CHAPTER XIII.

orryandashamedforthenecessityoftheremoval,shecouldnotbutinconsciencefeelthattheyweregonewhodeservednottostay,andthatKellynchHallhadpassedintobetterhandsthanitsowners’.Theseconvictionsmustunquestionablyhavetheirownpain,andseverewasitskindbuttheyprecludedthatpainwhichLadyRussellwouldsufferinenteringthehouseagain,andreturningthroughthewell-knownapartments. InsuchmomentsAnnehadnopowerofsayingtoherself,“Theseroomsoughttobelongonlytous.Oh,howfallenintheirdestination!Howunworthilyoccupied!Anancientfamilytobesodrivenaway!Strangersfillingtheirplace!”No,exceptwhenshethoughtofhermother,andrememberedwhereshehadbeenusedtositandpreside,shehadnosighofthatdescriptiontoheave. MrsCroftalwaysmetherwithakindnesswhichgaveherthepleasureoffancyingherselfafavourite,andonthepresentoccasion,receivingherinthathouse,therewasparticularattention. ThesadaccidentatLymewassoontheprevailingtopic,andoncomparingtheirlatestaccountsoftheinvalid,itappearedthateachladydatedherintelligencefromthesamehourofyestermornthatCaptainWentworthhadbeeninKellynchyesterday(thefirsttimesincetheaccident),hadbroughtAnnethelastnote,whichshehadnotbeenabletotracetheexactstepsofhadstaidafewhoursandthenreturnedagaintoLyme,andwithoutanypresentintentionofquittingitanymore.Hehadenquiredafterher,shefound,particularlyhadexpressedhishopeofMissElliot’snotbeingtheworseforherexertions,andhadspokenofthoseexertionsasgreat.Thiswashandsome,andgavehermorepleasurethanalmostanythingelsecouldhavedone. Astothesadcatastropheitself,itcouldbecanvassedonlyinonestylebyacoupleofsteady,sensiblewomen,whosejudgementshadtoworkonascertainedeventsanditwasperfectlydecidedthatithadbeentheconsequenceofmuchthoughtlessnessandmuchimprudencethatitseffectsweremostalarming,andthatitwasfrightfultothink,howlongMissMusgrove’srecoverymightyetbedoubtful,andhowliableshewouldstillremaintosufferfromtheconcussionhereafter!TheAdmiralwounditupsummarilybyexclaiming— “Ay,averybadbusinessindeed.Anewsortofwaythis,forayoungfellowtobemakinglove,bybreakinghismistress’shead,isnotit,MissElliot?Thisisbreakingaheadandgivingaplaster,truly!” AdmiralCroft’smannerswerenotquiteofthetonetosuitLadyRussell,buttheydelightedAnne.Hisgoodnessofheartandsimplicityofcharacterwereirresistible. “Now,thismustbeverybadforyou,”saidhe,suddenlyrousingfromalittlereverie,“tobecomingandfindingushere.Ihadnotrecollecteditbefore,Ideclare,butitmustbeverybad.Butnow,donotstanduponceremony.Getupandgooveralltheroomsinthehouseifyoulikeit.” “Anothertime,Sir,Ithankyou,notnow.” “Well,wheneveritsuitsyou.Y