CHAPTER X.

Otheropportunitiesofmakingherobservationscouldnotfailtooccur.Annehadsoonbeenincompanywithallthefourtogetheroftenenoughtohaveanopinion,thoughtoowisetoacknowledgeasmuchathome,wheresheknewitwouldhavesatisfiedneitherhusbandnorwifeforwhilesheconsideredLouisatoberatherthefavourite,shecouldnotbutthink,asfarasshemightdaretojudgefrommemoryandexperience,thatCaptainWentworthwasnotinlovewitheither.Theyweremoreinlovewithhimyetthereitwasnotlove.Itwasalittlefeverofadmirationbutitmight,probablymust,endinlovewithsome.CharlesHayterseemedawareofbeingslighted,andyetHenriettahadsometimestheairofbeingdividedbetweenthem.Annelongedforthepowerofrepresentingtothemallwhattheywereabout,andofpointingoutsomeoftheevilstheywereexposingthemselvesto.Shedidnotattributeguiletoany.ItwasthehighestsatisfactiontohertobelieveCaptainWentworthnotintheleastawareofthepainhewasoccasioning.Therewasnotriumph,nopitifultriumphinhismanner.Hehad,probably,neverheard,andneverthoughtofanyclaimsofCharlesHayter.Hewasonlywronginacceptingtheattentions(foracceptingmustbetheword)oftwoyoungwomenatonce. Afterashortstruggle,however,CharlesHayterseemedtoquitthefield.ThreedayshadpassedwithouthiscomingoncetoUppercrossamostdecidedchange.HehadevenrefusedoneregularinvitationtodinnerandhavingbeenfoundontheoccasionbyMrMusgrovewithsomelargebooksbeforehim,MrandMrsMusgroveweresureallcouldnotberight,andtalked,withgravefaces,ofhisstudyinghimselftodeath.ItwasMary’shopeandbeliefthathehadreceivedapositivedismissalfromHenrietta,andherhusbandlivedundertheconstantdependenceofseeinghimto-morrow.AnnecouldonlyfeelthatCharlesHayterwaswise. Onemorning,aboutthistimeCharlesMusgroveandCaptainWentworthbeinggonea-shootingtogether,asthesistersintheCottageweresittingquietlyatwork,theywerevisitedatthewindowbythesistersfromtheMansion-house. ItwasaveryfineNovemberday,andtheMissMusgrovescamethroughthelittlegrounds,andstoppedfornootherpurposethantosay,thattheyweregoingtotakealongwalk,and,therefore,concludedMarycouldnotliketogowiththemandwhenMaryimmediatelyreplied,withsomejealousyatnotbeingsupposedagoodwalker,“Oh,yes,Ishouldliketojoinyouverymuch,Iamveryfondofalongwalk”Annefeltpersuaded,bythelooksofthetwogirls,thatitwaspreciselywhattheydidnotwish,andadmiredagainthesortofnecessitywhichthefamilyhabitsseemedtoproduce,ofeverythingbeingtobecommunicated,andeverythingbeingtobedonetogether,howeverundesiredandinconvenient.ShetriedtodissuadeMaryfromgoing,butinvainandthatbeingthecase,thoughtitbesttoaccepttheMissMusgroves’muchmorecordialinvitationtoherselftogolikewise,asshemightbeusefulinturningbackwithhersister,andlesseningtheinterferenceinanyplanoftheirown. “IcannotimaginewhytheyshouldsupposeIshouldnotlikealongwalk,”saidMary,asshewentupstairs.“EverybodyisalwayssupposingthatIamnotagoodwalkerandyettheywouldnothavebeenpleased,ifwehadrefusedtojointhem.Whenpeoplecomeinthismanneronpurposetoaskus,howcanonesayno?” Justastheyweresettingoff,thegentlemenreturned.Theyhadtakenoutayoungdog,whohadspoilttheirsport,andsentthembackearly.Theirtimeandstrength,andspirits,were,therefore,exactlyreadyforthiswalk,andtheyenteredintoitwithpleasure.CouldAnnehaveforeseensuchajunction,shewouldhavestaidathomebut,fromsomefeelingsofinterestandcuriosity,shefanciednowthatitwastoolatetoretract,andthewholesixsetforwardtogetherinthedirectionchosenbytheMissMusgroves,whoevidentlyconsideredthewalkasundertheirguidance. Anne’sobjectwas,nottobeinthewayofanybodyandwherethenarrowpathsacrossthefieldsmademanyseparationsnecessary,tokeepwithherbrotherandsister.Herpleasureinthewalkmustarisefromtheexerciseandtheday,f