. "

"Colonel Wallis! you are acquainted with him?"

"No. It does not come to me in quite so direct a line as that; ittakes a bend or two, but nothing of consequence. The stream is as goodas at first; the little rubbish it collects in the turnings is easilymoved away. Mr Elliot talks unreservedly to Colonel Wallis of hisviews on you, which said Colonel Wallis, I imagine to be, in himself, asensible, careful, discerning sort of character; but Colonel Wallis hasa very pretty silly wife, to whom he tells things which he had betternot, and he repeats it all to her. She in the overflowing spirits ofher recovery, repeats it all to her nurse; and the nurse knowing myacquaintance with you, very naturally brings it all to me. On Mondayevening, my good friend Mrs Rooke let me thus much into the secrets ofMarlborough Buildings. When I talked of a whole history, therefore, you see I was not romancing so much as you supposed. "

"My dear Mrs Smith, your authority is deficient. This will not do. MrElliot's having any views on me will not in the least account for theefforts he made towards a reconciliation with my father. That was allprior to my coming to Bath. I found them on the most friendly termswhen I arrived. "

"I know you did; I know it all perfectly, but--"

"Indeed, Mrs Smith, we must not expect to get real information in sucha line. Facts or opinions which are to pass through the hands of somany, to be misconceived by folly in one, and ignorance in another, canhardly have much truth left. "

"Only give me a hearing. You will soon be able to judge of the generalcredit due, by listening to some particulars which you can yourselfimmediately contradict or confirm. Nobody supposes that you were hisfirst inducement. He had seen you indeed, before he came to Bath, andadmired you, but without knowing it to be you. So says my historian, at least. Is this true? Did he see you last summer or autumn, 'somewhere down in the west, ' to use her own words, without knowing itto be you?"

"He certainly did. So far it is very true. At Lyme. I happened to beat Lyme. "

"Well, " continued Mrs Smith, triumphantly, "grant my friend the creditdue to the establishment of the first point asserted. He saw you thenat Lyme, and liked you so well as to be exceedingly pleased to meetwith you again in Camden Place, as Miss Anne Elliot, and from thatmoment, I have no doubt, had a double motive in his visits there. Butthere was another, and an earlier, which I will now explain. If thereis anything in my story which you know to be either false orimprobable, stop me. My account states, that your sister's friend, thelady now staying with you, whom I have heard you mention, came to Bathwith Miss Elliot and Sir Walter as long ago as September (in short whenthey first came themselves), and has been staying there ever since;that she is a clever, insinuating, handsome woman, poor and plausible, and altogether such in situation and manner, as to give a general idea, among Sir Walter's acquaintance, of her meaning to be Lady Elliot, andas general a surprise that Miss Elliot should be apparently, blind tothe danger. "

Here Mrs Smith paused a moment; but Anne had not a word to say, and shecontinued--

"This was the light in which it appeared to those who knew the family, long before you returned to it; and Colonel Wallis had his eye uponyour father enough to be sensible of it, though he did not then visitin Camden Place; but his regard for Mr Elliot gave him an interest inwatching all that was going on there, and when Mr Elliot came to Bathfor a day or two, as he happened to do a little before Christmas, Colonel Wallis made him acquainted with the appearance of things, andthe reports beginning to prevail. Now you are to understand, that timehad worked a very material change in Mr Elliot's opinions as to thevalue of a baronetcy. Upon all points of blood and connexion he is acompletely altered man. Having long had as much money as he couldspend, nothing to wish for on the side of avarice or indulgence, he hasbeen gradually learning to pin his happiness upon the consequence he isheir to. I thought it coming on before our acquaintance ceased, but itis now a confirmed feeling. He cannot bear the idea of not being SirWilliam. You may guess, therefore, that the news he heard from hisfriend could not be very agreeable, and you may guess what it produced;the resolution of coming back to Bath as soon as possible, and offixing himself here for a time, with the view of renewing his formeracquaintance, and recovering such a footing in the family as might givehim the means of ascertaining the degree of his danger, and ofcircumventing the lady if he found it material. This was agreed uponbetween the two friends as the only thing to be done; and ColonelWallis was to assist in every way that he could. He was to beintroduced, and Mrs Wallis was to be introduced, and everybody was tobe introduced. Mr Elliot came back accordingly; and on application wasforgiven, as you know, and re-admitted into the family; and there itwas his constant object, and his only object (till your arrival addedanother motive), to watch Sir Walter and Mrs Clay. He omitted noopportunity of being with them, threw himself in their way, called atall hours; but I need not be particular on this subject. You canimagine what an artful man would do; and with this guide, perhaps, mayrecollect what you have seen him do. "

"Yes, " said Anne, "you tell me nothing which does not accord with whatI have known, or could imagine. There is always something offensive inthe details of cunning. The manoeuvres of selfishness and duplicitymust ever be revolting, but I have heard nothing which really surprisesme. I know those who would be shocked by such a representation of MrElliot, who would have difficulty in believing it; but I have neverbeen satisfied. I have always wanted some other motive for his conductthan appeared. I should like to know his present opinion, as to theprobability of the event he has been in dread of; whether he considersthe danger to be lessening or not. "

"Lessening, I understand, " replied Mrs Smith. "He thinks Mrs Clayafraid of him, aware that he sees through her, and not daring toproceed as she might do in his absence. But since he must be absentsome time or other, I do not perceive how he can ever be secure whileshe holds her present influence. Mrs Wallis has an amusing idea, asnurse tells me, that it is to be put into the marriage articles whenyou and Mr Elliot marry, that your father is not to marry Mrs Clay. Ascheme, worthy of Mrs Wallis's understanding, by all accounts; but mysensible nurse Rooke sees the absurdity of it. 'Why, to be sure, ma'am, ' said she, 'it would not prevent his marrying anybody else. 'And, indeed, to own the truth, I do not think nurse, in her heart, is avery strenuous opposer of Sir Walter's making a second match. She mustbe allowed to be a favourer of matrimony, you know; and (since selfwill intrude) who can say that she may not have some flying visions ofattending the next Lady Elliot, through Mrs Wallis's recommendation?"

"I am very glad to know all this, " said Anne, after a littlethoughtfulness. "It will be more painful to me in some respects to bein company with him, but I shall know better what to do. My line ofconduct will be more direct. Mr Elliot is evidently a disingenuous, artificial, worldly man, who has never had any better principle toguide him than selfishness. "

But Mr Elliot was not done with. Mrs Smith had been carried away fromher first direction, and Anne had forgotten, in the interest of her ownfamily concerns, how much had been originally implied against him; buther attention was now called to the explanation of those first hints, and she listened to a recital which, if it did not perfectly justifythe unqualified bitterness of Mrs Smith, proved him to have been veryunfeeling in his conduct towards her; very deficient both in justiceand compassion. 

She learned that (the intimacy between them continuing unimpaired by MrElliot's marriage) they had been as before always together, and MrElliot had led his friend into expenses much beyond his fortune. MrsSmith did not want to take blame to herself, and was most tender ofthrowing any on her husband; but Anne could collect that their incomehad never been equal to their style of living, and that from the firstthere had been a great deal of general and joint extravagance. Fromhis wife's account of him she could discern Mr Smith to have been a manof warm feelings, easy temper, careless habits, and not strongunderstanding, much more amiable than his friend, and very unlike him, led by him, and probably despised by him. Mr Elliot, raised by hismarriage to great affluence, and disposed to every gratification ofpleasure and vanity which could be commanded without involving himself, (for with all his self-indulgence he had become a prudent man), andbeginning to be rich, just as his friend ought to have found himself tobe poor, seemed to have had no concern at all for that friend'sprobable finances, but, on the contrary, had been prompting andencouraging expenses which could end only in ruin; and the Smithsaccordingly had been ruined. 

The husband had died just in time to be spared the full knowledge ofit. They had previously known embarrassments enough to try thefriendship of their friends, and to prove that Mr Elliot's had betternot be tried; but it was not till his death that the wretched state ofhis affairs was fully known. With a confidence in Mr Elliot's regard, more creditable to his feelings than his judgement, Mr Smith hadappointed him the executor of his will; but Mr Elliot would not act, and the difficulties and distress which this refusal had heaped on her, in addition to the inevitable sufferings of her situation, had beensuch as could not be related without anguish of spirit, or listened towithout corresponding indignation. 

Anne was shewn some letters of his on the occasion, answers to urgentapplications from Mrs Smith, which all breathed the same sternresolution of not engaging in a fruitless trouble, and, under a coldcivility, the same hard-hearted indifference to any of the evils itmight bring on her. It was a dreadful picture of ingratitude andinhumanity; and Anne felt, at some moments, that no flagrant open crimecould have been worse. She had a great deal to listen to; all theparticulars of past sad scenes, all the minutiae of distress upondistress, which in former conversations had been merely hinted at, weredwelt on now with a natural indulgence. Anne could perfectlycomprehend the exquisite relief, and was only the more inclined towonder at the composure of her friend's usual state of mind. 

There was one circumstance in the history of her grievances ofparticular irritation. She had good reason to believe that someproperty of her husband in the West Indies, which had been for manyyears under a sort of sequestration for the payment of its ownincumbrances, might be recoverable by proper measures; and thisproperty, though not large, would be enough to make her comparativelyrich. But there was nobody to stir in it. Mr Elliot would do nothing, and she could do nothing herself, equally disabled from personalexertion by her state of bodily weakness, and from employing others byher want of money. She had no natural connexions to assist her evenwith their counsel, and she could not afford to purchase the assistanceof the law. This was a cruel aggravation of actually straitened means. To feel that she ought to be in better circumstances, that a littletrouble in the right place might do it, and to fear that delay might beeven weakening her claims, was hard to bear. 

