CHAPTER VIII.

helittlestatementofhernameandrate,andpresentnon-commissionedclass,observingoveritthatshetoohadbeenoneofthebestfriendsmaneverhad. “Ah!thosewerepleasantdayswhenIhadtheLaconia!HowfastImademoneyinher.AfriendofmineandIhadsuchalovelycruisetogetherofftheWesternIslands.PoorHarville,sister!Youknowhowmuchhewantedmoney:worsethanmyself.Hehadawife.Excellentfellow.Ishallneverforgethishappiness.Hefeltitall,somuchforhersake.Iwishedforhimagainthenextsummer,whenIhadstillthesameluckintheMediterranean.” “AndIamsure,Sir,”saidMrsMusgrove,“itwasaluckydayforus,whenyouwereputcaptainintothatship.Weshallneverforgetwhatyoudid.” HerfeelingsmadeherspeaklowandCaptainWentworth,hearingonlyinpart,andprobablynothavingDickMusgroveatallnearhisthoughts,lookedratherinsuspense,andasifwaitingformore. “Mybrother,”whisperedoneofthegirls“mammaisthinkingofpoorRichard.” “Poordearfellow!”continuedMrsMusgrove“hewasgrownsosteady,andsuchanexcellentcorrespondent,whilehewasunderyourcare!Ah!itwouldhavebeenahappything,ifhehadneverleftyou.Iassureyou,CaptainWentworth,weareverysorryheeverleftyou.” TherewasamomentaryexpressioninCaptainWentworth’sfaceatthisspeech,acertainglanceofhisbrighteye,andcurlofhishandsomemouth,whichconvincedAnne,thatinsteadofsharinginMrsMusgrove’skindwishes,astoherson,hehadprobablybeenatsomepainstogetridofhimbutitwastootransientanindulgenceofself-amusementtobedetectedbyanywhounderstoodhimlessthanherselfinanothermomenthewasperfectlycollectedandserious,andalmostinstantlyafterwardscominguptothesofa,onwhichsheandMrsMusgroveweresitting,tookaplacebythelatter,andenteredintoconversationwithher,inalowvoice,aboutherson,doingitwithsomuchsympathyandnaturalgrace,asshewedthekindestconsiderationforallthatwasrealandunabsurdintheparent’sfeelings. Theywereactuallyonthesamesofa,forMrsMusgrovehadmostreadilymaderoomforhimtheyweredividedonlybyMrsMusgrove.Itwasnoinsignificantbarrier,indeed.MrsMusgrovewasofacomfortable,substantialsize,infinitelymorefittedbynaturetoexpressgoodcheerandgoodhumour,thantendernessandsentimentandwhiletheagitationsofAnne’sslenderform,andpensiveface,maybeconsideredasverycompletelyscreened,CaptainWentworthshouldbeallowedsomecreditfortheself-commandwithwhichheattendedtoherlargefatsighingsoverthedestinyofason,whomalivenobodyhadcaredfor. Personalsizeandmentalsorrowhavecertainlynonecessaryproportions.Alargebulkyfigurehasasgoodarighttobeindeepaffliction,asthemostgracefulsetoflimbsintheworld.But,fairornotfair,thereareunbecomingconjunctions,whichreasonwillpatronizeinvain—whichtastecannottolerate—whichridiculewillseize. TheAdmiral,aftertakingtwoorthreerefreshingturnsabouttheroomwithhishandsbehindhim,beingcalledtoorderbyhiswife,nowcameuptoCaptainWentworth,andwithoutanyobservationofwhathemightbeinterrupting,thinkingonlyofhisownthoughts,beganwith— “IfyouhadbeenaweeklateratLisbon,lastspring,Frederick,youwouldhavebeenaskedtogiveapassagetoLadyMaryGriersonandherdaughters.” “ShouldI?IamgladIwasnotaweeklaterthen.” TheAdmiralabusedhimforhiswantofgallantry.Hedefendedhimselfthoughprofessingthathewou