CHAPTER IV.

incedandunbending,andofhisfeelinghimselfillusedbysoforcedarelinquishment.Hehadleftthecountryinconsequence. AfewmonthshadseenthebeginningandtheendoftheiracquaintancebutnotwithafewmonthsendedAnne’sshareofsufferingfromit.Herattachmentandregretshad,foralongtime,cloudedeveryenjoymentofyouth,andanearlylossofbloomandspiritshadbeentheirlastingeffect. Morethansevenyearsweregonesincethislittlehistoryofsorrowfulinteresthadreacheditscloseandtimehadsofteneddownmuch,perhapsnearlyallofpeculiarattachmenttohim,butshehadbeentoodependentontimealonenoaidhadbeengiveninchangeofplace(exceptinonevisittoBathsoonaftertherupture),orinanynoveltyorenlargementofsociety.NoonehadevercomewithintheKellynchcircle,whocouldbearacomparisonwithFrederickWentworth,ashestoodinhermemory.Nosecondattachment,theonlythoroughlynatural,happy,andsufficientcure,athertimeoflife,hadbeenpossibletothenicetoneofhermind,thefastidiousnessofhertaste,inthesmalllimitsofthesocietyaroundthem.Shehadbeensolicited,whenabouttwo-and-twenty,tochangehername,bytheyoungman,whonotlongafterwardsfoundamorewillingmindinheryoungersisterandLadyRussellhadlamentedherrefusalforCharlesMusgrovewastheeldestsonofaman,whoselandedpropertyandgeneralimportanceweresecondinthatcountry,onlytoSirWalter’s,andofgoodcharacterandappearanceandhoweverLadyRussellmighthaveaskedyetforsomethingmore,whileAnnewasnineteen,shewouldhaverejoicedtoseeherattwenty-twosorespectablyremovedfromthepartialitiesandinjusticeofherfather’shouse,andsettledsopermanentlynearherself.Butinthiscase,AnnehadleftnothingforadvicetodoandthoughLadyRussell,assatisfiedaseverwithherowndiscretion,neverwishedthepastundone,shebegannowtohavetheanxietywhichbordersonhopelessnessforAnne’sbeingtempted,bysomemanoftalentsandindependence,toenterastateforwhichs