CHAPTER XVIII.

dhewasgonedowntoEdward’s,andtherehehasbeeneversince.WehaveseennothingofhimsinceNovember.EvenSophycouldnotunderstandit.Butnow,thematterhastakenthestrangestturnofallforthisyounglady,thesameMissMusgrove,insteadofbeingtomarryFrederick,istomarryJamesBenwick.YouknowJamesBenwick.” “Alittle.IamalittleacquaintedwithCaptainBenwick.” “Well,sheistomarryhim.Nay,mostlikelytheyaremarriedalready,forIdonotknowwhattheyshouldwaitfor.” “IthoughtCaptainBenwickaverypleasingyoungman,”saidAnne,“andIunderstandthathebearsanexcellentcharacter.” “Oh!yes,yes,thereisnotawordtobesaidagainstJamesBenwick.Heisonlyacommander,itistrue,madelastsummer,andthesearebadtimesforgettingon,buthehasnotanotherfaultthatIknowof.Anexcellent,good-heartedfellow,Iassureyouaveryactive,zealousofficertoo,whichismorethanyouwouldthinkfor,perhaps,forthatsoftsortofmannerdoesnotdohimjustice.” “Indeedyouaremistakenthere,sirIshouldneveraugurwantofspiritfromCaptainBenwick’smanners.Ithoughtthemparticularlypleasing,andIwillanswerforit,theywouldgenerallyplease.” “Well,well,ladiesarethebestjudgesbutJamesBenwickisrathertoopianoformeandthoughverylikelyitisallourpartiality,SophyandIcannothelpthinkingFrederick’smannersbetterthanhis.ThereissomethingaboutFrederickmoretoourtaste.” Annewascaught.Shehadonlymeanttoopposethetoocommonideaofspiritandgentlenessbeingincompatiblewitheachother,notatalltorepresentCaptainBenwick’smannersastheverybestthatcouldpossiblybeand,afteralittlehesitation,shewasbeginningtosay,“Iwasnotenteringintoanycomparisonofthetwofriends,”buttheAdmiralinterruptedherwith— “Andthethingiscertainlytrue.Itisnotamerebitofgossip.WehaveitfromFrederickhimself.Hissisterhadaletterfromhimyesterday,inwhichhetellsusofit,andhehadjusthaditinaletterfromHarville,writtenuponthespot,fromUppercross.IfancytheyareallatUppercross.” ThiswasanopportunitywhichAnnecouldnotresistshesaid,therefore,“Ihope,Admiral,IhopethereisnothinginthestyleofCaptainWentworth’slettertomakeyouandMrsCroftparticularlyuneasy.Itdidseem,lastautumn,asiftherewereanattachmentbetweenhimandLouisaMusgrovebutIhopeitmaybeunderstoodtohavewornoutoneachsideequally,andwithoutviolence.Ihopehisletterdoesnotbreathethespiritofanill-usedman.” “Notatall,notatallthereisnotanoathoramurmurfrombeginningtoend.” Annelookeddowntohidehersmile. “No,noFrederickisnotamantowhineandcomplainhehastoomuchspiritforthat.Ifthegirllikesanothermanbetter,itisveryfitsheshouldhavehim.” “Certainly.ButwhatImeanis,thatIhopethereisnothinginCaptainWentworth’smannerofwritingtomakeyousupposehethinkshimselfill-usedbyhisfriend,whichmightappear,youknow,withoutitsbeingabsolutelysaid.IshouldbeverysorrythatsuchafriendshipashassubsistedbetweenhimandCaptainBenwickshouldbedestroyed,orevenwounded,byacircumstanceofthissort.” “Yes,yes,Iunderstandyou.Butthereisnothingatallofthatnatureintheletter.HedoesnotgivetheleastflingatBenwickdoesnotsomuchassay,‘Iwonderatit,Ihaveareasonofmyownforwonderingatit.’No,youwouldnotguess,fromhiswayofwriting,thathehadeverthoughtofthisMiss(what’shername?)forhimself.Heveryhandsomelyhopestheywillbehappytogetherandthereisnothingveryunforgivinginthat,Ithink.” AnnedidnotreceivetheperfectconvictionwhichtheAdmiralmeanttoconvey,butitwouldhavebeenuselesstopresstheenquiryfarther.Shethereforesatisfiedherselfwithcommon-placeremarksorquietattention,andtheAdmiralhaditallhisownway. “PoorFrederick!”saidheatlast.“Nowhemustbeginalloveragainwithsomebodyelse.IthinkwemustgethimtoBath.Sophymustwrite,andbeghimtocometoBath.Hereareprettygirlsenough,Iamsure.ItwouldbeofnousetogotoUppercrossagain,forthatotherMissMusgrove,Ifind,isbespokebyhercousin,theyoungparson.Donotyouthink,MissElliot,wehadbettertrytogethimtoBath?”