CHAPTER XX.
關燈
小
中
大
oken!FannyHarvillewasaverysuperiorcreature,andhisattachmenttoherwasindeedattachment.Amandoesnotrecoverfromsuchadevotionofthehearttosuchawoman.Heoughtnothedoesnot.”
Eitherfromtheconsciousness,however,thathisfriendhadrecovered,orfromotherconsciousness,hewentnofartherandAnnewho,inspiteoftheagitatedvoiceinwhichthelatterparthadbeenuttered,andinspiteofallthevariousnoisesoftheroom,thealmostceaselessslamofthedoor,andceaselessbuzzofpersonswalkingthrough,haddistinguishedeveryword,wasstruck,gratified,confused,andbeginningtobreatheveryquick,andfeelanhundredthingsinamoment.Itwasimpossibleforhertoenteronsuchasubjectandyet,afterapause,feelingthenecessityofspeaking,andhavingnotthesmallestwishforatotalchange,sheonlydeviatedsofarastosay—
“YouwereagoodwhileatLyme,Ithink?”
“Aboutafortnight.IcouldnotleaveittillLouisa’sdoingwellwasquiteascertained.Ihadbeentoodeeplyconcernedinthemischieftobesoonatpeace.Ithadbeenmydoing,solelymine.ShewouldnothavebeenobstinateifIhadnotbeenweak.ThecountryroundLymeisveryfine.IwalkedandrodeagreatdealandthemoreIsaw,themoreIfoundtoadmire.”
“IshouldverymuchliketoseeLymeagain,”saidAnne.
“Indeed!IshouldnothavesupposedthatyoucouldhavefoundanythinginLymetoinspiresuchafeeling.Thehorroranddistressyouwereinvolvedin,thestretchofmind,thewearofspirits!IshouldhavethoughtyourlastimpressionsofLymemusthavebeenstrongdisgust.”
“Thelasthourswerecertainlyverypainful,”repliedAnne“butwhenpainisover,theremembranceofitoftenbecomesapleasure.Onedoesnotloveaplacethelessforhavingsufferedinit,unlessithasbeenallsuffering,nothingbutsuffering,whichwasbynomeansthecaseatLyme.Wewereonlyinanxietyanddistressduringthelasttwohours,andpreviouslytherehadbeenagreatdealofenjoyment.Somuchnoveltyandbeauty!Ihavetravelledsolittle,thateveryfreshplacewouldbeinterestingtomebutthereisrealbeautyatLymeandinshort”(withafaintblushatsomerecollections),“altogethermyimpressionsoftheplaceareveryagreeable.”
Assheceased,theentrancedooropenedagain,andtheverypartyappearedforwhomtheywerewaiting.“LadyDalrymple,LadyDalrymple,”wastherejoicingsoundandwithalltheeagernesscompatiblewithanxiouselegance,SirWalterandhistwoladiessteppedforwardtomeether.LadyDalrympleandMissCarteret,escortedbyMrElliotandColonelWallis,whohadhappenedtoarrivenearlyatthesameinstant,advancedintotheroom.Theothersjoinedthem,anditwasagroupinwhichAnnefoundherselfalsonecessarilyincluded.ShewasdividedfromCaptainWentworth.Theirinteresting,almosttoointerestingconversationmustbebrokenupforatime,butslightwasthepenancecomparedwiththehappinesswhichbroughtiton!Shehadlearnt,inthelasttenminutes,moreofhisfeelingstowardsLouisa,moreofallhisfeelingsthanshedaredtothinkofandshegaveherselfuptothedemandsoftheparty,totheneedfulcivilitiesofthemoment,withexquisite,thoughagitatedsensations.Shewasingoodhumourwithall.Shehadreceivedideaswhichdisposedhertobecourteousandkindtoall,andtopityeveryone,asbeinglesshappythanherself.
Thedelightfulemotionswerealittlesubdued,whenonsteppingbackfromthegroup,tobejoinedagainbyCaptainWentworth,shesawthathewasgone.ShewasjustintimetoseehimturnintotheConcertRoom.Hewasgonehehaddisappeared,shefeltamoment’sregret.But“theyshouldmeetagain.Hewouldlookforher,hewouldfindheroutbeforetheeveningwereover,andatpresent,perhaps,itwasaswelltobeasunder.She