It was on this point that she had hoped to engage Anne's good officeswith Mr Elliot. She had previously, in the anticipation of theirmarriage, been very apprehensive of losing her friend by it; but onbeing assured that he could have made no attempt of that nature, sincehe did not even know her to be in Bath, it immediately occurred, thatsomething might be done in her favour by the influence of the woman heloved, and she had been hastily preparing to interest Anne's feelings, as far as the observances due to Mr Elliot's character would allow, when Anne's refutation of the supposed engagement changed the face ofeverything; and while it took from her the new-formed hope ofsucceeding in the object of her first anxiety, left her at least thecomfort of telling the whole story her own way. 

After listening to this full description of Mr Elliot, Anne could notbut express some surprise at Mrs Smith's having spoken of him sofavourably in the beginning of their conversation. "She had seemed torecommend and praise him!"

"My dear, " was Mrs Smith's reply, "there was nothing else to be done. I considered your marrying him as certain, though he might not yet havemade the offer, and I could no more speak the truth of him, than if hehad been your husband. My heart bled for you, as I talked ofhappiness; and yet he is sensible, he is agreeable, and with such awoman as you, it was not absolutely hopeless. He was very unkind tohis first wife. They were wretched together. But she was too ignorantand giddy for respect, and he had never loved her. I was willing tohope that you must fare better. "

Anne could just acknowledge within herself such a possibility of havingbeen induced to marry him, as made her shudder at the idea of themisery which must have followed. It was just possible that she mighthave been persuaded by Lady Russell! And under such a supposition, which would have been most miserable, when time had disclosed all, toolate?

It was very desirable that Lady Russell should be no longer deceived;and one of the concluding arrangements of this important conference, which carried them through the greater part of the morning, was, thatAnne had full liberty to communicate to her friend everything relativeto Mrs Smith, in which his conduct was involved. 

Chapter 22

Anne went home to think over all that she had heard. In one point, herfeelings were relieved by this knowledge of Mr Elliot. There was nolonger anything of tenderness due to him. He stood as opposed toCaptain Wentworth, in all his own unwelcome obtrusiveness; and the evilof his attentions last night, the irremediable mischief he might havedone, was considered with sensations unqualified, unperplexed. Pityfor him was all over. But this was the only point of relief. In everyother respect, in looking around her, or penetrating forward, she sawmore to distrust and to apprehend. She was concerned for thedisappointment and pain Lady Russell would be feeling; for themortifications which must be hanging over her father and sister, andhad all the distress of foreseeing many evils, without knowing how toavert any one of them. She was most thankful for her own knowledge ofhim. She had never considered herself as entitled to reward for notslighting an old friend like Mrs Smith, but here was a reward indeedspringing from it! Mrs Smith had been able to tell her what no oneelse could have done. Could the knowledge have been extended throughher family? But this was a vain idea. She must talk to Lady Russell, tell her, consult with her, and having done her best, wait the eventwith as much composure as possible; and after all, her greatest want ofcomposure would be in that quarter of the mind which could not beopened to Lady Russell; in that flow of anxieties and fears which mustbe all to herself. 

She found, on reaching home, that she had, as she intended, escapedseeing Mr Elliot; that he had called and paid them a long morningvisit; but hardly had she congratulated herself, and felt safe, whenshe heard that he was coming again in the evening. 

"I had not the smallest intention of asking him, " said Elizabeth, withaffected carelessness, "but he gave so many hints; so Mrs Clay says, atleast. "

"Indeed, I do say it. I never saw anybody in my life spell harder foran invitation. Poor man! I was really in pain for him; for yourhard-hearted sister, Miss Anne, seems bent on cruelty. "

"Oh!" cried Elizabeth, "I have been rather too much used to the game tobe soon overcome by a gentleman's hints. However, when I found howexcessively he was regretting that he should miss my father thismorning, I gave way immediately, for I would never really omit anopportunity of bring him and Sir Walter together. They appear to somuch advantage in company with each other. Each behaving sopleasantly. Mr Elliot looking up with so much respect. "

"Quite delightful!" cried Mrs Clay, not daring, however, to turn hereyes towards Anne. "Exactly like father and son! Dear Miss Elliot, may I not say father and son?"

"Oh! I lay no embargo on any body's words. If you will have suchideas! But, upon my word, I am scarcely sensible of his attentionsbeing beyond those of other men. "

"My dear Miss Elliot!" exclaimed Mrs Clay, lifting her hands and eyes, and sinking all the rest of her astonishment in a convenient silence. 

"Well, my dear Penelope, you need not be so alarmed about him. I didinvite him, you know. I sent him away with smiles. When I found hewas really going to his friends at Thornberry Park for the whole dayto-morrow, I had compassion on him. "

Anne admired the good acting of the friend, in being able to shew suchpleasure as she did, in the expectation and in the actual arrival ofthe very person whose presence must really be interfering with herprime object. It was impossible but that Mrs Clay must hate the sightof Mr Elliot; and yet she could assume a most obliging, placid look, and appear quite satisfied with the curtailed license of devotingherself only half as much to Sir Walter as she would have doneotherwise. 

To Anne herself it was most distressing to see Mr Elliot enter theroom; and quite painful to have him approach and speak to her. She hadbeen used before to feel that he could not be always quite sincere, butnow she saw insincerity in everything. His attentive deference to herfather, contrasted with his former language, was odious; and when shethought of his cruel conduct towards Mrs Smith, she could hardly bearthe sight of his present smiles and mildness, or the sound of hisartificial good sentiments. 

She meant to avoid any such alteration of manners as might provoke aremonstrance on his side. It was a great object to her to escape allenquiry or eclat; but it was her intention to be as decidedly cool tohim as might be compatible with their relationship; and to retrace, asquietly as she could, the few steps of unnecessary intimacy she hadbeen gradually led along. She was accordingly more guarded, and morecool, than she had been the night before. 

He wanted to animate her curiosity again as to how and where he couldhave heard her formerly praised; wanted very much to be gratified bymore solicitation; but the charm was broken: he found that the heat andanimation of a public room was necessary to kindle his modest cousin'svanity; he found, at least, that it was not to be done now, by any ofthose attempts which he could hazard among the too-commanding claims ofthe others. He little surmised that it was a subject acting nowexactly against his interest, bringing immediately to her thoughts allthose parts of his conduct which were least excusable. 

She had some satisfaction in finding that he was really going out ofBath the next morning, going early, and that he would be gone thegreater part of two days. He was invited again to Camden Place thevery evening of his return; but from Thursday to Saturday evening hisabsence was certain. It was bad enough that a Mrs Clay should bealways before her; but that a deeper hypocrite should be added to theirparty, seemed the destruction of everything like peace and comfort. Itwas so humiliating to reflect on the constant deception practised onher father and Elizabeth; to consider the various sources ofmortification preparing for them! Mrs Clay's selfishness was not socomplicate nor so revolting as his; and Anne would have compounded forthe marriage at once, with all its evils, to be clear of Mr Elliot'ssubtleties in endeavouring to prevent it. 

On Friday morning she meant to go very early to Lady Russell, andaccomplish the necessary communication; and she would have gonedirectly after breakfast, but that Mrs Clay was also going out on someobliging purpose of saving her sister trouble, which determined her towait till she might be safe from such a companion. She saw Mrs Clayfairly off, therefore, before she began to talk of spending the morningin Rivers Street. 

"Very well, " said Elizabeth, "I have nothing to send but my love. Oh!you may as well take back that tiresome book she would lend me, andpretend I have read it through. I really cannot be plaguing myself forever with all the new poems and states of the nation that come out. Lady Russell quite bores one with her new publications. You need nottell her so, but I thought her dress hideous the other night. I usedto think she had some taste in dress, but I was ashamed of her at theconcert. Something so formal and arrange in her air! and she sits soupright! My best love, of course. "

"And mine, " added Sir Walter. "Kindest regards. And you may say, thatI mean to call upon her soon. Make a civil message; but I shall onlyleave my card. Morning visits are never fair by women at her time oflife, who make themselves up so little. If she would only wear rougeshe would not be afraid of being seen; but last time I called, Iobserved the blinds were let down immediately. "

While her father spoke, there was a knock at the door. Who could itbe? Anne, remembering the preconcerted visits, at all hours, of MrElliot, would have expected him, but for his known engagement sevenmiles off. After the usual period of suspense, the usual sounds ofapproach were heard, and "Mr and Mrs Charles Musgrove" were usheredinto the room. 

Surprise was the strongest emotion raised by their appearance; but Annewas really glad to see them; and the others were not so sorry but thatthey could put on a decent air of welcome; and as soon as it becameclear that these, their nearest relations, were not arrived with anyviews of accommodation in that house, Sir Walter and Elizabeth wereable to rise in cordiality, and do the honours of it very well. Theywere come to Bath for a few days with Mrs Musgrove, and were at theWhite Hart. So much was pretty soon understood; but till Sir Walterand Elizabeth were walking Mary into the other drawing-room, andregaling themselves with her admiration, Anne could not draw uponCharles's brain for a regular history of their coming, or anexplanation of some smiling hints of particular business, which hadbeen ostentatiously dropped by Mary, as well as of some apparentconfusion as to whom their party consisted of. 

