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1One day only had passed since Anne's conversation with Mrs Smith; but a keener interest had succeeded, and she was now
2so little touched by Mr Elliot's conduct, except by its effects in one quarter, that it became a matter of course the
3next morning, still to defer her explanatory visit in Rivers Street. She had promised to be with the Musgroves from
4breakfast to dinner. Her faith was plighted, and Mr Elliot's character, like the Sultaness Scheherazade's head, must
5live another day. She could not keep her appointment punctually, however; the weather was unfavourable, and she had
6grieved over the rain on her friends' account, and felt it very much on her own, before she was able to attempt the
7walk. When she reached the White Hart, and made her way to the proper apartment, she found herself neither arriving
8quite in time, nor the first to arrive. The party before her were, Mrs Musgrove, talking to Mrs Croft, and Captain
9Harville to Captain Wentworth; and she immediately heard that Mary and Henrietta, too impatient to wait, had gone out
10the moment it had cleared, but would be back again soon, and that the strictest injunctions had been left with Mrs
11Musgrove to keep her there till they returned. She had only to submit, sit down, be outwardly composed, and feel herself
12plunged at once in all the agitations which she had merely laid her account of tasting a little before the morning
13closed. There was no delay, no waste of time. She was deep in the happiness of such misery, or the misery of such
14happiness, instantly. Two minutes after her entering the room, Captain Wentworth said-- "We will write the letter we
15were talking of, Harville, now, if you will give me materials." Materials were at hand, on a separate table; he went to
16it, and nearly turning his back to them all, was engrossed by writing. Mrs Musgrove was giving Mrs Croft the history of
17her eldest daughter's engagement, and just in that inconvenient tone of voice which was perfectly audible while it
18pretended to be a whisper. Anne felt that she did not belong to the conversation, and yet, as Captain Harville seemed
19thoughtful and not disposed to talk, she could not avoid hearing many undesirable particulars; such as, "how Mr Musgrove
20and my brother Hayter had met again and again to talk it over; what my brother Hayter had said one day, and what Mr
21Musgrove had proposed the next, and what had occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the young people had wished, and
22what I said at first I never could consent to, but was afterwards persuaded to think might do very well," and a great
23deal in the same style of open-hearted communication: minutiae which, even with every advantage of taste and delicacy,
24which good Mrs Musgrove could not give, could be properly interesting only to the principals. Mrs Croft was attending
25with great good-humour, and whenever she spoke at all, it was very sensibly. Anne hoped the gentlemen might each be too
26much self-occupied to hear. "And so, ma'am, all these thing considered," said Mrs Musgrove, in her powerful whisper,
27"though we could have wished it different, yet, altogether, we did not think it fair to stand out any longer, for
28Charles Hayter was quite wild about it, and Henrietta was pretty near as bad; and so we thought they had better marry at
29once, and make the best of it, as many others have done before them. At any rate, said I, it will be better than a long
30engagement." "That is precisely what I was going to observe," cried Mrs Croft. "I would rather have young people settle
31on a small income at once, and have to struggle with a few difficulties together, than be involved in a long engagement.
32I always think that no mutual--" "Oh! dear Mrs Croft," cried Mrs Musgrove, unable to let her finish her speech, "there
33is nothing I so abominate for young people as a long engagement. It is what I always protested against for my children.
34It is all very well, I used to say, for young people to be engaged, if there is a certainty of their being able to marry
35in six months, or even in twelve; but a long engagement--" "Yes, dear ma'am," said Mrs Croft, "or an uncertain
36engagement, an engagement which may be long. To begin without knowing that at such a time there will be the means of
37marrying, I hold to be very unsafe and unwise, and what I think all parents should prevent as far as they can." Anne
38found an unexpected interest here. She felt its application to herself, felt it in a nervous thrill all over her; and at
39the same moment that her eyes instinctively glanced towards the distant table, Captain Wentworth's pen ceased to move,
40his head was raised, pausing, listening, and he turned round the next instant to give a look, one quick, conscious look
41at her. The two ladies continued to talk, to re-urge the same admitted truths, and enforce them with such examples of
42the ill effect of a contrary practice as had fallen within their observation, but Anne heard nothing distinctly; it was
43only a buzz of words in her ear, her mind was in confusion. Captain Harville, who had in truth been hearing none of it,
44now left his seat, and moved to a window, and Anne seeming to watch him, though it was from thorough absence of mind,
45became gradually sensible that he was inviting her to join him where he stood. He looked at her with a smile, and a
46little motion of the head, which expressed, "Come to me, I have something to say;" and the unaffected, easy kindness of
47manner which denoted the feelings of an older acquaintance than he really was, strongly enforced the invitation. She
48roused herself and went to him. The window at which he stood was at the other end of the room from where the two ladies
49were sitting, and though nearer to Captain Wentworth's table, not very near. As she joined him, Captain Harville's
50countenance re-assumed the serious, thoughtful expression which seemed its natural character. "Look here," said he,
51unfolding a parcel in his hand, and displaying a small miniature painting, "do you know who that is?" "Certainly:
52Captain Benwick." "Yes, and you may guess who it is for. But," (in a deep tone), "it was not done for her. Miss Elliot,
53do you remember our walking together at Lyme, and grieving for him? I little thought then--but no matter. This was drawn
54at the Cape. He met with a clever young German artist at the Cape, and in compliance with a promise to my poor sister,
55sat to him, and was bringing it home for her; and I have now the charge of getting it properly set for another! It was a
56commission to me! But who else was there to employ? I hope I can allow for him. I am not sorry, indeed, to make it over
57to another. He undertakes it;" (looking towards Captain Wentworth,) "he is writing about it now." And with a quivering
58lip he wound up the whole by adding, "Poor Fanny! she would not have forgotten him so soon!" "No," replied Anne, in a
59low, feeling voice. "That I can easily believe." "It was not in her nature. She doted on him." "It would not be the
60nature of any woman who truly loved." Captain Harville smiled, as much as to say, "Do you claim that for your sex?" and
61she answered the question, smiling also, "Yes. We certainly do not forget you as soon as you forget us. It is, perhaps,
62our fate rather than our merit. We cannot help ourselves. We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey upon
63us. You are forced on exertion. You have always a profession, pursuits, business of some sort or other, to take you back
64into the world immediately, and continual occupation and change soon weaken impressions." "Granting your assertion that
65the world does all this so soon for men (which, however, I do not think I shall grant), it does not apply to Benwick. He
66has not been forced upon any exertion. The peace turned him on shore at the very moment, and he has been living with us,
67in our little family circle, ever since." "True," said Anne, "very true; I did not recollect; but what shall we say now,
68Captain Harville? If the change be not from outward circumstances, it must be from within; it must be nature, man's
69nature, which has done the business for Captain Benwick."
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