Another circumstance very essential for her to know, was how long he meant to be in Bath;he had not mentioned it, or she could not recollect it. He might be only passing through.But it was more probable that he should be come to stay. In that case,so liable as every body was to meet every body in Bath,Lady Russell would in all likelihood see him somewhere. Would she recollect him?How would it all be?
She had already been obliged to tell Lady Russell that Louisa Musgrove was to marry Captain Benwick.It had cost her something to encounter Lady Russell’s surprise; and now,if she were by any chance to be thrown into company with Captain Wentworth,her imperfect knowledge of the matter might add another shade of prejudice against him.
The following morning Anne was out with her friend, and for the first hour,in an incessant and fearful sort of watch for him in vain; but at last,in returning down Pulteney Street, she distinguished him on the right hand pavement at such a distance as to have him in view the greater part of the street.There were many other men about him, many groups walking the same way,but there was no mistaking him. She looked instinctively at Lady Russell;but not from any mad idea of her recognising him so soon as she did herself. No,it was not to be supposed that Lady Russell would perceive him till they were nearly opposite.She looked at her however, from time to time, anxiously;and when the moment approached which must point him out,though not daring to look again (for her own countenance she knew was unfit to be seen),she was yet perfectly conscious of Lady Russell’s eyes being turned exactly in the direction for him—of her being,in short, intently observing him. She could thoroughly comprehend the sort of fascination he must possess over Lady Russell’s mind,the difficulty it must be for her to withdraw her eyes,the astonishment she must be feeling that eight or nine years should have passed over him,and in foreign climes and in active service too, without robbing him of one personal grace!
At last, Lady Russell drew back her head. “Now, how would she speak of him?”
“You will wonder,” said she, “what has been fixing my eye so long;but I was looking after some window-curtains,which Lady Alicia and Mrs Frankland were telling me of last night.They described the drawing-room window-curtains of one of the houses on this side of the way,and this part of the street, as being the handsomest and best hung of any in Bath,but could not recollect the exact number, and I have been trying to find out which it could be;but I confess I can see no curtains hereabouts that answer their description.”
Anne sighed and blushed and smiled, in pity and disdain, either at her friend or herself.The part which provoked her most, was that in all this waste of foresight and caution,she should have lost the right moment for seeing whether he saw them.
A day or two passed without producing anything. The theatre or the rooms,where he was most likely to be, were not fashionable enough for the Elliots,whose evening amusements were solely in the elegant stupidity of private parties,in which they were getting more and more engaged; and Anne, wearied of such a state of stagnation,sick of knowing nothing, and fancying herself stronger because her strength was not tried,was quite impatient for the concert evening.It was a concert for the benefit of a person patronised by Lady Dalrymple.Of course they must attend. It was really expected to be a good one,and Captain Wentworth was very fond of music.If she could only have a few minutes conversation with him again,she fancied she should be satisfied; and as to the power of addressing him,she felt all over courage if the opportunity occurred. Elizabeth had turned from him,Lady Russell overlooked him; her nerves were strengthened by these circumstances; she felt that she owed him attention.
She had once partly promised Mrs Smith to spend the evening with her;but in a short hurried call she excused herself and put it off,with the more decided promise of a longer visit on the morrow.Mrs Smith gave a most good-humoured acquiescence.
“By all means,” said she; “only tell me all about it, when you do come. Who is your party?”
Anne named them all. Mrs Smith made no reply; but when she was leaving her said,and with an expression half serious, half arch, “Well, I heartily wish your concert may answer;and do not fail me to-morrow if you can come;for I begin to have a foreboding that I may not have many more visits from you.”
Anne was startled and confused; but after standing in a moment’s suspense, was obliged,and not sorry to be obliged, to hurry away.
CHAPTER XX.
Sir Walter, his two daughters, and Mrs Clay,were the earliest of all their party at the rooms in the evening;and as Lady Dalrymple must be waited for,they took their station by one of the fires in the Octagon Room. But hardly were they so settled,when the door opened again, and Captain Wentworth walked in alone. Anne was the nearest to him,and making yet a little advance, she instantly spoke. He was preparing only to bow and pass on, but her gentle “How do you do?” brought him out of the straight line to stand near her, and make enquiries in return,in spite of the formidable father and sister in the back ground.Their being in the back ground was a support to Anne; she knew nothing of their looks,and felt equal to everything which she believed right to be done.
