CHAPTER XXII.

fewminutesafterwards,shefeltasiftheirbeingincompanywitheachother,undertheirpresentcircumstances,couldonlybeexposingthemtoinadvertenciesandmisconstructionsofthemostmischievouskind. “Anne,”criedMary,stillatherwindow,“thereisMrsClay,Iamsure,standingunderthecolonnade,andagentlemanwithher.IsawthemturnthecornerfromBathStreetjustnow.Theyseemeddeepintalk.Whoisit?Come,andtellme.Goodheavens!Irecollect.ItisMrElliothimself.” “No,”criedAnne,quickly,“itcannotbeMrElliot,Iassureyou.HewastoleaveBathatninethismorning,anddoesnotcomebacktillto-morrow.” Asshespoke,shefeltthatCaptainWentworthwaslookingather,theconsciousnessofwhichvexedandembarrassedher,andmadeherregretthatshehadsaidsomuch,simpleasitwas. Mary,resentingthatsheshouldbesupposednottoknowherowncousin,begantalkingverywarmlyaboutthefamilyfeatures,andprotestingstillmorepositivelythatitwasMrElliot,callingagainuponAnnetocomeandlookforherself,butAnnedidnotmeantostir,andtriedtobecoolandunconcerned.Herdistressreturned,however,onperceivingsmilesandintelligentglancespassbetweentwoorthreeoftheladyvisitors,asiftheybelievedthemselvesquiteinthesecret.Itwasevidentthatthereportconcerningherhadspread,andashortpausesucceeded,whichseemedtoensurethatitwouldnowspreadfarther. “Docome,Anne,”criedMary,“comeandlookyourself.Youwillbetoolateifyoudonotmakehaste.Theyarepartingtheyareshakinghands.Heisturningaway.NotknowMrElliot,indeed!YouseemtohaveforgotallaboutLyme.” TopacifyMary,andperhapsscreenherownembarrassment,Annedidmovequietlytothewindow.ShewasjustintimetoascertainthatitreallywasMrElliot,whichshehadneverbelieved,beforehedisappearedononeside,asMrsClaywalkedquicklyoffontheotherandcheckingthesurprisewhichshecouldnotbutfeelatsuchanappearanceoffriendlyconferencebetweentwopersonsoftotallyoppositeinterest,shecalmlysaid,“Yes,itisMrElliot,certainly.Hehaschangedhishourofgoing,Isuppose,thatisall,orImaybemistaken,Imightnotattend”andwalkedbacktoherchair,recomposed,andwiththecomfortablehopeofhavingacquittedherselfwell. ThevisitorstooktheirleaveandCharles,havingcivillyseenthemoff,andthenmadeafaceatthem,andabusedthemforcoming,beganwith— “Well,mother,Ihavedonesomethingforyouthatyouwilllike.Ihavebeentothetheatre,andsecuredaboxforto-morrownight.A’n’tIagoodboy?Iknowyouloveaplayandthereisroomforusall.Itholdsnine.IhaveengagedCaptainWentworth.Annewillnotbesorrytojoinus,Iamsure.Wealllikeaplay.HavenotIdonewell,mother?” MrsMusgrovewasgoodhumouredlybeginningtoexpressherperfectreadinessfortheplay,ifHenriettaandalltheotherslikedit,whenMaryeagerlyinterruptedherbyexclaiming— “Goodheavens,Charles!howcanyouthinkofsuchathing?Takeaboxforto-morrownight!HaveyouforgotthatweareengagedtoCamdenPlaceto-morrownight?andthatweweremostparticularlyaskedtomeetLadyDalrympleandherdaughter,andMrElliot,andalltheprincipalfamilyconnexions,onpurposetobeintroducedtothem?Howcanyoubesoforgetful?” “Phoo!phoo!”repliedCharles,“what’saneveningparty?Neverworthremembering.Yourfathermighthaveaskedustodinner,Ithink,ifhehadwantedtoseeus.Youmaydoasyoulike,butIshallgototheplay.” “Oh!Charles,Ideclareitwillbetooabominableifyoudo,whenyoupromisedtogo.” “No,Ididnotpromise.Ionlysmirkedandbowed,andsaidtheword‘happy.’Therewasnopromise.” “Butyoumustgo,Charles.Itwouldbeunpardonabletofail.Wewereaskedonpurposetobeintroduced.TherewasalwayssuchagreatconnexionbetweentheDalrymplesandourselves.Nothingeverhappenedoneithersidethatwasnotannouncedimmediately.Wearequitenearrelations,youknowandMrElliottoo,whomyououghtsoparticularlytobeacquaintedwith!EveryattentionisduetoMrElliot.Consider,myfather’sheir:thefuturerepresentativeofthefamily.” “Don’ttalktomeaboutheirsandrepresentatives,”criedCharles.“Iamnotoneofthosewhoneglectthereigningpowertobowtotherisingsun.IfIwouldnotgoforthesakeofyourfather,Ishouldthinkitscandaloustogoforthesakeofhisheir.WhatisMrElliottome?”ThecarelessexpressionwaslifetoAnne,whosawthatCaptainWentworthwasallattention,lookingandlisteningwithhiswholesoulandthatthelastwordsbroughthisenquiringeyesfromCharlestoherself. CharlesandMarystilltalkedoninthesamestylehe,halfseriousandhalfjesting,maintainingtheschemefortheplay,andshe,invariablyserious,mostwarmlyopposingit,andnotomittingtomakeitknownthat,howeverdeterminedtogotoCamdenPlaceherself,sheshouldnotthinkherselfverywellused,iftheywenttotheplaywithouther.MrsMusgroveinterposed. “Wehadbetterputitoff.Charles,youhadmuchbettergobackandchangetheboxforTuesday.Itwouldbeapitytobedivided,andweshouldbelosingMissAnne,too,ifthereisapartyatherfather’sandIamsureneitherHenriettanorIshouldcareatallfortheplay,ifMissAnnecouldnotbewithus.” Annefelttrulyobligedtoherforsuchkindnessandquiteasmuchsofortheopportunityitgaveherofdecidedlysaying— “Ifitdependedonlyonmyinclination,ma’am,thepartyathome(exceptingonMary’saccount)wouldnotbethesmallestimpediment.Ihavenopleasureinthesortofmeeting,andshouldbetoohappytochangeitforaplay,andwithyou.But,ithadbetternotbeattempted,perhaps.”Shehadspokenitbutshetrembledwhenitwasdone,consciousthatherwordswerelistenedto,anddaringnoteventotrytoobservetheireffect. ItwassoongenerallyagreedthatTuesdayshouldbethedayCharlesonlyreservingtheadvantageofstillteasinghiswife,bypersistingthathewouldgototheplayto-morrowifnobodyelsewould. CaptainWentworthlefthisseat,andwalkedtothefire-placeprobablyforthesakeofwalkingawayfromitsoonafterwards,andtakingastation,withlessbare-faceddesign,byAnne. “YouhavenotbeenlongenoughinBath,”saidhe,“toenjoytheeveningpartiesofthep