CHAPTER VII.

ifferentorunwilling.Hadhewishedevertoseeheragain,heneednothavewaitedtillthistimehewouldhavedonewhatshecouldnotbutbelievethatinhisplacesheshouldhavedonelongago,wheneventshadbeenearlygivinghimtheindependencewhichalonehadbeenwanting. Herbrotherandsistercamebackdelightedwiththeirnewacquaintance,andtheirvisitingeneral.Therehadbeenmusic,singing,talking,laughing,allthatwasmostagreeablecharmingmannersinCaptainWentworth,noshynessorreservetheyseemedalltoknoweachotherperfectly,andhewascomingtheverynextmorningtoshootwithCharles.Hewastocometobreakfast,butnotattheCottage,thoughthathadbeenproposedatfirstbutthenhehadbeenpressedtocometotheGreatHouseinstead,andheseemedafraidofbeinginMrsCharlesMusgrove’sway,onaccountofthechild,andtherefore,somehow,theyhardlyknewhow,itendedinCharles’sbeingtomeethimtobreakfastathisfather’s. Anneunderstoodit.Hewishedtoavoidseeingher.Hehadinquiredafterher,shefound,slightly,asmightsuitaformerslightacquaintance,seemingtoacknowledgesuchasshehadacknowledged,actuated,perhaps,bythesameviewofescapingintroductionwhentheyweretomeet. ThemorninghoursoftheCottagewerealwayslaterthanthoseoftheotherhouse,andonthemorrowthedifferencewassogreatthatMaryandAnnewerenotmorethanbeginningbreakfastwhenCharlescameintosaythattheywerejustsettingoff,thathewascomeforhisdogs,thathissisterswerefollowingwithCaptainWentworthhissistersmeaningtovisitMaryandthechild,andCaptainWentworthproposingalsotowaitonherforafewminutesifnotinconvenientandthoughCharleshadansweredforthechild’sbeinginnosuchstateascouldmakeitinconvenient,CaptainWentworthwouldnotbesatisfiedwithouthisrunningontogivenotice. Mary,verymuchgratifiedbythisattention,wasdelightedtoreceivehim,whileathousandfeelingsrushedonAnne,ofwhichthiswasthemostconsoling,thatitwouldsoonbeover.Anditwassoonover.IntwominutesafterCharles’spreparation,theothersappearedtheywereinthedrawing-room.HereyehalfmetCaptainWentworth’s,abow,acurtseypassedsheheardhisvoicehetalkedtoMary,saidallthatwasright,saidsomethingtotheMissMusgroves,enoughtomarkaneasyfootingtheroomseemedfull,fullofpersonsandvoices,butafewminutesendedit.Charlesshewedhimselfatthewindow,allwasready,theirvisitorhadbowedandwasgone,theMissMusgrovesweregonetoo,suddenlyresolvingtowalktotheendofthevillagewiththesportsmen:theroomwascleared,andAnnemightfinishherbreakfastasshecould. “Itisover!itisover!”sherepeatedtoherselfagainandagain,innervousgratitude.“Theworstisover!” Marytalked,butshecouldnotattend.Shehadseenhim.Theyhadmet.Theyhadbeenoncemoreinthesameroom. Soon,however,shebegantoreasonwithherself,andtrytobefeelingless.Eightyears,almosteightyearshadpassed,sinceallhadbeengivenup.Howabsurdtoberesumingtheagitationwhichsuchanintervalhadbanishedintodistanceandindistinctness!Whatmightnoteightyearsdo?Eventsofeverydescription,changes,alienations,removals—all,allmustbecomprisedinit,andoblivionofthepast—hownatural,howcertaintoo!Itincludednearlyathirdpartofherownlife. Alas!withallherreasoning,shefound,thattoretentivefeelingseightyearsmaybelittlemorethannothing. Now,howwerehissentiments