CHAPTER VIII.

yfitforservicethen.Reportedfitforhomeserviceforayearortwo,andsoIwassentofftotheWestIndies.” Thegirlslookedallamazement. “TheAdmiralty,”hecontinued,“entertainthemselvesnowandthen,withsendingafewhundredmentosea,inashipnotfittobeemployed.Buttheyhaveagreatmanytoprovideforandamongthethousandsthatmayjustaswellgotothebottomasnot,itisimpossibleforthemtodistinguishtheverysetwhomaybeleastmissed.” “Phoo!phoo!”criedtheAdmiral,“whatstufftheseyoungfellowstalk!NeverwasabettersloopthantheAspinherday.Foranoldbuiltsloop,youwouldnotseeherequal.Luckyfellowtogether!Heknowstheremusthavebeentwentybettermenthanhimselfapplyingforheratthesametime.Luckyfellowtogetanythingsosoon,withnomoreinterestthanhis.” “Ifeltmyluck,Admiral,Iassureyou”repliedCaptainWentworth,seriously.“Iwasaswellsatisfiedwithmyappointmentasyoucandesire.Itwasagreatobjectwithmeatthattimetobeatseaaverygreatobject,Iwantedtobedoingsomething.” “Tobesureyoudid.Whatshouldayoungfellowlikeyoudoashoreforhalfayeartogether?Ifamanhadnotawife,hesoonwantstobeafloatagain.” “But,CaptainWentworth,”criedLouisa,“howvexedyoumusthavebeenwhenyoucametotheAsp,toseewhatanoldthingtheyhadgivenyou.” “Iknewprettywellwhatshewasbeforethatday”saidhe,smiling.“Ihadnomorediscoveriestomakethanyouwouldhaveastothefashionandstrengthofanyoldpelisse,whichyouhadseenlentaboutamonghalfyouracquaintanceeversinceyoucouldremember,andwhichatlast,onsomeverywetday,islenttoyourself.Ah!shewasadearoldAsptome.ShedidallthatIwanted.Iknewshewould.Iknewthatweshouldeithergotothebottomtogether,orthatshewouldbethemakingofmeandIneverhadtwodaysoffoulweatherallthetimeIwasatseainherandaftertakingprivateersenoughtobeveryentertaining,Ihadthegoodluckinmypassagehomethenextautumn,tofallinwiththeveryFrenchfrigateIwanted.IbroughtherintoPlymouthandhereanotherinstanceofluck.WehadnotbeensixhoursintheSound,whenagalecameon,whichlastedfourdaysandnights,andwhichwouldhavedoneforpooroldAspinhalfthetimeourtouchwiththeGreatNationnothavingmuchimprovedourcondition.Four-and-twentyhourslater,andIshouldonlyhavebeenagallantCaptainWentworth,inasmallparagraphatonecornerofthenewspapersandbeinglostinonlyasloop,nobodywouldhavethoughtaboutme.”Anne’sshudderingsweretoherselfalonebuttheMissMusgrovescouldbeasopenastheyweresincere,intheirexclamationsofpityandhorror. “Andsothen,Isuppose,”saidMrsMusgrove,inalowvoice,asifthinkingaloud,“sothenhewentawaytotheLaconia,andtherehemetwithourpoorboy.Charles,mydear,”(beckoninghimtoher),“doaskCaptainWentworthwhereitwashefirstmetwithyourpoorbrother.Ialwaysforgot.” “ItwasatGibraltar,mother,Iknow.DickhadbeenleftillatGibraltar,witharecommendationfromhisformercaptaintoCaptainWentworth.” “Oh!but,Charles,tellCaptainWentworth,heneednotbeafraidofmentioningpoorDickbeforeme,foritwouldberatherapleasuretohearhimtalkedofbysuchagoodfriend.” Charles,beingsomewhatmoremindfuloftheprobabilitiesofthecase,onlynoddedinreply,andwalkedaway. ThegirlswerenowhuntingfortheLaconiaandCaptainWentworthcouldnotdenyhimselfthepleasureoftakingthepreciousvolumeintohisownhandstosavethemthetrouble,andoncemorereadaloudt