CHAPTER VIII.

FromthistimeCaptainWentworthandAnneElliotwererepeatedlyinthesamecircle.TheyweresoondiningincompanytogetheratMrMusgrove’s,forthelittleboy’sstatecouldnolongersupplyhisauntwithapretenceforabsentingherselfandthiswasbutthebeginningofotherdiningsandothermeetings. Whetherformerfeelingsweretoberenewedmustbebroughttotheproofformertimesmustundoubtedlybebroughttotherecollectionofeachtheycouldnotbutberevertedtotheyearoftheirengagementcouldnotbutbenamedbyhim,inthelittlenarrativesordescriptionswhichconversationcalledforth.Hisprofessionqualifiedhim,hisdispositionleadhim,totalkand“Thatwasintheyearsix”“ThathappenedbeforeIwenttoseaintheyearsix,”occurredinthecourseofthefirsteveningtheyspenttogether:andthoughhisvoicedidnotfalter,andthoughshehadnoreasontosupposehiseyewanderingtowardsherwhilehespoke,Annefelttheutterimpossibility,fromherknowledgeofhismind,thathecouldbeunvisitedbyremembranceanymorethanherself.Theremustbethesameimmediateassociationofthought,thoughshewasveryfarfromconceivingittobeofequalpain. Theyhadnoconversationtogether,nointercoursebutwhatthecommonestcivilityrequired.Oncesomuchtoeachother!Nownothing!Therehadbeenatime,whenofallthelargepartynowfillingthedrawing-roomatUppercross,theywouldhavefounditmostdifficulttoceasetospeaktooneanother.Withtheexception,perhaps,ofAdmiralandMrsCroft,whoseemedparticularlyattachedandhappy,(Annecouldallownootherexceptionsevenamongthemarriedcouples),therecouldhavebeennotwoheartssoopen,notastessosimilar,nofeelingssoinunison,nocountenancessobeloved.Nowtheywereasstrangersnay,worsethanstrangers,fortheycouldneverbecomeacquainted.Itwasaperpetualestrangement. Whenhetalked,sheheardthesamevoice,anddiscernedthesamemind.Therewasaverygeneralignoranceofallnavalmattersthroughoutthepartyandhewasverymuchquestioned,andespeciallybythetwoMissMusgroves,whoseemedhardlytohaveanyeyesbutforhim,astothemanneroflivingonboard,dailyregulations,food,hours,&c.,andtheirsurpriseathisaccounts,atlearningthedegreeofaccommodationandarrangementwhichwaspracticable,drewfromhimsomepleasantridicule,whichremindedAnneoftheearlydayswhenshetoohadbeenignorant,andshetoohadbeenaccusedofsupposingsailorstobelivingonboardwithoutanythingtoeat,oranycooktodressitiftherewere,oranyservanttowait,oranyknifeandforktouse. Fromthuslisteningandthinking,shewasrousedbyawhisperofMrsMusgrove’swho,overcomebyfondregrets,couldnothelpsaying— “Ah!MissAnne,ifithadpleasedHeaventosparemypoorson,Idaresayhewouldhavebeenjustsuchanotherbythistime.” Annesuppressedasmile,andlistenedkindly,whileMrsMusgroverelievedherheartalittlemoreandforafewminutes,therefore,couldnotkeeppacewiththeconversationoftheothers. Whenshecouldletherattentiontakeitsnaturalcourseagain,shefoundtheMissMusgrovesjustfetchingtheNavyList(theirownnavylist,thefirstthathadeverbeenatUppercross),andsittingdowntogethertoporeoverit,withtheprofessedviewoffindingouttheshipsthatCaptainWentworthhadcommanded. “YourfirstwastheAsp,IrememberwewilllookfortheAsp.” “Youwillnotfindherthere.Quitewornoutandbrokenup.Iwasthelastmanwhocommandedher.Hardl