While they were speaking, a whispering between her father and Elizabeth caught her ear.She could not distinguish, but she must guess the subject;and on Captain Wentworth’s making a distant bow,she comprehended that her father had judged so well as to give him that simple acknowledgement of acquaintance,and she was just in time by a side glance to see a slight curtsey from Elizabeth herself. This,though late, and reluctant, and ungracious, was yet better than nothing, and her spirits improved.
After talking, however, of the weather, and Bath, and the concert, their conversation began to flag,and so little was said at last, that she was expecting him to go every moment, but he did not;he seemed in no hurry to leave her; and presently with renewed spirit, with a little smile, a little glow, he said—
“I have hardly seen you since our day at Lyme. I am afraid you must have suffered from the shock,and the more from its not overpowering you at the time.”
She assured him that she had not.
“It was a frightful hour,” said he, “a frightful day!” and he passed his hand across his eyes, as if the remembrance were still too painful,but in a moment, half smiling again, added, “The day has produced some effects however;has had some consequences which must be considered as the very reverse of frightful.When you had the presence of mind to suggest that Benwick would be the properest person to fetch a surgeon,you could have little idea of his being eventually one of those most concerned in her recovery.”
“Certainly I could have none. But it appears—I should hope it would be a very happy match.There are on both sides good principles and good temper.”
“Yes,” said he, looking not exactly forward; “but there, I think, ends the resemblance.With all my soul I wish them happy, and rejoice over every circumstance in favour of it.They have no difficulties to contend with at home, no opposition, no caprice, no delays.The Musgroves are behaving like themselves, most honourably and kindly,only anxious with true parental hearts to promote their daughter’s comfort. All this is much,very much in favour of their happiness; more than perhaps—”
He stopped. A sudden recollection seemed to occur,and to give him some taste of that emotion which was reddening Anne’s cheeks and fixing her eyes on the ground.After clearing his throat, however, he proceeded thus—
“I confess that I do think there is a disparity, too great a disparity,and in a point no less essential than mind. I regard Louisa Musgrove as a very amiable,sweet-tempered girl, and not deficient in understanding, but Benwick is something more.He is a clever man, a reading man; and I confess,that I do consider his attaching himself to her with some surprise.Had it been the effect of gratitude, had he learnt to love her,because he believed her to be preferring him, it would have been another thing.But I have no reason to suppose it so. It seems, on the contrary,to have been a perfectly spontaneous, untaught feeling on his side, and this surprises me. A man like him, in his situation!with a heart pierced, wounded, almost broken!Fanny Harville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her was indeed attachment.A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not.”
Either from the consciousness, however, that his friend had recovered, or from other consciousness,he went no farther; and Anne who, in spite of the agitated voice in which the latter part had been uttered,and in spite of all the various noises of the room, the almost ceaseless slam of the door,and ceaseless buzz of persons walking through, had distinguished every word, was struck, gratified,confused, and beginning to breathe very quick, and feel an hundred things in a moment.It was impossible for her to enter on such a subject; and yet, after a pause,feeling the necessity of speaking, and having not the smallest wish for a total change, she only deviated so far as to say—
“You were a good while at Lyme, I think?”
“About a fortnight. I could not leave it till Louisa’s doing well was quite ascertained.I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief to be soon at peace. It had been my doing,solely mine. She would not have been obstinate if I had not been weak.The country round Lyme is very fine. I walked and rode a great deal; and the more I saw, the more I found to admire.”
“I should very much like to see Lyme again,” said Anne.
“Indeed!I should not have supposed that you could have found anything in Lyme to inspire such a feeling.The horror and distress you were involved in, the stretch of mind, the wear of spirits!I should have thought your last impressions of Lyme must have been strong disgust.”
“The last hours were certainly very painful,” replied Anne; “but when pain is over,the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure.One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering,nothing but suffering, which was by no means the case at Lyme.We were only in anxiety and distress during the last two hours,and previously there had been a great deal of enjoyment. So much novelty and beauty!I have travelled so little, that every fresh place would be interesting to me;but there is real beauty at Lyme; and in short” (with a faint blush at some recollections),“altogether my impressions of the place are very agreeable.”