She then found that it consisted of Mrs Musgrove, Henrietta, andCaptain Harville, beside their two selves. He gave her a very plain, intelligible account of the whole; a narration in which she saw a greatdeal of most characteristic proceeding. The scheme had received itsfirst impulse by Captain Harville's wanting to come to Bath onbusiness. He had begun to talk of it a week ago; and by way of doingsomething, as shooting was over, Charles had proposed coming with him, and Mrs Harville had seemed to like the idea of it very much, as anadvantage to her husband; but Mary could not bear to be left, and hadmade herself so unhappy about it, that for a day or two everythingseemed to be in suspense, or at an end. But then, it had been taken upby his father and mother. His mother had some old friends in Bath whomshe wanted to see; it was thought a good opportunity for Henrietta tocome and buy wedding-clothes for herself and her sister; and, in short, it ended in being his mother's party, that everything might becomfortable and easy to Captain Harville; and he and Mary were includedin it by way of general convenience. They had arrived late the nightbefore. Mrs Harville, her children, and Captain Benwick, remained withMr Musgrove and Louisa at Uppercross. 

Anne's only surprise was, that affairs should be in forwardness enoughfor Henrietta's wedding-clothes to be talked of. She had imagined suchdifficulties of fortune to exist there as must prevent the marriagefrom being near at hand; but she learned from Charles that, veryrecently, (since Mary's last letter to herself), Charles Hayter hadbeen applied to by a friend to hold a living for a youth who could notpossibly claim it under many years; and that on the strength of hispresent income, with almost a certainty of something more permanentlong before the term in question, the two families had consented to theyoung people's wishes, and that their marriage was likely to take placein a few months, quite as soon as Louisa's. "And a very good living itwas, " Charles added: "only five-and-twenty miles from Uppercross, andin a very fine country: fine part of Dorsetshire. In the centre ofsome of the best preserves in the kingdom, surrounded by three greatproprietors, each more careful and jealous than the other; and to twoof the three at least, Charles Hayter might get a specialrecommendation. Not that he will value it as he ought, " he observed, "Charles is too cool about sporting. That's the worst of him. "

"I am extremely glad, indeed, " cried Anne, "particularly glad that thisshould happen; and that of two sisters, who both deserve equally well, and who have always been such good friends, the pleasant prospect ofone should not be dimming those of the other--that they should be soequal in their prosperity and comfort. I hope your father and motherare quite happy with regard to both. "

"Oh! yes. My father would be well pleased if the gentlemen werericher, but he has no other fault to find. Money, you know, comingdown with money--two daughters at once--it cannot be a very agreeableoperation, and it streightens him as to many things. However, I do notmean to say they have not a right to it. It is very fit they shouldhave daughters' shares; and I am sure he has always been a very kind, liberal father to me. Mary does not above half like Henrietta's match. She never did, you know. But she does not do him justice, nor thinkenough about Winthrop. I cannot make her attend to the value of theproperty. It is a very fair match, as times go; and I have likedCharles Hayter all my life, and I shall not leave off now. "

"Such excellent parents as Mr and Mrs Musgrove, " exclaimed Anne, "should be happy in their children's marriages. They do everything toconfer happiness, I am sure. What a blessing to young people to be insuch hands! Your father and mother seem so totally free from all thoseambitious feelings which have led to so much misconduct and misery, both in young and old. I hope you think Louisa perfectly recoverednow?"

He answered rather hesitatingly, "Yes, I believe I do; very muchrecovered; but she is altered; there is no running or jumping about, nolaughing or dancing; it is quite different. If one happens only toshut the door a little hard, she starts and wriggles like a youngdab-chick in the water; and Benwick sits at her elbow, reading verses, or whispering to her, all day long. "

Anne could not help laughing. "That cannot be much to your taste, Iknow, " said she; "but I do believe him to be an excellent young man. "

"To be sure he is. Nobody doubts it; and I hope you do not think I amso illiberal as to want every man to have the same objects andpleasures as myself. I have a great value for Benwick; and when onecan but get him to talk, he has plenty to say. His reading has donehim no harm, for he has fought as well as read. He is a brave fellow. I got more acquainted with him last Monday than ever I did before. Wehad a famous set-to at rat-hunting all the morning in my father's greatbarns; and he played his part so well that I have liked him the betterever since. "

Here they were interrupted by the absolute necessity of Charles'sfollowing the others to admire mirrors and china; but Anne had heardenough to understand the present state of Uppercross, and rejoice inits happiness; and though she sighed as she rejoiced, her sigh had noneof the ill-will of envy in it. She would certainly have risen to theirblessings if she could, but she did not want to lessen theirs. 

The visit passed off altogether in high good humour. Mary was inexcellent spirits, enjoying the gaiety and the change, and so wellsatisfied with the journey in her mother-in-law's carriage with fourhorses, and with her own complete independence of Camden Place, thatshe was exactly in a temper to admire everything as she ought, andenter most readily into all the superiorities of the house, as theywere detailed to her. She had no demands on her father or sister, andher consequence was just enough increased by their handsomedrawing-rooms. 

Elizabeth was, for a short time, suffering a good deal. She felt thatMrs Musgrove and all her party ought to be asked to dine with them; butshe could not bear to have the difference of style, the reduction ofservants, which a dinner must betray, witnessed by those who had beenalways so inferior to the Elliots of Kellynch. It was a strugglebetween propriety and vanity; but vanity got the better, and thenElizabeth was happy again. These were her internal persuasions: "Oldfashioned notions; country hospitality; we do not profess to givedinners; few people in Bath do; Lady Alicia never does; did not evenask her own sister's family, though they were here a month: and I daresay it would be very inconvenient to Mrs Musgrove; put her quite out ofher way. I am sure she would rather not come; she cannot feel easywith us. I will ask them all for an evening; that will be much better;that will be a novelty and a treat. They have not seen two suchdrawing rooms before. They will be delighted to come to-morrowevening. It shall be a regular party, small, but most elegant. " Andthis satisfied Elizabeth: and when the invitation was given to the twopresent, and promised for the absent, Mary was as completely satisfied. She was particularly asked to meet Mr Elliot, and be introduced to LadyDalrymple and Miss Carteret, who were fortunately already engaged tocome; and she could not have received a more gratifying attention. Miss Elliot was to have the honour of calling on Mrs Musgrove in thecourse of the morning; and Anne walked off with Charles and Mary, to goand see her and Henrietta directly. 

Her plan of sitting with Lady Russell must give way for the present. They all three called in Rivers Street for a couple of minutes; butAnne convinced herself that a day's delay of the intended communicationcould be of no consequence, and hastened forward to the White Hart, tosee again the friends and companions of the last autumn, with aneagerness of good-will which many associations contributed to form. 

They found Mrs Musgrove and her daughter within, and by themselves, andAnne had the kindest welcome from each. Henrietta was exactly in thatstate of recently-improved views, of fresh-formed happiness, which madeher full of regard and interest for everybody she had ever liked beforeat all; and Mrs Musgrove's real affection had been won by herusefulness when they were in distress. It was a heartiness, and awarmth, and a sincerity which Anne delighted in the more, from the sadwant of such blessings at home. She was entreated to give them as muchof her time as possible, invited for every day and all day long, orrather claimed as part of the family; and, in return, she naturallyfell into all her wonted ways of attention and assistance, and onCharles's leaving them together, was listening to Mrs Musgrove'shistory of Louisa, and to Henrietta's of herself, giving opinions onbusiness, and recommendations to shops; with intervals of every helpwhich Mary required, from altering her ribbon to settling her accounts;from finding her keys, and assorting her trinkets, to trying toconvince her that she was not ill-used by anybody; which Mary, wellamused as she generally was, in her station at a window overlooking theentrance to the Pump Room, could not but have her moments of imagining. 

A morning of thorough confusion was to be expected. A large party inan hotel ensured a quick-changing, unsettled scene. One five minutesbrought a note, the next a parcel; and Anne had not been there half anhour, when their dining-room, spacious as it was, seemed more than halffilled: a party of steady old friends were seated around Mrs Musgrove, and Charles came back with Captains Harville and Wentworth. Theappearance of the latter could not be more than the surprise of themoment. It was impossible for her to have forgotten to feel that thisarrival of their common friends must be soon bringing them togetheragain. Their last meeting had been most important in opening hisfeelings; she had derived from it a delightful conviction; but shefeared from his looks, that the same unfortunate persuasion, which hadhastened him away from the Concert Room, still governed. He did notseem to want to be near enough for conversation. 

She tried to be calm, and leave things to take their course, and triedto dwell much on this argument of rational dependence:--"Surely, ifthere be constant attachment on each side, our hearts must understandeach other ere long. We are not boy and girl, to be captiouslyirritable, misled by every moment's inadvertence, and wantonly playingwith our own happiness. " And yet, a few minutes afterwards, she feltas if their being in company with each other, under their presentcircumstances, could only be exposing them to inadvertencies andmisconstructions of the most mischievous kind. 

