CHAPTER VII.

Iamofanymoreuseinthesick-roomthanCharles,forIcannotbealwaysscoldingandteazingthepoorchildwhenitisillandyousaw,thismorning,thatifItoldhimtokeepquiet,hewassuretobeginkickingabout.Ihavenotnervesforthesortofthing.” “But,couldyoubecomfortableyourself,tobespendingthewholeeveningawayfromthepoorboy?” “Yesyouseehispapacan,andwhyshouldnotI?Jemimaissocarefulandshecouldsenduswordeveryhourhowhewas.IreallythinkCharlesmightaswellhavetoldhisfatherwewouldallcome.IamnotmorealarmedaboutlittleCharlesnowthanheis.Iwasdreadfullyalarmedyesterday,butthecaseisverydifferentto-day.” “Well,ifyoudonotthinkittoolatetogivenoticeforyourself,supposeyouweretogo,aswellasyourhusband.LeavelittleCharlestomycare.MrandMrsMusgrovecannotthinkitwrongwhileIremainwithhim.” “Areyouserious?”criedMary,hereyesbrightening.“Dearme!that’saverygoodthought,verygood,indeed.Tobesure,Imayjustaswellgoasnot,forIamofnouseathome—amI?anditonlyharassesme.You,whohavenotamother’sfeelings,areagreatdealtheproperestperson.YoucanmakelittleCharlesdoanythinghealwaysmindsyouataword.ItwillbeagreatdealbetterthanleavinghimonlywithJemima.Oh!IshallcertainlygoIamsureIoughtifIcan,quiteasmuchasCharles,fortheywantmeexcessivelytobeacquaintedwithCaptainWentworth,andIknowyoudonotmindbeingleftalone.Anexcellentthoughtofyours,indeed,Anne.IwillgoandtellCharles,andgetreadydirectly.Youcansendforus,youknow,atamoment’snotice,ifanythingisthematterbutIdaresaytherewillbenothingtoalarmyou.Ishouldnotgo,youmaybesure,ifIdidnotfeelquiteateaseaboutmydearchild.” Thenextmomentshewastappingatherhusband’sdressing-roomdoor,andasAnnefollowedherupstairs,shewasintimeforthewholeconversation,whichbeganwithMary’ssaying,inatoneofgreatexultation— “Imeantogowithyou,Charles,forIamofnomoreuseathomethanyouare.IfIweretoshutmyselfupforeverwiththechild,Ishouldnotbeabletopersuadehimtodoanythinghedidnotlike.AnnewillstayAnneundertakestostayathomeandtakecareofhim.ItisAnne’sownproposal,andsoIshallgowithyou,whichwillbeagreatdealbetter,forIhavenotdinedattheotherhousesinceTuesday.” “ThisisverykindofAnne,”washerhusband’sanswer,“andIshouldbeverygladtohaveyougobutitseemsratherhardthatsheshouldbeleftathomebyherself,tonurseoursickchild.” Annewasnowathandtotakeupherowncause,andthesincerityofhermannerbeingsoonsufficienttoconvincehim,whereconvictionwasatleastveryagreeable,hehadnofartherscruplesastoherbeinglefttodinealone,thoughhestillwantedhertojointhemintheevening,whenthechildmightbeatrestforthenight,andkindlyurgedhertolethimcomeandfetchher,butshewasquiteunpersuadableandthisbeingthecase,shehaderelongthepleasureofseeingthemsetofftogetherinhighspirits.Theyweregone,shehoped,tobehappy,howeveroddlyconstructedsuchhappinessmightseemasforherself,shewasleftwithasmanysensationsofcomfort,aswere,perhaps,everlikelytobehers.SheknewherselftobeofthefirstutilitytothechildandwhatwasittoherifFrederickWentworthwereonlyhalfamiledistant,makinghimselfagreeabletoothers? Shewouldhavelikedtoknowhowhefeltastoameeting.Perhapsindifferent,ifindifferencecouldexistundersuchcircumstances.Hemustbeeitherind