CHAPTER VII.

ssabouthisheir,couldaddhisconfirmationandpraise,andhopetherewouldbenownooccasionforputtingCaptainWentworthoff,andonlybesorrytothinkthatthecottageparty,probably,wouldnotliketoleavethelittleboy,togivehimthemeeting.“Ohnoastoleavingthelittleboy,”bothfatherandmotherwereinmuchtoostrongandrecentalarmtobearthethoughtandAnne,inthejoyoftheescape,couldnothelpaddingherwarmprotestationstotheirs. CharlesMusgrove,indeed,afterwards,shewedmoreofinclination“thechildwasgoingonsowell,andhewishedsomuchtobeintroducedtoCaptainWentworth,that,perhaps,hemightjointhemintheeveninghewouldnotdinefromhome,buthemightwalkinforhalfanhour.”Butinthishewaseagerlyopposedbyhiswife,with“Oh!no,indeed,Charles,Icannotbeartohaveyougoaway.Onlythinkifanythingshouldhappen?” Thechildhadagoodnight,andwasgoingonwellthenextday.ItmustbeaworkoftimetoascertainthatnoinjuryhadbeendonetothespinebutMrRobinsonfoundnothingtoincreasealarm,andCharlesMusgrovebegan,consequently,tofeelnonecessityforlongerconfinement.Thechildwastobekeptinbedandamusedasquietlyaspossiblebutwhatwasthereforafathertodo?Thiswasquiteafemalecase,anditwouldbehighlyabsurdinhim,whocouldbeofnouseathome,toshuthimselfup.HisfatherverymuchwishedhimtomeetCaptainWentworth,andtherebeingnosufficientreasonagainstit,heoughttogoanditendedinhismakingabold,publicdeclaration,whenhecameinfromshooting,ofhismeaningtodressdirectly,anddineattheotherhouse. “Nothingcanbegoingonbetterthanthechild,”saidhe“soItoldmyfather,justnow,thatIwouldcome,andhethoughtmequiteright.Yoursisterbeingwithyou,mylove,Ihavenoscrupleatall.Youwouldnotliketoleavehimyourself,butyouseeIcanbeofnouse.Annewillsendformeifanythingisthematter.” Husbandsandwivesgenerallyunderstandwhenoppositionwillbevain.Maryknew,fromCharles’smannerofspeaking,thathewasquitedeterminedongoing,andthatitwouldbeofnousetoteazehim.Shesaidnothing,therefore,tillhewasoutoftheroom,butassoonastherewasonlyAnnetohear— “SoyouandIaretobelefttoshiftbyourselves,withthispoorsickchildandnotacreaturecomingnearusalltheevening!Iknewhowitwouldbe.Thisisalwaysmyluck.Ifthereisanythingdisagreeablegoingonmenarealwayssuretogetoutofit,andCharlesisasbadasanyofthem.Veryunfeeling!Imustsayitisveryunfeelingofhimtoberunningawayfromhispoorlittleboy.Talksofhisbeinggoingonsowell!Howdoesheknowthatheisgoingonwell,orthattheremaynotbeasuddenchangehalfanhourhence?IdidnotthinkCharleswouldhavebeensounfeeling.Sohereheistogoawayandenjoyhimself,andbecauseIamthepoormother,Iamnottobeallowedtostirandyet,Iamsure,Iammoreunfitthananybodyelsetobeaboutthechild.Mybeingthemotheristheveryreasonwhymyfeelingsshouldnotbetried.Iamnotatallequaltoit.YousawhowhystericalIwasyesterday.” “Butthatwasonlytheeffectofthesuddennessofyouralarm—oftheshock.Youwillnotbehystericalagain.Idaresayweshallhavenothingtodistressus.IperfectlyunderstandMrRobinson’sdirections,andhavenofearsandindeed,Mary,Icannotwonderatyourhusband.Nursingdoesnotbelongtoamanitisnothisprovince.Asickchildisalwaysthemother’sproperty:herownfeelingsgenerallymakeitso.” “IhopeIamasfondofmychildasanymother,butIdonotknowthat