CHAPTER XII.

tawasconsigned,for,thoughpartiallyrevived,shewasquitehelplessandinthismanner,Annewalkingbyherside,andCharlesattendingtohiswife,theysetforward,treadingbackwithfeelingsunutterable,theground,whichsolately,soverylately,andsolightofheart,theyhadpassedalong. TheywerenotofftheCobb,beforetheHarvillesmetthem.CaptainBenwickhadbeenseenflyingbytheirhouse,withacountenancewhichshowedsomethingtobewrongandtheyhadsetoffimmediately,informedanddirectedastheypassed,towardsthespot.ShockedasCaptainHarvillewas,hebroughtsensesandnervesthatcouldbeinstantlyusefulandalookbetweenhimandhiswifedecidedwhatwastobedone.Shemustbetakentotheirhouseallmustgototheirhouseandawaitthesurgeon’sarrivalthere.Theywouldnotlistentoscruples:hewasobeyedtheywereallbeneathhisroofandwhileLouisa,underMrsHarville’sdirection,wasconveyedupstairs,andgivenpossessionofherownbed,assistance,cordials,restorativesweresuppliedbyherhusbandtoallwhoneededthem. Louisahadonceopenedhereyes,butsoonclosedthemagain,withoutapparentconsciousness.Thishadbeenaproofoflife,however,ofservicetohersisterandHenrietta,thoughperfectlyincapableofbeinginthesameroomwithLouisa,waskept,bytheagitationofhopeandfear,fromareturnofherowninsensibility.Mary,too,wasgrowingcalmer. Thesurgeonwaswiththemalmostbeforeithadseemedpossible.Theyweresickwithhorror,whileheexaminedbuthewasnothopeless.Theheadhadreceivedaseverecontusion,buthehadseengreaterinjuriesrecoveredfrom:hewasbynomeanshopelesshespokecheerfully. Thathedidnotregarditasadesperatecase,thathedidnotsayafewhoursmustendit,wasatfirstfelt,beyondthehopeofmostandtheecstasyofsuchareprieve,therejoicing,deepandsilent,afterafewferventejaculationsofgratitudetoHeavenhadbeenoffered,maybeconceived. Thetone,thelook,withwhich“ThankGod!”wasutteredbyCaptainWentworth,Annewassurecouldneverbeforgottenbyhernorthesightofhimafterwards,ashesatnearatable,leaningoveritwithfoldedarmsandfaceconcealed,asifoverpoweredbythevariousfeelingsofhissoul,andtryingbyprayerandreflectiontocalmthem. Louisa’slimbshadescaped.Therewasnoinjurybuttothehead. Itnowbecamenecessaryforthepartytoconsiderwhatwasbesttobedone,astotheirgeneralsituation.Theywerenowabletospeaktoeachotherandconsult.ThatLouisamustremainwhereshewas,howeverdistressingtoherfriendstobeinvolvingtheHarvillesinsuchtrouble,didnotadmitadoubt.Herremovalwasimpossible.TheHarvillessilencedallscruplesand,asmuchastheycould,allgratitude.Theyhadlookedforwardandarrangedeverythingbeforetheothersbegantoreflect.CaptainBenwickmustgiveuphisroomtothem,andgetanotherbedelsewhereandthewholewassettled.Theywereonlyconcernedthatthehousecouldaccommodatenomoreandyetperhaps,by“puttingthechildrenawayinthemaid’sroom,orswingingacotsomewhere,”theycouldhardlybeartothinkofnotfindingroomfortwoorthreebesides,supposingtheymightwishtostaythough,withregardtoanyattendanceonMissMusgrove,thereneednotbetheleastuneasinessinleavinghertoMrsHarville’scareentirely.MrsHarvillewasaveryexperiencednurse,andhernursery-maid,whohadlivedwithherlong,andgoneaboutwithhereverywhere,wasjustsuchanother.Betweenthesetwo,shecouldwantnopossibleattendancebydayornight.Andallthiswassaidwithatruthandsincerityoffeelingirresistible. Charles,Henrietta,andCaptainWentworthwerethethreeinconsultation,andforalittlewhileitwasonlyaninterchangeofperplexityandterror.“Uppercross,thenecessityofsomeone’sgoingtoUppercrossthenewstobeconveyedhowitcouldbebrokentoMrandMrsMusgrovethelatenessofthemorninganhouralreadygonesincetheyoughttohavebeenofftheimpossibilityofbeingintolerabletime.”Atfirst,theywerecapableofnothingmoretothepurposethansuchexclamationsbut,afterawhile,CaptainWentworth,exertinghimself,said— “Wemustbedecided,andwithoutthelossofanotherminute.Everyminuteisvaluable.SomeonemustresolveonbeingoffforUppercrossinstantly.Musgrove,eitheryouorImustgo.” Charlesagreed,butdeclaredhisresolutionofnotgoingaway.HewouldbeaslittleincumbranceaspossibletoCaptainandMrsHarvillebutastoleavinghissisterinsuchastate,heneitherought,norwould.SofaritwasdecidedandHenriettaatfirstdeclaredthesame.She,however,wassoonpersuadedtothinkdifferently.Theusefulnessofherstaying!ShewhohadnotbeenabletoremaininLouisa’sroom,ortolookather,withoutsufferingswhichmadeherworsethanhelpless!Shewasforcedtoacknowledgethatshecoulddonogood,yetwasstillunwillingtobeaway,till,touchedbythethoughtofherfatherandmother,shegaveitupsheconsented,shewasanxioustobeathome. Theplanhadreachedthispoint,whenAnne,comingquietlydownfromLouisa’sroom,couldnotbuthearwhatfollowed,fortheparlourdoorwasopen. “Thenitissettled,Musgrove,”criedCaptainWentworth,“thatyoustay,andthatItakecareofyoursisterhome.Butastotherest,astotheothers,ifonestaystoassistMrsHarville,Ithinkitneedbeonlyone.MrsCharlesMusgrovewill,ofcourse,wishtogetbacktoherchildrenbutifAnnewillstay,noonesoproper,socapableasAnne.” Shepausedamomenttorecoverfromtheemotionofhearingherselfsospokenof.Theothertwowarmlyagreedwithwhathesaid,andshethenappeared. “Youwillstay,Iamsureyouwillstayandnurseher”criedhe,turningtoherandspeakingwithaglow,andyetagentleness,whichseemedalmostrestoringthepast.Shecoloureddeeply,andherecollectedhimselfandmovedaway.Sheexpressedherselfm