"Anne, " cried Mary, still at her window, "there is Mrs Clay, I am sure, standing under the colonnade, and a gentleman with her. I saw themturn the corner from Bath Street just now. They seemed deep in talk. Who is it? Come, and tell me. Good heavens! I recollect. It is MrElliot himself. "

"No, " cried Anne, quickly, "it cannot be Mr Elliot, I assure you. Hewas to leave Bath at nine this morning, and does not come back tillto-morrow. "

As she spoke, she felt that Captain Wentworth was looking at her, theconsciousness of which vexed and embarrassed her, and made her regretthat she had said so much, simple as it was. 

Mary, resenting that she should be supposed not to know her own cousin, began talking very warmly about the family features, and protestingstill more positively that it was Mr Elliot, calling again upon Anne tocome and look for herself, but Anne did not mean to stir, and tried tobe cool and unconcerned. Her distress returned, however, on perceivingsmiles and intelligent glances pass between two or three of the ladyvisitors, as if they believed themselves quite in the secret. It wasevident that the report concerning her had spread, and a short pausesucceeded, which seemed to ensure that it would now spread farther. 

"Do come, Anne" cried Mary, "come and look yourself. You will be toolate if you do not make haste. They are parting; they are shakinghands. He is turning away. Not know Mr Elliot, indeed! You seem tohave forgot all about Lyme. "

To pacify Mary, and perhaps screen her own embarrassment, Anne did movequietly to the window. She was just in time to ascertain that itreally was Mr Elliot, which she had never believed, before hedisappeared on one side, as Mrs Clay walked quickly off on the other;and checking the surprise which she could not but feel at such anappearance of friendly conference between two persons of totallyopposite interest, she calmly said, "Yes, it is Mr Elliot, certainly. He has changed his hour of going, I suppose, that is all, or I may bemistaken, I might not attend;" and walked back to her chair, recomposed, and with the comfortable hope of having acquitted herselfwell. 

The visitors took their leave; and Charles, having civilly seen themoff, and then made a face at them, and abused them for coming, beganwith--

"Well, mother, I have done something for you that you will like. Ihave been to the theatre, and secured a box for to-morrow night. A'n'tI a good boy? I know you love a play; and there is room for us all. It holds nine. I have engaged Captain Wentworth. Anne will not besorry to join us, I am sure. We all like a play. Have not I donewell, mother?"

Mrs Musgrove was good humouredly beginning to express her perfectreadiness for the play, if Henrietta and all the others liked it, whenMary eagerly interrupted her by exclaiming--

"Good heavens, Charles! how can you think of such a thing? Take a boxfor to-morrow night! Have you forgot that we are engaged to CamdenPlace to-morrow night? and that we were most particularly asked to meetLady Dalrymple and her daughter, and Mr Elliot, and all the principalfamily connexions, on purpose to be introduced to them? How can you beso forgetful?"

"Phoo! phoo!" replied Charles, "what's an evening party? Never worthremembering. Your father might have asked us to dinner, I think, if hehad wanted to see us. You may do as you like, but I shall go to theplay. "

"Oh! Charles, I declare it will be too abominable if you do, when youpromised to go. "

"No, I did not promise. I only smirked and bowed, and said the word'happy. ' There was no promise. "

"But you must go, Charles. It would be unpardonable to fail. We wereasked on purpose to be introduced. There was always such a greatconnexion between the Dalrymples and ourselves. Nothing ever happenedon either side that was not announced immediately. We are quite nearrelations, you know; and Mr Elliot too, whom you ought so particularlyto be acquainted with! Every attention is due to Mr Elliot. Consider, my father's heir: the future representative of the family. "

"Don't talk to me about heirs and representatives, " cried Charles. "Iam not one of those who neglect the reigning power to bow to the risingsun. If I would not go for the sake of your father, I should think itscandalous to go for the sake of his heir. What is Mr Elliot to me?"The careless expression was life to Anne, who saw that CaptainWentworth was all attention, looking and listening with his whole soul;and that the last words brought his enquiring eyes from Charles toherself. 

Charles and Mary still talked on in the same style; he, half seriousand half jesting, maintaining the scheme for the play, and she, invariably serious, most warmly opposing it, and not omitting to makeit known that, however determined to go to Camden Place herself, sheshould not think herself very well used, if they went to the playwithout her. Mrs Musgrove interposed. 

"We had better put it off. Charles, you had much better go back andchange the box for Tuesday. It would be a pity to be divided, and weshould be losing Miss Anne, too, if there is a party at her father's;and I am sure neither Henrietta nor I should care at all for the play, if Miss Anne could not be with us. "

Anne felt truly obliged to her for such kindness; and quite as much sofor the opportunity it gave her of decidedly saying--

"If it depended only on my inclination, ma'am, the party at home(excepting on Mary's account) would not be the smallest impediment. Ihave no pleasure in the sort of meeting, and should be too happy tochange it for a play, and with you. But, it had better not beattempted, perhaps. " She had spoken it; but she trembled when it wasdone, conscious that her words were listened to, and daring not even totry to observe their effect. 

It was soon generally agreed that Tuesday should be the day; Charlesonly reserving the advantage of still teasing his wife, by persistingthat he would go to the play to-morrow if nobody else would. 

Captain Wentworth left his seat, and walked to the fire-place; probablyfor the sake of walking away from it soon afterwards, and taking astation, with less bare-faced design, by Anne. 

"You have not been long enough in Bath, " said he, "to enjoy the eveningparties of the place. "

"Oh! no. The usual character of them has nothing for me. I am nocard-player. "

"You were not formerly, I know. You did not use to like cards; buttime makes many changes. "

"I am not yet so much changed, " cried Anne, and stopped, fearing shehardly knew what misconstruction. After waiting a few moments he said, and as if it were the result of immediate feeling, "It is a period, indeed! Eight years and a half is a period. "

Whether he would have proceeded farther was left to Anne's imaginationto ponder over in a calmer hour; for while still hearing the sounds hehad uttered, she was startled to other subjects by Henrietta, eager tomake use of the present leisure for getting out, and calling on hercompanions to lose no time, lest somebody else should come in. 

They were obliged to move. Anne talked of being perfectly ready, andtried to look it; but she felt that could Henrietta have known theregret and reluctance of her heart in quitting that chair, in preparingto quit the room, she would have found, in all her own sensations forher cousin, in the very security of his affection, wherewith to pityher. 

Their preparations, however, were stopped short. Alarming sounds wereheard; other visitors approached, and the door was thrown open for SirWalter and Miss Elliot, whose entrance seemed to give a general chill. Anne felt an instant oppression, and wherever she looked saw symptomsof the same. The comfort, the freedom, the gaiety of the room wasover, hushed into cold composure, determined silence, or insipid talk, to meet the heartless elegance of her father and sister. Howmortifying to feel that it was so!

Her jealous eye was satisfied in one particular. Captain Wentworth wasacknowledged again by each, by Elizabeth more graciously than before. She even addressed him once, and looked at him more than once. Elizabeth was, in fact, revolving a great measure. The sequelexplained it. After the waste of a few minutes in saying the propernothings, she began to give the invitation which was to comprise allthe remaining dues of the Musgroves. "To-morrow evening, to meet a fewfriends: no formal party. " It was all said very gracefully, and thecards with which she had provided herself, the "Miss Elliot at home, "were laid on the table, with a courteous, comprehensive smile to all, and one smile and one card more decidedly for Captain Wentworth. Thetruth was, that Elizabeth had been long enough in Bath to understandthe importance of a man of such an air and appearance as his. The pastwas nothing. The present was that Captain Wentworth would move aboutwell in her drawing-room. The card was pointedly given, and Sir Walterand Elizabeth arose and disappeared. 

The interruption had been short, though severe, and ease and animationreturned to most of those they left as the door shut them out, but notto Anne. She could think only of the invitation she had with suchastonishment witnessed, and of the manner in which it had beenreceived; a manner of doubtful meaning, of surprise rather thangratification, of polite acknowledgement rather than acceptance. Sheknew him; she saw disdain in his eye, and could not venture to believethat he had determined to accept such an offering, as an atonement forall the insolence of the past. Her spirits sank. He held the card inhis hand after they were gone, as if deeply considering it. 

"Only think of Elizabeth's including everybody!" whispered Mary veryaudibly. "I do not wonder Captain Wentworth is delighted! You see hecannot put the card out of his hand. "

Anne caught his eye, saw his cheeks glow, and his mouth form itselfinto a momentary expression of contempt, and turned away, that shemight neither see nor hear more to vex her. 

The party separated. The gentlemen had their own pursuits, the ladiesproceeded on their own business, and they met no more while Annebelonged to them. She was earnestly begged to return and dine, andgive them all the rest of the day, but her spirits had been so longexerted that at present she felt unequal to more, and fit only forhome, where she might be sure of being as silent as she chose. 

Promising to be with them the whole of the following morning, therefore, she closed the fatigues of the present by a toilsome walk toCamden Place, there to spend the evening chiefly in listening to thebusy arrangements of Elizabeth and Mrs Clay for the morrow's party, thefrequent enumeration of the persons invited, and the continuallyimproving detail of all the embellishments which were to make it themost completely elegant of its kind in Bath, while harassing herselfwith the never-ending question, of whether Captain Wentworth would comeor not? They were reckoning him as certain, but with her it was agnawing solicitude never appeased for five minutes together. Shegenerally thought he would come, because she generally thought heought; but it was a case which she could not so shape into any positiveact of duty or discretion, as inevitably to defy the suggestions ofvery opposite feelings. 

