CHAPTER XIX.
關燈
小
中
大
ttlecrowdintheshopunderstandthatLadyDalrymplewascallingtoconveyMissElliot.AtlastMissElliotandherfriend,unattendedbutbytheservant,(fortherewasnocousinreturned),werewalkingoffandCaptainWentworth,watchingthem,turnedagaintoAnne,andbymanner,ratherthanwords,wasofferinghisservicestoher.
“Iammuchobligedtoyou,”washeranswer,“butIamnotgoingwiththem.Thecarriagewouldnotaccommodatesomany.Iwalk:Ipreferwalking.”
“Butitrains.”
“Oh!verylittle,NothingthatIregard.”
Afteramoment’spausehesaid:“ThoughIcameonlyyesterday,IhaveequippedmyselfproperlyforBathalready,yousee,”(pointingtoanewumbrella)“Iwishyouwouldmakeuseofit,ifyouaredeterminedtowalkthoughIthinkitwouldbemoreprudenttoletmegetyouachair.”
Shewasverymuchobligedtohim,butdeclineditall,repeatingherconviction,thattherainwouldcometonothingatpresent,andadding,“IamonlywaitingforMrElliot.Hewillbehereinamoment,Iamsure.”
ShehadhardlyspokenthewordswhenMrElliotwalkedin.CaptainWentworthrecollectedhimperfectly.TherewasnodifferencebetweenhimandthemanwhohadstoodonthestepsatLyme,admiringAnneasshepassed,exceptintheairandlookandmanneroftheprivilegedrelationandfriend.Hecameinwitheagerness,appearedtoseeandthinkonlyofher,apologisedforhisstay,wasgrievedtohavekeptherwaiting,andanxioustogetherawaywithoutfurtherlossoftimeandbeforetherainincreasedandinanothermomenttheywalkedofftogether,herarmunderhis,agentleandembarrassedglance,anda“Goodmorningtoyou!”beingallthatshehadtimefor,asshepassedaway.
Assoonastheywereoutofsight,theladiesofCaptainWentworth’spartybegantalkingofthem.
“MrElliotdoesnotdislikehiscousin,Ifancy?”
“Oh!no,thatisclearenough.Onecanguesswhatwillhappenthere.Heisalwayswiththemhalflivesinthefamily,Ibelieve.Whataverygood-lookingman!”
“Yes,andMissAtkinson,whodinedwithhimonceattheWallises,saysheisthemostagreeablemansheeverwasincompanywith.”
“Sheispretty,IthinkAnneElliotverypretty,whenonecomestolookather.Itisnotthefashiontosayso,butIconfessIadmirehermorethanhersister.”
“Oh!sodoI.”
“AndsodoI.Nocomparison.ButthemenareallwildafterMissElliot.Anneistoodelicateforthem.”
Annewouldhavebeenparticularlyobligedtohercousin,ifhewouldhavewalkedbyhersideallthewaytoCamdenPlace,withoutsayingaword.Shehadneverfounditsodifficultt