CHAPTER XXII.

lace.” “Oh!no.Theusualcharacterofthemhasnothingforme.Iamnocard-player.” “Youwerenotformerly,Iknow.Youdidnotusetolikecardsbuttimemakesmanychanges.” “Iamnotyetsomuchchanged,”criedAnne,andstopped,fearingshehardlyknewwhatmisconstruction.Afterwaitingafewmomentshesaid,andasifitweretheresultofimmediatefeeling,“Itisaperiod,indeed!Eightyearsandahalfisaperiod.” WhetherhewouldhaveproceededfartherwaslefttoAnne’simaginationtoponderoverinacalmerhourforwhilestillhearingthesoundshehaduttered,shewasstartledtoothersubjectsbyHenrietta,eagertomakeuseofthepresentleisureforgettingout,andcallingonhercompanionstolosenotime,lestsomebodyelseshouldcomein. Theywereobligedtomove.Annetalkedofbeingperfectlyready,andtriedtolookitbutshefeltthatcouldHenriettahaveknowntheregretandreluctanceofherheartinquittingthatchair,inpreparingtoquittheroom,shewouldhavefound,inallherownsensationsforhercousin,intheverysecurityofhisaffection,wherewithtopityher. Theirpreparations,however,werestoppedshort.Alarmingsoundswereheardothervisitorsapproached,andthedoorwasthrownopenforSirWalterandMissElliot,whoseentranceseemedtogiveageneralchill.Annefeltaninstantoppression,andwherevershelookedsawsymptomsofthesame.Thecomfort,thefreedom,thegaietyoftheroomwasover,hushedintocoldcomposure,determinedsilence,orinsipidtalk,tomeettheheartlesseleganceofherfatherandsister.Howmortifyingtofeelthatitwasso! Herjealouseyewassatisfiedinoneparticular.CaptainWentworthwasacknowledgedagainbyeach,byElizabethmoregraciouslythanbefore.Sheevenaddressedhimonce,andlookedathimmorethanonce.Elizabethwas,infact,revolvingagreatmeasure.Thesequelexplainedit.Afterthewasteofafewminutesinsayingthepropernothings,shebegantogivetheinvitationwhichwastocomprisealltheremainingduesoftheMusgroves.“To-morrowevening,tomeetafewfriends:noformalparty.”Itwasallsaidverygracefully,andthecardswithwhichshehadprovidedherself,the“MissElliotathome,”werelaidonthetable,withacourteous,comprehensivesmiletoall,andonesmileandonecardmoredecidedlyforCaptainWentworth.Thetruthwas,thatElizabethhadbeenlongenoughinBathtounderstandtheimportanceofamanofsuchanairandappearanceashis.Thepastwasnothing.ThepresentwasthatCaptainWentworthwouldmoveaboutwellinherdrawing-room.Thecardwaspointedlygiven,andSirWalterandElizabetharoseanddisappeared. Theinterruptionhadbeenshort,thoughsevere,andeaseandanimationreturnedtomostofthosetheyleftasthedoorshutthemout,butnottoAnne.Shecouldthinkonlyoftheinvitationshehadwithsuchastonishmentwitnessed,andofthemannerinwhichithadbeenreceivedamannerofdoubtfulmeaning,ofsurpriseratherthangratification,ofpoliteacknowledgementratherthanacceptance.Sheknewhimshesawdisdaininhiseye,andcouldnotventuretobelievethathehaddeterminedtoacceptsuchanoffering,asanatonementforalltheinsolenceofthepast.Herspiritssank.Heheldthecardinhishandaftertheyweregone,asifdeeplyconsideringit. “OnlythinkofElizabeth’sincludingeverybody!”whisperedMaryveryaudibly.“IdonotwonderCaptainWentworthisdelighted!Youseehecannotputthecardoutofhishand.” Annecaughthiseye,sawhischeeksglow,andhismouthformitselfintoamomentaryexpressionofcontempt,andturnedaway,thatshemightneitherseenorhearmoretovexher. Thepartyseparated.Thegentlemenhadtheirownpursuits,theladiesproceededontheirownbusiness,andtheymetnomorewhileAnnebelongedtothem.Shewasearnestlybeggedtoreturnanddine,andgivethemalltherestoftheday,butherspiritshadbeensolongexertedthatatpresentshefeltunequaltomore,andfitonlyforhome,whereshemightbesureofbeingassilentasshechose. Promisingtobewiththemthewholeofthefollowingmorning,therefore,sheclosedthefatiguesofthepresentbyatoilsomewalktoCamdenPlace,theretospendtheeveningchieflyinlisteningtothebusyarrangementsofElizabethandMrsClayforthemorrow’sparty,thefrequentenumerationofthepersonsinvited,andthecontinuallyimprovingdetailofalltheembellishmentswhichweretomakeitthemostcompletelyelegantofitskindinBath,whileharassingherselfwiththenever-endingquestion,ofwhetherCaptainWentworthwouldcomeornot?Theywerereckoninghimascertain,butwithheritwasagnawingsolicitudeneverappeasedforfiveminutestogether.Shegenerallythoughthewouldcome,becauseshegenerallythoughtheoughtbutitwasacasewhichshecouldnotsoshapeintoanypositiveactofdutyordiscretion,asinevitablytodefythesuggestionsofveryoppositefeelings. Sheonlyrousedherselffromthebroodingsofthisrestlessagitation,toletMrsClayknowthatshehadbeenseenwithMrElliotthreehoursafterhisbeingsupposedtobeoutofBath,forhavingwatchedinvainforsomeintimationoftheinterviewfromtheladyherself,shedeterminedtomentionit,anditseemedtohertherewasguiltinMrsClay’sfaceasshelistened.Itwastransient:clearedawayinaninstantbutAnnecouldimagineshereadtheretheconsciousnessofhaving,bysomecomplicationofmutualtrick,orsomeoverbearingauthorityofhis,beenobligedtoattend(perhapsforhalfanhour)tohislecturesandrestrictionsonherdesignsonSirWalter.Sheexclaimed,however,withaverytolerableimitationofnature:— “Oh!dear!verytrue.Onlythink,MissElliot,tomygreatsurpriseImetwithMrElliotinBathStreet.Iwasnevermoreastonished.HeturnedbackandwalkedwithmetothePumpYard.HehadbeenpreventedsettingoffforThornberry,butIreallyforgetbywhatforIwasinahurry,andcouldnotmuchattend,andIcanonlyanswerforhisbeingdeterminednottobedelayedinhisreturn.Hewantedtoknowhowearlyhemightbeadmittedto-morrow.Hewasfullof‘to-morrow,’anditisveryevidentthatIhavebeenfullofittoo,eversinceIenteredthehouse,andlearnttheextensionofyourplanandallthathadhappened,ormyseeinghimcouldneverhavegonesoentirelyoutofmyhead.”