She only roused herself from the broodings of this restless agitation, to let Mrs Clay know that she had been seen with Mr Elliot three hoursafter his being supposed to be out of Bath, for having watched in vainfor some intimation of the interview from the lady herself, shedetermined to mention it, and it seemed to her there was guilt in MrsClay's face as she listened. It was transient: cleared away in aninstant; but Anne could imagine she read there the consciousness ofhaving, by some complication of mutual trick, or some overbearingauthority of his, been obliged to attend (perhaps for half an hour) tohis lectures and restrictions on her designs on Sir Walter. Sheexclaimed, however, with a very tolerable imitation of nature:--

"Oh! dear! very true. Only think, Miss Elliot, to my great surprise Imet with Mr Elliot in Bath Street. I was never more astonished. Heturned back and walked with me to the Pump Yard. He had been preventedsetting off for Thornberry, but I really forget by what; for I was in ahurry, and could not much attend, and I can only answer for his beingdetermined not to be delayed in his return. He wanted to know howearly he might be admitted to-morrow. He was full of 'to-morrow, ' andit is very evident that I have been full of it too, ever since Ientered the house, and learnt the extension of your plan and all thathad happened, or my seeing him could never have gone so entirely out ofmy head. "

Chapter 23

One day only had passed since Anne's conversation with Mrs Smith; but akeener interest had succeeded, and she was now so little touched by MrElliot's conduct, except by its effects in one quarter, that it becamea matter of course the next morning, still to defer her explanatoryvisit in Rivers Street. She had promised to be with the Musgroves frombreakfast to dinner. Her faith was plighted, and Mr Elliot'scharacter, like the Sultaness Scheherazade's head, must live anotherday. 

She could not keep her appointment punctually, however; the weather wasunfavourable, and she had grieved over the rain on her friends'account, and felt it very much on her own, before she was able toattempt the walk. When she reached the White Hart, and made her way tothe proper apartment, she found herself neither arriving quite in time, nor the first to arrive. The party before her were, Mrs Musgrove, talking to Mrs Croft, and Captain Harville to Captain Wentworth; andshe immediately heard that Mary and Henrietta, too impatient to wait, had gone out the moment it had cleared, but would be back again soon, and that the strictest injunctions had been left with Mrs Musgrove tokeep her there till they returned. She had only to submit, sit down, be outwardly composed, and feel herself plunged at once in all theagitations which she had merely laid her account of tasting a littlebefore the morning closed. There was no delay, no waste of time. Shewas deep in the happiness of such misery, or the misery of suchhappiness, instantly. Two minutes after her entering the room, CaptainWentworth said--

"We will write the letter we were talking of, Harville, now, if youwill give me materials. "

Materials were at hand, on a separate table; he went to it, and nearlyturning his back to them all, was engrossed by writing. 

Mrs Musgrove was giving Mrs Croft the history of her eldest daughter'sengagement, and just in that inconvenient tone of voice which wasperfectly audible while it pretended to be a whisper. Anne felt thatshe did not belong to the conversation, and yet, as Captain Harvilleseemed thoughtful and not disposed to talk, she could not avoid hearingmany undesirable particulars; such as, "how Mr Musgrove and my brotherHayter had met again and again to talk it over; what my brother Hayterhad said one day, and what Mr Musgrove had proposed the next, and whathad occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the young people had wished, and what I said at first I never could consent to, but was afterwardspersuaded to think might do very well, " and a great deal in the samestyle of open-hearted communication: minutiae which, even with everyadvantage of taste and delicacy, which good Mrs Musgrove could notgive, could be properly interesting only to the principals. Mrs Croftwas attending with great good-humour, and whenever she spoke at all, itwas very sensibly. Anne hoped the gentlemen might each be too muchself-occupied to hear. 

"And so, ma'am, all these thing considered, " said Mrs Musgrove, in herpowerful whisper, "though we could have wished it different, yet, altogether, we did not think it fair to stand out any longer, forCharles Hayter was quite wild about it, and Henrietta was pretty nearas bad; and so we thought they had better marry at once, and make thebest of it, as many others have done before them. At any rate, said I, it will be better than a long engagement. "

"That is precisely what I was going to observe, " cried Mrs Croft. "Iwould rather have young people settle on a small income at once, andhave to struggle with a few difficulties together, than be involved ina long engagement. I always think that no mutual--"

"Oh! dear Mrs Croft, " cried Mrs Musgrove, unable to let her finish herspeech, "there is nothing I so abominate for young people as a longengagement. It is what I always protested against for my children. Itis all very well, I used to say, for young people to be engaged, ifthere is a certainty of their being able to marry in six months, oreven in twelve; but a long engagement--"

"Yes, dear ma'am, " said Mrs Croft, "or an uncertain engagement, anengagement which may be long. To begin without knowing that at such atime there will be the means of marrying, I hold to be very unsafe andunwise, and what I think all parents should prevent as far as they can. "

Anne found an unexpected interest here. She felt its application toherself, felt it in a nervous thrill all over her; and at the samemoment that her eyes instinctively glanced towards the distant table, Captain Wentworth's pen ceased to move, his head was raised, pausing, listening, and he turned round the next instant to give a look, onequick, conscious look at her. 

The two ladies continued to talk, to re-urge the same admitted truths, and enforce them with such examples of the ill effect of a contrarypractice as had fallen within their observation, but Anne heard nothingdistinctly; it was only a buzz of words in her ear, her mind was inconfusion. 

Captain Harville, who had in truth been hearing none of it, now lefthis seat, and moved to a window, and Anne seeming to watch him, thoughit was from thorough absence of mind, became gradually sensible that hewas inviting her to join him where he stood. He looked at her with asmile, and a little motion of the head, which expressed, "Come to me, Ihave something to say;" and the unaffected, easy kindness of mannerwhich denoted the feelings of an older acquaintance than he really was, strongly enforced the invitation. She roused herself and went to him. The window at which he stood was at the other end of the room fromwhere the two ladies were sitting, and though nearer to CaptainWentworth's table, not very near. As she joined him, CaptainHarville's countenance re-assumed the serious, thoughtful expressionwhich seemed its natural character. 

"Look here, " said he, unfolding a parcel in his hand, and displaying asmall miniature painting, "do you know who that is?"

"Certainly: Captain Benwick. "

"Yes, and you may guess who it is for. But, " (in a deep tone, ) "it wasnot done for her. Miss Elliot, do you remember our walking together atLyme, and grieving for him? I little thought then--but no matter. This was drawn at the Cape. He met with a clever young German artistat the Cape, and in compliance with a promise to my poor sister, sat tohim, and was bringing it home for her; and I have now the charge ofgetting it properly set for another! It was a commission to me! Butwho else was there to employ? I hope I can allow for him. I am notsorry, indeed, to make it over to another. He undertakes it;" (lookingtowards Captain Wentworth, ) "he is writing about it now. " And with aquivering lip he wound up the whole by adding, "Poor Fanny! she wouldnot have forgotten him so soon!"

"No, " replied Anne, in a low, feeling voice. "That I can easilybelieve. "

"It was not in her nature. She doted on him. "

"It would not be the nature of any woman who truly loved. "

Captain Harville smiled, as much as to say, "Do you claim that for yoursex?" and she answered the question, smiling also, "Yes. We certainlydo not forget you as soon as you forget us. It is, perhaps, our faterather than our merit. We cannot help ourselves. We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey upon us. You are forced onexertion. You have always a profession, pursuits, business of somesort or other, to take you back into the world immediately, andcontinual occupation and change soon weaken impressions. "

"Granting your assertion that the world does all this so soon for men(which, however, I do not think I shall grant), it does not apply toBenwick. He has not been forced upon any exertion. The peace turnedhim on shore at the very moment, and he has been living with us, in ourlittle family circle, ever since. "

"True, " said Anne, "very true; I did not recollect; but what shall wesay now, Captain Harville? If the change be not from outwardcircumstances, it must be from within; it must be nature, man's nature, which has done the business for Captain Benwick. "

"No, no, it is not man's nature. I will not allow it to be more man'snature than woman's to be inconstant and forget those they do love, orhave loved. I believe the reverse. I believe in a true analogybetween our bodily frames and our mental; and that as our bodies arethe strongest, so are our feelings; capable of bearing most roughusage, and riding out the heaviest weather. "

"Your feelings may be the strongest, " replied Anne, "but the samespirit of analogy will authorise me to assert that ours are the mosttender. Man is more robust than woman, but he is not longer lived;which exactly explains my view of the nature of their attachments. Nay, it would be too hard upon you, if it were otherwise. You havedifficulties, and privations, and dangers enough to struggle with. Youare always labouring and toiling, exposed to every risk and hardship. Your home, country, friends, all quitted. Neither time, nor health, nor life, to be called your own. It would be hard, indeed" (with afaltering voice), "if woman's feelings were to be added to all this. "

"We shall never agree upon this question, " Captain Harville wasbeginning to say, when a slight noise called their attention to CaptainWentworth's hitherto perfectly quiet division of the room. It wasnothing more than that his pen had fallen down; but Anne was startledat finding him nearer than she had supposed, and half inclined tosuspect that the pen had only fallen because he had been occupied bythem, striving to catch sounds, which yet she did not think he couldhave caught. 

"Have you finished your letter?" said Captain Harville. 

