CHAPTER X.

romtheviewofthelastsmilesoftheyearuponthetawnyleaves,andwitheredhedges,andfromrepeatingtoherselfsomefewofthethousandpoeticaldescriptionsextantofautumn,thatseasonofpeculiarandinexhaustibleinfluenceonthemindoftasteandtenderness,thatseasonwhichhaddrawnfromeverypoet,worthyofbeingread,someattemptatdescription,orsomelinesoffeeling.Sheoccupiedhermindasmuchaspossibleinsuchlikemusingsandquotationsbutitwasnotpossible,thatwhenwithinreachofCaptainWentworth’sconversationwitheitheroftheMissMusgroves,sheshouldnottrytohearityetshecaughtlittleveryremarkable.Itwasmerelivelychat,suchasanyyoungpersons,onanintimatefooting,mightfallinto.HewasmoreengagedwithLouisathanwithHenrietta.Louisacertainlyputmoreforwardforhisnoticethanhersister.Thisdistinctionappearedtoincrease,andtherewasonespeechofLouisa’swhichstruckher.Afteroneofthemanypraisesoftheday,whichwerecontinuallyburstingforth,CaptainWentworthadded:— “WhatgloriousweatherfortheAdmiralandmysister!Theymeanttotakealongdrivethismorningperhapswemayhailthemfromsomeofthesehills.Theytalkedofcomingintothissideofthecountry.Iwonderwhereaboutstheywillupsetto-day.Oh!itdoeshappenveryoften,Iassureyoubutmysistermakesnothingofitshewouldaslievebetossedoutasnot.” “Ah!Youmakethemostofit,Iknow,”criedLouisa,“butifitwerereallyso,Ishoulddojustthesameinherplace.IfIlovedaman,asshelovestheAdmiral,Iwouldalwaysbewithhim,nothingshouldeverseparateus,andIwouldratherbeoverturnedbyhim,thandrivensafelybyanybodyelse.” Itwasspokenwithenthusiasm. “Hadyou?”criedhe,catchingthesametone“Ihonouryou!”Andtherewassilencebetweenthemforalittlewhile. Annecouldnotimmediatelyfallintoaquotationagain.Thesweetscenesofautumnwereforawhileputby,unlesssometendersonnet,fraughtwiththeaptanalogyofthedecliningyear,withdeclininghappiness,andtheimagesofyouthandhope,andspring,allgonetogether,blessedhermemory.Sherousedherselftosay,astheystruckbyorderintoanotherpath,“IsnotthisoneofthewaystoWinthrop?”Butnobodyheard,or,atleast,nobodyansweredher. Winthrop,however,oritsenvirons—foryoungmenare,sometimestobemetwith,strollingaboutnearhome—wastheirdestinationandafteranotherhalfmileofgradualascentthroughlargeenclosures,wheretheploughsatwork,andthefreshmadepathspokethefarmercounteractingthesweetsofpoeticaldespondence,andmeaningtohavespringagain,theygainedthesummitofthemostconsiderablehill,whichpartedUppercrossandWinthrop,andsooncommandedafullviewofthelatter,atthefootofthehillontheotherside. Winthrop,withoutbeautyandwithoutdignity,wasstretchedbeforethemanindifferenthouse,standinglow,andhemmedinbythebarnsandbuildingsofafarm-yard. Maryexclaimed,“Blessme!hereisWinthrop.IdeclareIhadnoidea!Wellnow,IthinkwehadbetterturnbackIamexcessivelytired.” Henrietta,consciousandashamed,andseeingnocousinCharleswalkingalonganypath,orleaningagainstanygate,wasreadytodoasMarywishedbut“No!”saidCharlesMusgrove,and“No,no!”criedLouisamoreeagerly,andtakinghersisteraside,seemedtobearguingthematterwarmly. Charles,inthemeanwhile,wasverydecidedlydeclaringhisresolutionofcallingonhisaunt,nowthathewassonearandveryevidently,thoughmorefearfully,tryingtoinducehiswifetogotoo.ButthiswasoneofthepointsonwhichtheladyshewedherstrengthandwhenherecommendedtheadvantageofrestingherselfaquarterofanhouratWinthrop,asshefeltsotired,sheresolutelyanswered,“Oh!no,indeed!walkingupthathillagainwoulddohermoreharmthananysittingdowncoulddohergood”and,inshort,herlookandmannerdeclared,thatgoshewouldnot. Afteralittlesuccessionofthesesortofdebatesandconsultations,itwassettledbetweenCharlesandhistwosisters,thatheandHenriettashouldjustrundownforafewminutes,toseetheirau