CHAPTER X.

eech:wordsofsuchinterest,spokenwithsuchseriouswarmth!ShecouldimaginewhatLouisawasfeeling.Forherself,shefearedtomove,lestsheshouldbeseen.Whilesheremained,abushoflowramblinghollyprotectedher,andtheyweremovingon.Beforetheywerebeyondherhearing,however,Louisaspokeagain. “Maryisgood-naturedenoughinmanyrespects,”saidshe“butshedoessometimesprovokemeexcessively,byhernonsenseandpride—theElliotpride.ShehasagreatdealtoomuchoftheElliotpride.WedosowishthatCharleshadmarriedAnneinstead.IsupposeyouknowhewantedtomarryAnne?” Afteramoment’spause,CaptainWentworthsaid— “Doyoumeanthatsherefusedhim?” “Oh!yescertainly.” “Whendidthathappen?” “Idonotexactlyknow,forHenriettaandIwereatschoolatthetimebutIbelieveaboutayearbeforehemarriedMary.Iwishshehadacceptedhim.WeshouldallhavelikedheragreatdealbetterandpapaandmammaalwaysthinkitwashergreatfriendLadyRussell’sdoing,thatshedidnot.TheythinkCharlesmightnotbelearnedandbookishenoughtopleaseLadyRussell,andthattherefore,shepersuadedAnnetorefusehim.” Thesoundswereretreating,andAnnedistinguishednomore.Herownemotionsstillkeptherfixed.Shehadmuchtorecoverfrom,beforeshecouldmove.Thelistener’sproverbialfatewasnotabsolutelyhersshehadheardnoevilofherself,butshehadheardagreatdealofverypainfulimport.ShesawhowherowncharacterwasconsideredbyCaptainWentworth,andtherehadbeenjustthatdegreeoffeelingandcuriosityaboutherinhismannerwhichmustgiveherextremeagitation. Assoonasshecould,shewentafterMary,andhavingfound,andwalkedbackwithhertotheirformerstation,bythestile,feltsomecomfortintheirwholepartybeingimmediatelyafterwardscollected,andoncemoreinmotiontogether.Herspiritswantedthesolitudeandsilencewhichonlynumberscouldgive. CharlesandHenriettareturned,bringing,asmaybeconjectured,CharlesHayterwiththem.TheminutiaeofthebusinessAnnecouldnotattempttounderstandevenCaptainWentworthdidnotseemadmittedtoperfectconfidenceherebutthattherehadbeenawithdrawingonthegentleman’sside,andarelentingonthelady’s,andthattheywerenowverygladtobetogetheragain,didnotadmitadoubt.Henriettalookedalittleashamed,butverywellpleased—CharlesHayterexceedinglyhappy:andtheyweredevotedtoeachotheralmostfromthefirstinstantoftheirallsettingforwardforUppercross. EverythingnowmarkedoutLouisaforCaptainWentworthnothingcouldbeplainerandwheremanydivisionswerenecessary,orevenwheretheywerenot,theywalkedsidebysidenearlyasmuchastheothertwo.Inalongstripofmeadowland,wheretherewasamplespaceforall,theywerethusdivided,formingthreedistinctpartiesandtothatpartyofthethreewhichboastedleastanimation,andleastcomplaisance,Annenecessarilybelonged.ShejoinedCharlesandMary,andwastiredenoughtobeverygladofCharles’sotherarmbutCharles,thoughinverygoodhumourwithher,wasoutoftemperwithhiswife.Maryhadshewnherselfdisobligingtohim,andwasnowtoreaptheconsequence,whichconsequencewashisdroppingherarmalmosteverymomenttocutofftheheadsofsomenettlesinthehedgewithhisswitchandwhenMarybegantocomplainofit,andlamentherbeingill-used,accordingtocustom,inbeingonthehedgeside,whileAnnewasneverincommodedontheother,hedroppedthearmsofbothtohuntafteraweaselwhichhehadamomentaryglanceof,andtheycouldhardlygethimalongatall. Thislongmeadowborderedalane,whichtheirfootpath,attheendofitwastocross,andwhenthepartyhadallreachedthegateofexit,thecarriageadvancinginthesamedirection,whichhadbeensometimeheard,wasjustcomingup,andprovedtobeAdmiralCroft’sgig.Heandhiswifehadtakentheirintendeddrive,andwerereturninghome.Uponhearinghowlongawalktheyoungpeoplehadengagedin,theykindlyofferedaseattoanyladywhomightbeparticularlytireditwouldsaveherafullmile,andtheyweregoingthroughUppercross.The