"Not quite, a few lines more. I shall have done in five minutes. "

"There is no hurry on my side. I am only ready whenever you are. I amin very good anchorage here, " (smiling at Anne, ) "well supplied, andwant for nothing. No hurry for a signal at all. Well, Miss Elliot, "(lowering his voice, ) "as I was saying we shall never agree, I suppose, upon this point. No man and woman, would, probably. But let meobserve that all histories are against you--all stories, prose andverse. If I had such a memory as Benwick, I could bring you fiftyquotations in a moment on my side the argument, and I do not think Iever opened a book in my life which had not something to say uponwoman's inconstancy. Songs and proverbs, all talk of woman'sfickleness. But perhaps you will say, these were all written by men. "

"Perhaps I shall. Yes, yes, if you please, no reference to examples inbooks. Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has beenin their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything. "

"But how shall we prove anything?"

"We never shall. We never can expect to prove any thing upon such apoint. It is a difference of opinion which does not admit of proof. We each begin, probably, with a little bias towards our own sex; andupon that bias build every circumstance in favour of it which hasoccurred within our own circle; many of which circumstances (perhapsthose very cases which strike us the most) may be precisely such ascannot be brought forward without betraying a confidence, or in somerespect saying what should not be said. "

"Ah!" cried Captain Harville, in a tone of strong feeling, "if I couldbut make you comprehend what a man suffers when he takes a last look athis wife and children, and watches the boat that he has sent them offin, as long as it is in sight, and then turns away and says, 'God knowswhether we ever meet again!' And then, if I could convey to you theglow of his soul when he does see them again; when, coming back after atwelvemonth's absence, perhaps, and obliged to put into another port, he calculates how soon it be possible to get them there, pretending todeceive himself, and saying, 'They cannot be here till such a day, ' butall the while hoping for them twelve hours sooner, and seeing themarrive at last, as if Heaven had given them wings, by many hours soonerstill! If I could explain to you all this, and all that a man can bearand do, and glories to do, for the sake of these treasures of hisexistence! I speak, you know, only of such men as have hearts!"pressing his own with emotion. 

"Oh!" cried Anne eagerly, "I hope I do justice to all that is felt byyou, and by those who resemble you. God forbid that I shouldundervalue the warm and faithful feelings of any of myfellow-creatures! I should deserve utter contempt if I dared tosuppose that true attachment and constancy were known only by woman. No, I believe you capable of everything great and good in your marriedlives. I believe you equal to every important exertion, and to everydomestic forbearance, so long as--if I may be allowed theexpression--so long as you have an object. I mean while the woman youlove lives, and lives for you. All the privilege I claim for my ownsex (it is not a very enviable one; you need not covet it), is that ofloving longest, when existence or when hope is gone. "

She could not immediately have uttered another sentence; her heart wastoo full, her breath too much oppressed. 

"You are a good soul, " cried Captain Harville, putting his hand on herarm, quite affectionately. "There is no quarrelling with you. Andwhen I think of Benwick, my tongue is tied. "

Their attention was called towards the others. Mrs Croft was takingleave. 

"Here, Frederick, you and I part company, I believe, " said she. "I amgoing home, and you have an engagement with your friend. To-night wemay have the pleasure of all meeting again at your party, " (turning toAnne. ) "We had your sister's card yesterday, and I understoodFrederick had a card too, though I did not see it; and you aredisengaged, Frederick, are you not, as well as ourselves?"

Captain Wentworth was folding up a letter in great haste, and eithercould not or would not answer fully. 

"Yes, " said he, "very true; here we separate, but Harville and I shallsoon be after you; that is, Harville, if you are ready, I am in half aminute. I know you will not be sorry to be off. I shall be at yourservice in half a minute. "

Mrs Croft left them, and Captain Wentworth, having sealed his letterwith great rapidity, was indeed ready, and had even a hurried, agitatedair, which shewed impatience to be gone. Anne knew not how tounderstand it. She had the kindest "Good morning, God bless you!" fromCaptain Harville, but from him not a word, nor a look! He had passedout of the room without a look!

She had only time, however, to move closer to the table where he hadbeen writing, when footsteps were heard returning; the door opened, itwas himself. He begged their pardon, but he had forgotten his gloves, and instantly crossing the room to the writing table, he drew out aletter from under the scattered paper, placed it before Anne with eyesof glowing entreaty fixed on her for a time, and hastily collecting hisgloves, was again out of the room, almost before Mrs Musgrove was awareof his being in it: the work of an instant!

The revolution which one instant had made in Anne, was almost beyondexpression. The letter, with a direction hardly legible, to "Miss A. E. --, " was evidently the one which he had been folding so hastily. While supposed to be writing only to Captain Benwick, he had been alsoaddressing her! On the contents of that letter depended all which thisworld could do for her. Anything was possible, anything might bedefied rather than suspense. Mrs Musgrove had little arrangements ofher own at her own table; to their protection she must trust, andsinking into the chair which he had occupied, succeeding to the veryspot where he had leaned and written, her eyes devoured the followingwords:

"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such meansas are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, halfhope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings aregone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more yourown than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Darenot say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has anearlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone havebrought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you notseen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had notwaited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I thinkyou must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instanthearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I candistinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You dobelieve that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believeit to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W. 

"I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or followyour party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough todecide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never. "

Such a letter was not to be soon recovered from. Half an hour'ssolitude and reflection might have tranquillized her; but the tenminutes only which now passed before she was interrupted, with all therestraints of her situation, could do nothing towards tranquillity. Every moment rather brought fresh agitation. It was overpoweringhappiness. And before she was beyond the first stage of fullsensation, Charles, Mary, and Henrietta all came in. 

The absolute necessity of seeming like herself produced then animmediate struggle; but after a while she could do no more. She begannot to understand a word they said, and was obliged to pleadindisposition and excuse herself. They could then see that she lookedvery ill, were shocked and concerned, and would not stir without herfor the world. This was dreadful. Would they only have gone away, andleft her in the quiet possession of that room it would have been hercure; but to have them all standing or waiting around her wasdistracting, and in desperation, she said she would go home. 

"By all means, my dear, " cried Mrs Musgrove, "go home directly, andtake care of yourself, that you may be fit for the evening. I wishSarah was here to doctor you, but I am no doctor myself. Charles, ringand order a chair. She must not walk. "

But the chair would never do. Worse than all! To lose the possibilityof speaking two words to Captain Wentworth in the course of her quiet, solitary progress up the town (and she felt almost certain of meetinghim) could not be borne. The chair was earnestly protested against, and Mrs Musgrove, who thought only of one sort of illness, havingassured herself with some anxiety, that there had been no fall in thecase; that Anne had not at any time lately slipped down, and got a blowon her head; that she was perfectly convinced of having had no fall;could part with her cheerfully, and depend on finding her better atnight. 

Anxious to omit no possible precaution, Anne struggled, and said--

"I am afraid, ma'am, that it is not perfectly understood. Pray be sogood as to mention to the other gentlemen that we hope to see yourwhole party this evening. I am afraid there had been some mistake; andI wish you particularly to assure Captain Harville and CaptainWentworth, that we hope to see them both. "

"Oh! my dear, it is quite understood, I give you my word. CaptainHarville has no thought but of going. "

"Do you think so? But I am afraid; and I should be so very sorry. Will you promise me to mention it, when you see them again? You willsee them both this morning, I dare say. Do promise me. "

"To be sure I will, if you wish it. Charles, if you see CaptainHarville anywhere, remember to give Miss Anne's message. But indeed, my dear, you need not be uneasy. Captain Harville holds himself quiteengaged, I'll answer for it; and Captain Wentworth the same, I daresay. "

Anne could do no more; but her heart prophesied some mischance to dampthe perfection of her felicity. It could not be very lasting, however. Even if he did not come to Camden Place himself, it would be in herpower to send an intelligible sentence by Captain Harville. Anothermomentary vexation occurred. Charles, in his real concern and goodnature, would go home with her; there was no preventing him. This wasalmost cruel. But she could not be long ungrateful; he was sacrificingan engagement at a gunsmith's, to be of use to her; and she set offwith him, with no feeling but gratitude apparent. 

They were on Union Street, when a quicker step behind, a something offamiliar sound, gave her two moments' preparation for the sight ofCaptain Wentworth. He joined them; but, as if irresolute whether tojoin or to pass on, said nothing, only looked. Anne could commandherself enough to receive that look, and not repulsively. The cheekswhich had been pale now glowed, and the movements which had hesitatedwere decided. He walked by her side. Presently, struck by a suddenthought, Charles said--

"Captain Wentworth, which way are you going? Only to Gay Street, orfarther up the town?"

"I hardly know, " replied Captain Wentworth, surprised. 

