CHAPTER XXII.

laughingordancingitisquitedifferent.Ifonehappensonlytoshutthedooralittlehard,shestartsandwriggleslikeayoungdab-chickinthewaterandBenwicksitsatherelbow,readingverses,orwhisperingtoher,alldaylong.” Annecouldnothelplaughing.“Thatcannotbemuchtoyourtaste,Iknow,”saidshe“butIdobelievehimtobeanexcellentyoungman.” “Tobesureheis.NobodydoubtsitandIhopeyoudonotthinkIamsoilliberalastowanteverymantohavethesameobjectsandpleasuresasmyself.IhaveagreatvalueforBenwickandwhenonecanbutgethimtotalk,hehasplentytosay.Hisreadinghasdonehimnoharm,forhehasfoughtaswellasread.Heisabravefellow.IgotmoreacquaintedwithhimlastMondaythaneverIdidbefore.Wehadafamousset-toatrat-huntingallthemorninginmyfather’sgreatbarnsandheplayedhispartsowellthatIhavelikedhimthebettereversince.” HeretheywereinterruptedbytheabsolutenecessityofCharles’sfollowingtheotherstoadmiremirrorsandchinabutAnnehadheardenoughtounderstandthepresentstateofUppercross,andrejoiceinitshappinessandthoughshesighedassherejoiced,hersighhadnoneoftheill-willofenvyinit.Shewouldcertainlyhaverisentotheirblessingsifshecould,butshedidnotwanttolessentheirs. Thevisitpassedoffaltogetherinhighgoodhumour.Marywasinexcellentspirits,enjoyingthegaietyandthechange,andsowellsatisfiedwiththejourneyinhermother-in-law’scarriagewithfourhorses,andwithherowncompleteindependenceofCamdenPlace,thatshewasexactlyinatempertoadmireeverythingassheought,andentermostreadilyintoallthesuperioritiesofthehouse,astheyweredetailedtoher.Shehadnodemandsonherfatherorsister,andherconsequencewasjustenoughincreasedbytheirhandsomedrawing-rooms. Elizabethwas,forashorttime,sufferingagooddeal.ShefeltthatMrsMusgroveandallherpartyoughttobeaskedtodinewiththembutshecouldnotbeartohavethedifferenceofstyle,thereductionofservants,whichadinnermustbetray,witnessedbythosewhohadbeenalwayssoinferiortotheElliotsofKellynch.Itwasastrugglebetweenproprietyandvanitybutvanitygotthebetter,andthenElizabethwashappyagain.Thesewereherinternalpersuasions:“OldfashionednotionscountryhospitalitywedonotprofesstogivedinnersfewpeopleinBathdoLadyAlicianeverdoesdidnotevenaskherownsister’sfamily,thoughtheywerehereamonth:andIdaresayitwouldbeveryinconvenienttoMrsMusgroveputherquiteoutofherway.Iamsureshewouldrathernotcomeshecannotfeeleasywithus.Iwillaskthemallforaneveningthatwillbemuchbetterthatwillbeanoveltyandatreat.Theyhavenotseentwosuchdrawingroomsbefore.Theywillbedelightedtocometo-morrowevening.Itshallbearegularparty,small,butmostelegant.”AndthissatisfiedElizabeth:andwhentheinvitationwasgiventothetwopresent,andpromisedfortheabsent,Marywasascompletelysatisfied.ShewasparticularlyaskedtomeetMrElliot,andbeintroducedtoLadyDalrympleandMissCarteret,whowerefortunatelyalreadyengagedtocomeandshecouldnothavereceivedamoregratifyingattention.MissElliotwastohavethehonourofcallingonMrsMusgroveinthecourseofthemorningandAnnewalkedoffwithCharlesandMary,togoandseeherandHenriettadirectly. HerplanofsittingwithLadyRussellmustgivewayforthepresent.TheyallthreecalledinRiversStreetforacoupleofminutesbutAnneconvincedherselfthataday’sdelayoftheintendedcommunicationcouldbeofnoconsequence,andhastenedforwardtotheWhiteHart,toseeagainthefriendsandcompanionsofthelastautumn,withaneagernessofgood-willwhichmanyassociationscontributedtoform. TheyfoundMrsMusgroveandherdaughterwithin,andbythemselves,andAnnehadthekindestwelcomefromeach.Henriettawasexactlyinthatstateofrecently-improvedviews,offresh-formedhappiness,whichmadeherfullofregardandinterestforeverybodyshehadeverlikedbeforeatallandMrsMusgrove’srealaffectionhadbeenwonbyherusefulnesswhentheywereindistress.Itwasaheartiness,andawarmth,andasinceritywhichAnnedelightedinthemore,fromthesadwantofsuchblessingsathome.Shewasentreatedtogivethemasmuchofhertimeaspossible,invitedforeverydayandalldaylong,orratherclaimedaspartofthefamilyand,inreturn,shenaturallyfellintoallherwontedwaysofattentionandassistance,andonCharles’sleavingthemtogether,waslisteningtoMrsMusgrove’shistoryofLouisa,andtoHenrietta’sofherself,givingopinionsonbusiness,andrecommendationstoshopswithintervalsofeveryhelpwhichMaryrequired,fromalteringherribbontosettlingheraccountsfromfindingherkeys,andassortinghertrinkets,totryingtoconvinceherthatshewasnotill-usedbyanybodywhichMary,wellamusedasshegenerallywas,inherstationatawindowoverlookingtheentrancetothePumpRoom,couldnotbuthavehermomentsofimagining. Amorningofthoroughconfusionwastobeexpected.Alargepartyinanhotelensuredaquick-changing,unsettledscene.Onefiveminutesbroughtanote,thenextaparcelandAnnehadnotbeentherehalfanhour,whentheirdining-room,spaciousasitwas,seemedmorethanhalffilled:apartyofsteadyoldfriendswereseatedaroundMrsMusgrove,andCharlescamebackwithCaptainsHarvilleandWentworth.Theappearanceofthelattercouldnotbemorethanthesurpriseofthemoment.Itwasimpossibleforhertohaveforgottentofeelthatthisarrivaloftheircommonfriendsmustbesoonbringingthemtogetheragain.Theirlastmeetinghadbeenmostimportantinopeninghisfeelingsshehadderivedfromitadelightfulconvictionbutshefearedfromhislooks,thatthesameunfortunatepersuasion,whichhadhastenedhimawayfromtheConcertRoom,stillgoverned.Hedidnotseemtowanttobenearenoughforconversation. Shetriedtobecalm,andleavethingstotaketheircourse,andtriedtodwellmuchonthisargumentofrationaldependence:—“Surely,iftherebeconstantattachmentoneachside,ourheartsmustunderstandeachothererelong.Wearenotboyandgirl,tobecaptiouslyirritable,misledbyeverymoment’sinadvertence,andwantonlyplayingwithourownhappiness.”Andyet,a