CHAPTER XIX.

WhileAdmiralCroftwastakingthiswalkwithAnne,andexpressinghiswishofgettingCaptainWentworthtoBath,CaptainWentworthwasalreadyonhiswaythither.BeforeMrsCrofthadwritten,hewasarrived,andtheverynexttimeAnnewalkedout,shesawhim. MrElliotwasattendinghistwocousinsandMrsClay.TheywereinMilsomStreet.Itbegantorain,notmuch,butenoughtomakeshelterdesirableforwomen,andquiteenoughtomakeitverydesirableforMissElliottohavetheadvantageofbeingconveyedhomeinLadyDalrymple’scarriage,whichwasseenwaitingatalittledistanceshe,Anne,andMrsClay,therefore,turnedintoMolland’s,whileMrElliotsteppedtoLadyDalrymple,torequestherassistance.Hesoonjoinedthemagain,successful,ofcourseLadyDalrymplewouldbemosthappytotakethemhome,andwouldcallfortheminafewminutes. Herladyship’scarriagewasabarouche,anddidnotholdmorethanfourwithanycomfort.MissCarteretwaswithhermotherconsequentlyitwasnotreasonabletoexpectaccommodationforallthethreeCamdenPlaceladies.TherecouldbenodoubtastoMissElliot.Whoeversufferedinconvenience,shemustsuffernone,butitoccupiedalittletimetosettlethepointofcivilitybetweentheothertwo.Therainwasameretrifle,andAnnewasmostsincereinpreferringawalkwithMrElliot.ButtherainwasalsoameretrifletoMrsClayshewouldhardlyallowiteventodropatall,andherbootsweresothick!muchthickerthanMissAnne’sand,inshort,hercivilityrenderedherquiteasanxioustobelefttowalkwithMrElliotasAnnecouldbe,anditwasdiscussedbetweenthemwithagenerositysopoliteandsodetermined,thattheotherswereobligedtosettleitforthemMissElliotmaintainingthatMrsClayhadalittlecoldalready,andMrElliotdecidingonappeal,thathiscousinAnne’sbootswereratherthethickest. Itwasfixedaccordingly,thatMrsClayshouldbeofthepartyinthecarriageandtheyhadjustreachedthispoint,whenAnne,asshesatnearthewindow,descried,mostdecidedlyanddistinctly,CaptainWentworthwalkingdownthestreet. Herstartwasperceptibleonlytoherselfbutsheinstantlyfeltthatshewasthegreatestsimpletonintheworld,themostunaccountableandabsurd!Forafewminutesshesawnothingbeforeheritwasallconfusion.Shewaslost,andwhenshehadscoldedbackhersenses,shefoundtheothersstillwaitingforthecarriage,andMrElliot(alwaysobliging)justsettingoffforUnionStreetonacommissionofMrsClay’s. Shenowfeltagreatinclinationtogototheouterdoorshewantedtose