"Are you going as high as Belmont? Are you going near Camden Place?Because, if you are, I shall have no scruple in asking you to take myplace, and give Anne your arm to her father's door. She is rather donefor this morning, and must not go so far without help, and I ought tobe at that fellow's in the Market Place. He promised me the sight of acapital gun he is just going to send off; said he would keep itunpacked to the last possible moment, that I might see it; and if I donot turn back now, I have no chance. By his description, a good deallike the second size double-barrel of mine, which you shot with one dayround Winthrop. "

There could not be an objection. There could be only the most properalacrity, a most obliging compliance for public view; and smiles reinedin and spirits dancing in private rapture. In half a minute Charleswas at the bottom of Union Street again, and the other two proceedingtogether: and soon words enough had passed between them to decidetheir direction towards the comparatively quiet and retired gravelwalk, where the power of conversation would make the present hour ablessing indeed, and prepare it for all the immortality which thehappiest recollections of their own future lives could bestow. Therethey exchanged again those feelings and those promises which had oncebefore seemed to secure everything, but which had been followed by somany, many years of division and estrangement. There they returnedagain into the past, more exquisitely happy, perhaps, in theirre-union, than when it had been first projected; more tender, moretried, more fixed in a knowledge of each other's character, truth, andattachment; more equal to act, more justified in acting. And there, asthey slowly paced the gradual ascent, heedless of every group aroundthem, seeing neither sauntering politicians, bustling housekeepers, flirting girls, nor nursery-maids and children, they could indulge inthose retrospections and acknowledgements, and especially in thoseexplanations of what had directly preceded the present moment, whichwere so poignant and so ceaseless in interest. All the littlevariations of the last week were gone through; and of yesterday andtoday there could scarcely be an end. 

She had not mistaken him. Jealousy of Mr Elliot had been the retardingweight, the doubt, the torment. That had begun to operate in the veryhour of first meeting her in Bath; that had returned, after a shortsuspension, to ruin the concert; and that had influenced him ineverything he had said and done, or omitted to say and do, in the lastfour-and-twenty hours. It had been gradually yielding to the betterhopes which her looks, or words, or actions occasionally encouraged; ithad been vanquished at last by those sentiments and those tones whichhad reached him while she talked with Captain Harville; and under theirresistible governance of which he had seized a sheet of paper, andpoured out his feelings. 

Of what he had then written, nothing was to be retracted or qualified. He persisted in having loved none but her. She had never beensupplanted. He never even believed himself to see her equal. Thusmuch indeed he was obliged to acknowledge: that he had been constantunconsciously, nay unintentionally; that he had meant to forget her, and believed it to be done. He had imagined himself indifferent, whenhe had only been angry; and he had been unjust to her merits, becausehe had been a sufferer from them. Her character was now fixed on hismind as perfection itself, maintaining the loveliest medium offortitude and gentleness; but he was obliged to acknowledge that onlyat Uppercross had he learnt to do her justice, and only at Lyme had hebegun to understand himself. At Lyme, he had received lessons of morethan one sort. The passing admiration of Mr Elliot had at least rousedhim, and the scenes on the Cobb and at Captain Harville's had fixed hersuperiority. 

In his preceding attempts to attach himself to Louisa Musgrove (theattempts of angry pride), he protested that he had for ever felt it tobe impossible; that he had not cared, could not care, for Louisa;though till that day, till the leisure for reflection which followedit, he had not understood the perfect excellence of the mind with whichLouisa's could so ill bear a comparison, or the perfect unrivalled holdit possessed over his own. There, he had learnt to distinguish betweenthe steadiness of principle and the obstinacy of self-will, between thedarings of heedlessness and the resolution of a collected mind. Therehe had seen everything to exalt in his estimation the woman he hadlost; and there begun to deplore the pride, the folly, the madness ofresentment, which had kept him from trying to regain her when thrown inhis way. 

From that period his penance had become severe. He had no sooner beenfree from the horror and remorse attending the first few days ofLouisa's accident, no sooner begun to feel himself alive again, than hehad begun to feel himself, though alive, not at liberty. 

"I found, " said he, "that I was considered by Harville an engaged man!That neither Harville nor his wife entertained a doubt of our mutualattachment. I was startled and shocked. To a degree, I couldcontradict this instantly; but, when I began to reflect that othersmight have felt the same--her own family, nay, perhaps herself--I wasno longer at my own disposal. I was hers in honour if she wished it. I had been unguarded. I had not thought seriously on this subjectbefore. I had not considered that my excessive intimacy must have itsdanger of ill consequence in many ways; and that I had no right to betrying whether I could attach myself to either of the girls, at therisk of raising even an unpleasant report, were there no other illeffects. I had been grossly wrong, and must abide the consequences. "

He found too late, in short, that he had entangled himself; and thatprecisely as he became fully satisfied of his not caring for Louisa atall, he must regard himself as bound to her, if her sentiments for himwere what the Harvilles supposed. It determined him to leave Lyme, andawait her complete recovery elsewhere. He would gladly weaken, by anyfair means, whatever feelings or speculations concerning him mightexist; and he went, therefore, to his brother's, meaning after a whileto return to Kellynch, and act as circumstances might require. 

"I was six weeks with Edward, " said he, "and saw him happy. I couldhave no other pleasure. I deserved none. He enquired after you veryparticularly; asked even if you were personally altered, littlesuspecting that to my eye you could never alter. "

Anne smiled, and let it pass. It was too pleasing a blunder for areproach. It is something for a woman to be assured, in hereight-and-twentieth year, that she has not lost one charm of earlieryouth; but the value of such homage was inexpressibly increased toAnne, by comparing it with former words, and feeling it to be theresult, not the cause of a revival of his warm attachment. 

He had remained in Shropshire, lamenting the blindness of his ownpride, and the blunders of his own calculations, till at once releasedfrom Louisa by the astonishing and felicitous intelligence of herengagement with Benwick. 

"Here, " said he, "ended the worst of my state; for now I could at leastput myself in the way of happiness; I could exert myself; I could dosomething. But to be waiting so long in inaction, and waiting only forevil, had been dreadful. Within the first five minutes I said, 'I willbe at Bath on Wednesday, ' and I was. Was it unpardonable to think itworth my while to come? and to arrive with some degree of hope? Youwere single. It was possible that you might retain the feelings of thepast, as I did; and one encouragement happened to be mine. I couldnever doubt that you would be loved and sought by others, but I knew toa certainty that you had refused one man, at least, of betterpretensions than myself; and I could not help often saying, 'Was thisfor me?'"

Their first meeting in Milsom Street afforded much to be said, but theconcert still more. That evening seemed to be made up of exquisitemoments. The moment of her stepping forward in the Octagon Room tospeak to him: the moment of Mr Elliot's appearing and tearing heraway, and one or two subsequent moments, marked by returning hope orincreasing despondency, were dwelt on with energy. 

"To see you, " cried he, "in the midst of those who could not be mywell-wishers; to see your cousin close by you, conversing and smiling, and feel all the horrible eligibilities and proprieties of the match!To consider it as the certain wish of every being who could hope toinfluence you! Even if your own feelings were reluctant orindifferent, to consider what powerful supports would be his! Was itnot enough to make the fool of me which I appeared? How could I lookon without agony? Was not the very sight of the friend who sat behindyou, was not the recollection of what had been, the knowledge of herinfluence, the indelible, immoveable impression of what persuasion hadonce done--was it not all against me?"

"You should have distinguished, " replied Anne. "You should not havesuspected me now; the case is so different, and my age is so different. If I was wrong in yielding to persuasion once, remember that it was topersuasion exerted on the side of safety, not of risk. When I yielded, I thought it was to duty, but no duty could be called in aid here. Inmarrying a man indifferent to me, all risk would have been incurred, and all duty violated. "

"Perhaps I ought to have reasoned thus, " he replied, "but I could not. I could not derive benefit from the late knowledge I had acquired ofyour character. I could not bring it into play; it was overwhelmed, buried, lost in those earlier feelings which I had been smarting underyear after year. I could think of you only as one who had yielded, whohad given me up, who had been influenced by any one rather than by me. I saw you with the very person who had guided you in that year ofmisery. I had no reason to believe her of less authority now. Theforce of habit was to be added. "

"I should have thought, " said Anne, "that my manner to yourself mighthave spared you much or all of this. "

"No, no! your manner might be only the ease which your engagement toanother man would give. I left you in this belief; and yet, I wasdetermined to see you again. My spirits rallied with the morning, andI felt that I had still a motive for remaining here. "

At last Anne was at home again, and happier than any one in that housecould have conceived. All the surprise and suspense, and every otherpainful part of the morning dissipated by this conversation, shere-entered the house so happy as to be obliged to find an alloy in somemomentary apprehensions of its being impossible to last. An intervalof meditation, serious and grateful, was the best corrective ofeverything dangerous in such high-wrought felicity; and she went to herroom, and grew steadfast and fearless in the thankfulness of herenjoyment. 

The evening came, the drawing-rooms were lighted up, the companyassembled. It was but a card party, it was but a mixture of those whohad never met before, and those who met too often; a commonplacebusiness, too numerous for intimacy, too small for variety; but Annehad never found an evening shorter. Glowing and lovely in sensibilityand happiness, and more generally admired than she thought about orcared for, she had cheerful or forbearing feelings for every creaturearound her. Mr Elliot was there; she avoided, but she could pity him. The Wallises, she had amusement in understanding them. Lady Dalrympleand Miss Carteret--they would soon be innoxious cousins to her. Shecared not for Mrs Clay, and had nothing to blush for in the publicmanners of her father and sister. With the Musgroves, there was thehappy chat of perfect ease; with Captain Harville, the kind-heartedintercourse of brother and sister; with Lady Russell, attempts atconversation, which a delicious consciousness cut short; with Admiraland Mrs Croft, everything of peculiar cordiality and fervent interest, which the same consciousness sought to conceal; and with CaptainWentworth, some moments of communications continually occurring, andalways the hope of more, and always the knowledge of his being there. 

