CHAPTER XII.

omebodymustbegoingaway.Itwasdrivenbyaservantinmourning. ThewordcurriclemadeCharlesMusgrovejumpupthathemightcompareitwithhisowntheservantinmourningrousedAnne’scuriosity,andthewholesixwerecollectedtolook,bythetimetheownerofthecurriclewastobeseenissuingfromthedooramidstthebowsandcivilitiesofthehousehold,andtakinghisseat,todriveoff. “Ah!”criedCaptainWentworth,instantly,andwithhalfaglanceatAnne,“itistheverymanwepassed.” TheMissMusgrovesagreedtoitandhavingallkindlywatchedhimasfarupthehillastheycould,theyreturnedtothebreakfasttable.Thewaitercameintotheroomsoonafterwards. “Pray,”saidCaptainWentworth,immediately,“canyoutellusthenameofthegentlemanwhoisjustgoneaway?” “Yes,Sir,aMrElliot,agentlemanoflargefortune,cameinlastnightfromSidmouth.Daresayyouheardthecarriage,sir,whileyouwereatdinnerandgoingonnowforCrewkherne,inhiswaytoBathandLondon.” “Elliot!”Manyhadlookedoneachother,andmanyhadrepeatedthename,beforeallthishadbeengotthrough,evenbythesmartrapidityofawaiter. “Blessme!”criedMary“itmustbeourcousinitmustbeourMrElliot,itmust,indeed!Charles,Anne,mustnotit?Inmourning,yousee,justasourMrElliotmustbe.Howveryextraordinary!Intheverysameinnwithus!Anne,mustnotitbeourMrElliot?myfather’snextheir?Praysir,”turningtothewaiter,“didnotyouhear,didnothisservantsaywhetherhebelongedtotheKellynchfamily?” “No,ma’am,hedidnotmentionnoparticularfamilybuthesaidhismasterwasaveryrichgentleman,andwouldbeabaronightsomeday.” “There!yousee!”criedMaryinanecstasy,“justasIsaid!HeirtoSirWalterElliot!Iwassurethatwouldcomeout,ifitwasso.Dependuponit,thatisacircumstancewhichhisservantstakecaretopublish,whereverhegoes.But,Anne,onlyconceivehowextraordinary!IwishIhadlookedathimmore.Iwishwehadbeenawareintime,whoitwas,thathemighthavebeenintroducedtous.Whatapitythatweshouldnothavebeenintroducedtoeachother!DoyouthinkhehadtheElliotcountenance?Ihardlylookedathim,IwaslookingatthehorsesbutIthinkhehadsomethingoftheElliotcountenance,Iwonderthearmsdidnotstrikeme!Oh!thegreat-coatwashangingoverthepanel,andhidthearms,soitdidotherwise,Iamsure,Ishouldhaveobservedthem,andtheliverytooiftheservanthadnotbeeninmourning,oneshouldhaveknownhimbythelivery.” “Puttingalltheseveryextraordinarycircumstancestogether,”saidCaptainWentworth,“wemustconsiderittobethearrangementofProvidence,thatyoushouldnotbeintroducedtoyourcousin.” WhenshecouldcommandMary’sattention,AnnequietlytriedtoconvinceherthattheirfatherandMrElliothadnot,formanyyears,beenonsuchtermsastomakethepowerofattemptinganintroductionatalldesirable. Atthesametime,however,itwasasecretgratificationtoherselftohaveseenhercousin,andtoknowthatthefutureownerofKellynchwasundoubtedlyagentleman,andhadanairofgoodsense.Shewouldnot,uponanyaccount,mentionherhavingmetwithhimthesecondtimeluckilyMarydidnotmuchattendtotheirhavingpassedclosebyhimintheirearlierwalk,butshewouldhavefeltquiteill-usedbyAnne’shavingactuallyrunagainsthiminthepassage,andreceivedhisverypoliteexcuses,whileshehadneverbeennearhimatallno,thatcousinlylittleinterviewmustremainaperfectsecret. “Ofcourse,”saidMary,“youwillmentionourseeingMrElliot,thenexttimeyouwritetoBath.Ithinkmyfathercertainlyoughttohearofitdomentionallabouthim.” Anneavoidedadirectreply,butitwasjustthecircumstancewhichsheconsideredasnotmerelyunnecessarytobecommunicated,butaswhatoughttobesuppressed.Theoffencewhichhadbeengivenherfather,manyyearsback,sheknewElizabeth’sparticularshareinitshesuspectedandthatMrElliot’sideaalwaysproducedirritationinbothwasbeyondadoubt.MaryneverwrotetoBathherselfallthetoilofkeepingupaslowandunsatisfactorycorrespondencewithElizabethfellonAnne. Breakfasthadnotbeenlongover,whentheywerejoinedbyCaptainandMrsHarvilleandCaptainBenwickwithwhomtheyhadappointedtotaketheirlastwalkaboutLyme.TheyoughttobesettingoffforUppercrossbyone,andinthemeanwhileweretobealltogether,andoutofdoorsaslongastheycould. AnnefoundCaptainBenwickgettingnearher,assoonastheywereallfairlyinthestreet.Theirconversationtheprecedingeveningdidnotdisinclinehimtoseekheragainandtheywalkedtogethersometime,talkingasbeforeofMrScottandLordByron,andstillasunableasbefore,andasunableasanyothertworeaders,tothinkexactlyalikeofthemeritsofeither,tillsomethingoccasionedanalmostgeneralchangeamongsttheirparty,andinsteadofCaptainBenwick,shehadCaptainHarvillebyherside. “MissElliot,”saidhe,speakingratherlow,“youhavedoneagooddeedinmakingthatpoorfellowtalksomuch.Iwishhecouldhavesuchcompanyoftener.Itisbadforhim,Iknow,tobeshutupasheisbutwhatcanwedo?Wecannotpart.” “No,”saidAnne,“thatIcaneasilybelievetobeimpossiblebutintime,perhaps—weknowwhattimedoesineverycaseofaffliction,andyoumustremember,CaptainHarville,thatyourfriendmayyetbecalledayoungmourner—onlylastsummer,Iunderstand.” “Ay,trueenough,”(withadeepsigh)“onlyJune.” “Andnotknowntohim,perhaps,sosoon.” “NottillthefirstweekofAugust,whenhecamehomefromtheCape,justmadeintotheGrappler.IwasatPlymouthdreadingtohearofhimhesentinletters,buttheGrapplerwasunderordersforPortsmouth.Therethenewsmustfollowhim,butwhowastotellit?notI.Iwouldassoonhavebeenrunuptotheyard-arm.Nobodycoulddoit,butthatgoodfellow”(pointingtoCaptainWentw