It was in one of these short meetings, each apparently occupied inadmiring a fine display of greenhouse plants, that she said--

"I have been thinking over the past, and trying impartially to judge ofthe right and wrong, I mean with regard to myself; and I must believethat I was right, much as I suffered from it, that I was perfectlyright in being guided by the friend whom you will love better than youdo now. To me, she was in the place of a parent. Do not mistake me, however. I am not saying that she did not err in her advice. It was, perhaps, one of those cases in which advice is good or bad only as theevent decides; and for myself, I certainly never should, in anycircumstance of tolerable similarity, give such advice. But I mean, that I was right in submitting to her, and that if I had doneotherwise, I should have suffered more in continuing the engagementthan I did even in giving it up, because I should have suffered in myconscience. I have now, as far as such a sentiment is allowable inhuman nature, nothing to reproach myself with; and if I mistake not, astrong sense of duty is no bad part of a woman's portion. "

He looked at her, looked at Lady Russell, and looking again at her, replied, as if in cool deliberation--

"Not yet. But there are hopes of her being forgiven in time. I trustto being in charity with her soon. But I too have been thinking overthe past, and a question has suggested itself, whether there may nothave been one person more my enemy even than that lady? My own self. Tell me if, when I returned to England in the year eight, with a fewthousand pounds, and was posted into the Laconia, if I had then writtento you, would you have answered my letter? Would you, in short, haverenewed the engagement then?"

"Would I!" was all her answer; but the accent was decisive enough. 

"Good God!" he cried, "you would! It is not that I did not think ofit, or desire it, as what could alone crown all my other success; but Iwas proud, too proud to ask again. I did not understand you. I shutmy eyes, and would not understand you, or do you justice. This is arecollection which ought to make me forgive every one sooner thanmyself. Six years of separation and suffering might have been spared. It is a sort of pain, too, which is new to me. I have been used to thegratification of believing myself to earn every blessing that Ienjoyed. I have valued myself on honourable toils and just rewards. Like other great men under reverses, " he added, with a smile. "I mustendeavour to subdue my mind to my fortune. I must learn to brook beinghappier than I deserve. "

Chapter 24

Who can be in doubt of what followed? When any two young people takeit into their heads to marry, they are pretty sure by perseverance tocarry their point, be they ever so poor, or ever so imprudent, or everso little likely to be necessary to each other's ultimate comfort. This may be bad morality to conclude with, but I believe it to betruth; and if such parties succeed, how should a Captain Wentworth andan Anne Elliot, with the advantage of maturity of mind, consciousnessof right, and one independent fortune between them, fail of bearingdown every opposition? They might in fact, have borne down a greatdeal more than they met with, for there was little to distress thembeyond the want of graciousness and warmth. Sir Walter made noobjection, and Elizabeth did nothing worse than look cold andunconcerned. Captain Wentworth, with five-and-twenty thousand pounds, and as high in his profession as merit and activity could place him, was no longer nobody. He was now esteemed quite worthy to address thedaughter of a foolish, spendthrift baronet, who had not had principleor sense enough to maintain himself in the situation in whichProvidence had placed him, and who could give his daughter at presentbut a small part of the share of ten thousand pounds which must be hershereafter. 

Sir Walter, indeed, though he had no affection for Anne, and no vanityflattered, to make him really happy on the occasion, was very far fromthinking it a bad match for her. On the contrary, when he saw more ofCaptain Wentworth, saw him repeatedly by daylight, and eyed him well, he was very much struck by his personal claims, and felt that hissuperiority of appearance might be not unfairly balanced against hersuperiority of rank; and all this, assisted by his well-sounding name, enabled Sir Walter at last to prepare his pen, with a very good grace, for the insertion of the marriage in the volume of honour. 

The only one among them, whose opposition of feeling could excite anyserious anxiety was Lady Russell. Anne knew that Lady Russell must besuffering some pain in understanding and relinquishing Mr Elliot, andbe making some struggles to become truly acquainted with, and dojustice to Captain Wentworth. This however was what Lady Russell hadnow to do. She must learn to feel that she had been mistaken withregard to both; that she had been unfairly influenced by appearances ineach; that because Captain Wentworth's manners had not suited her ownideas, she had been too quick in suspecting them to indicate acharacter of dangerous impetuosity; and that because Mr Elliot'smanners had precisely pleased her in their propriety and correctness, their general politeness and suavity, she had been too quick inreceiving them as the certain result of the most correct opinions andwell-regulated mind. There was nothing less for Lady Russell to do, than to admit that she had been pretty completely wrong, and to take upa new set of opinions and of hopes. 

There is a quickness of perception in some, a nicety in the discernmentof character, a natural penetration, in short, which no experience inothers can equal, and Lady Russell had been less gifted in this part ofunderstanding than her young friend. But she was a very good woman, and if her second object was to be sensible and well-judging, her firstwas to see Anne happy. She loved Anne better than she loved her ownabilities; and when the awkwardness of the beginning was over, foundlittle hardship in attaching herself as a mother to the man who wassecuring the happiness of her other child. 

Of all the family, Mary was probably the one most immediately gratifiedby the circumstance. It was creditable to have a sister married, andshe might flatter herself with having been greatly instrumental to theconnexion, by keeping Anne with her in the autumn; and as her ownsister must be better than her husband's sisters, it was very agreeablethat Captain Wentworth should be a richer man than either CaptainBenwick or Charles Hayter. She had something to suffer, perhaps, whenthey came into contact again, in seeing Anne restored to the rights ofseniority, and the mistress of a very pretty landaulette; but she had afuture to look forward to, of powerful consolation. Anne had noUppercross Hall before her, no landed estate, no headship of a family;and if they could but keep Captain Wentworth from being made a baronet, she would not change situations with Anne. 

It would be well for the eldest sister if she were equally satisfiedwith her situation, for a change is not very probable there. She hadsoon the mortification of seeing Mr Elliot withdraw, and no one ofproper condition has since presented himself to raise even theunfounded hopes which sunk with him. 

The news of his cousins Anne's engagement burst on Mr Elliot mostunexpectedly. It deranged his best plan of domestic happiness, hisbest hope of keeping Sir Walter single by the watchfulness which ason-in-law's rights would have given. But, though discomfited anddisappointed, he could still do something for his own interest and hisown enjoyment. He soon quitted Bath; and on Mrs Clay's quitting itsoon afterwards, and being next heard of as established under hisprotection in London, it was evident how double a game he had beenplaying, and how determined he was to save himself from being cut outby one artful woman, at least. 

Mrs Clay's affections had overpowered her interest, and she hadsacrificed, for the young man's sake, the possibility of scheminglonger for Sir Walter. She has abilities, however, as well asaffections; and it is now a doubtful point whether his cunning, orhers, may finally carry the day; whether, after preventing her frombeing the wife of Sir Walter, he may not be wheedled and caressed atlast into making her the wife of Sir William. 

It cannot be doubted that Sir Walter and Elizabeth were shocked andmortified by the loss of their companion, and the discovery of theirdeception in her. They had their great cousins, to be sure, to resortto for comfort; but they must long feel that to flatter and followothers, without being flattered and followed in turn, is but a state ofhalf enjoyment. 

Anne, satisfied at a very early period of Lady Russell's meaning tolove Captain Wentworth as she ought, had no other alloy to thehappiness of her prospects than what arose from the consciousness ofhaving no relations to bestow on him which a man of sense could value. There she felt her own inferiority very keenly. The disproportion intheir fortune was nothing; it did not give her a moment's regret; butto have no family to receive and estimate him properly, nothing ofrespectability, of harmony, of good will to offer in return for all theworth and all the prompt welcome which met her in his brothers andsisters, was a source of as lively pain as her mind could well besensible of under circumstances of otherwise strong felicity. She hadbut two friends in the world to add to his list, Lady Russell and MrsSmith. To those, however, he was very well disposed to attach himself. Lady Russell, in spite of all her former transgressions, he could nowvalue from his heart. While he was not obliged to say that he believedher to have been right in originally dividing them, he was ready to sayalmost everything else in her favour, and as for Mrs Smith, she hadclaims of various kinds to recommend her quickly and permanently. 

Her recent good offices by Anne had been enough in themselves, andtheir marriage, instead of depriving her of one friend, secured hertwo. She was their earliest visitor in their settled life; and CaptainWentworth, by putting her in the way of recovering her husband'sproperty in the West Indies, by writing for her, acting for her, andseeing her through all the petty difficulties of the case with theactivity and exertion of a fearless man and a determined friend, fullyrequited the services which she had rendered, or ever meant to render, to his wife. 

Mrs Smith's enjoyments were not spoiled by this improvement of income, with some improvement of health, and the acquisition of such friends tobe often with, for her cheerfulness and mental alacrity did not failher; and while these prime supplies of good remained, she might havebid defiance even to greater accessions of worldly prosperity. Shemight have been absolutely rich and perfectly healthy, and yet behappy. Her spring of felicity was in the glow of her spirits, as herfriend Anne's was in the warmth of her heart. Anne was tendernessitself, and she had the full worth of it in Captain Wentworth'saffection. His profession was all that could ever make her friendswish that tenderness less, the dread of a future war all that could dimher sunshine. She gloried in being a sailor's wife, but she must paythe tax of quick alarm for belonging to that profession which is, ifpossible, more distinguished in its domestic virtues than in itsnational importance. 

Finis