As she ceased, the entrance door opened again,and the very party appeared for whom they were waiting. “Lady Dalrymple, Lady Dalrymple,” was the rejoicing sound; and with all the eagerness compatible with anxious elegance,Sir Walter and his two ladies stepped forward to meet her. Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret,escorted by Mr Elliot and Colonel Wallis, who had happened to arrive nearly at the same instant,advanced into the room. The others joined them,and it was a group in which Anne found herself also necessarily included.She was divided from Captain Wentworth. Their interesting,almost too interesting conversation must be broken up for a time,but slight was the penance compared with the happiness which brought it on!She had learnt, in the last ten minutes, more of his feelings towards Louisa,more of all his feelings than she dared to think of;and she gave herself up to the demands of the party, to the needful civilities of the moment,with exquisite, though agitated sensations. She was in good humour with all.She had received ideas which disposed her to be courteous and kind to all, and to pity every one, as being less happy than herself.
The delightful emotions were a little subdued, when on stepping back from the group,to be joined again by Captain Wentworth, she saw that he was gone.She was just in time to see him turn into the Concert Room. He was gone; he had disappeared,she felt a moment’s regret. But “they should meet again. He would look for her,he would find her out before the evening were over, and at present, perhaps,it was as well to be asunder. She was in need of a little interval for recollection.”
Upon Lady Russell’s appearance soon afterwards, the whole party was collected,and all that remained was to marshal themselves, and proceed into the Concert Room;and be of all the consequence in their power, draw as many eyes, excite as many whispers,and disturb as many people as they could.
Very, very happy were both Elizabeth and Anne Elliot as they walked in.Elizabeth arm in arm with Miss Carteret,and looking on the broad back of the dowager Viscountess Dalrymple before her,had nothing to wish for which did not seem within her reach;and Anne—but it would be an insult to the nature of Anne’s felicity,to draw any comparison between it and her sister’s; the origin of one all selfish vanity, of the other all generous attachment.
Anne saw nothing, thought nothing of the brilliancy of the room. Her happiness was from within.Her eyes were bright and her cheeks glowed; but she knew nothing about it.She was thinking only of the last half hour, and as they passed to their seats,her mind took a hasty range over it. His choice of subjects, his expressions,and still more his manner and look, had been such as she could see in only one light.His opinion of Louisa Musgrove’s inferiority, an opinion which he had seemed solicitous to give,his wonder at Captain Benwick, his feelings as to a first, strong attachment;sentences begun which he could not finish,his half averted eyes and more than half expressive glance, all,all declared that he had a heart returning to her at least; that anger, resentment, avoidance,were no more; and that they were succeeded, not merely by friendship and regard,but by the tenderness of the past. Yes, some share of the tenderness of the past.She could not contemplate the change as implying less. He must love her.
These were thoughts, with their attendant visions,which occupied and flurried her too much to leave her any power of observation;and she passed along the room without having a glimpse of him, without even trying to discern him.When their places were determined on, and they were all properly arranged,she looked round to see if he should happen to be in the same part of the room, but he was not;her eye could not reach him; and the concert being just opening,she must consent for a time to be happy in a humbler way.
The party was divided and disposed of on two contiguous benches:Anne was among those on the foremost, and Mr Elliot had manœuvred so well,with the assistance of his friend Colonel Wallis, as to have a seat by her. Miss Elliot,surrounded by her cousins, and the principal object of Colonel Wallis’s gallantry, was quite contented.
Anne’s mind was in a most favourable state for the entertainment of the evening;it was just occupation enough: she had feelings for the tender, spirits for the gay,attention for the scientific, and patience for the wearisome; and had never liked a concert better,at least during the first act. Towards the close of it, in the interval succeeding an Italian song,she explained the words of the song to Mr Elliot. They had a concert bill between them.
“This,” said she, “is nearly the sense, or rather the meaning of the words,for certainly the sense of an Italian love-song must not be talked of,but it is as nearly the meaning as I can give; for I do not pretend to understand the language. I am a very poor Italian scholar.”
“Yes, yes, I see you are. I see you know nothing of the matter.You have only knowledge enough of the language to translate at sight these inverted, transposed,curtailed Italian lines, into clear, comprehensible, elegant English.You need not say anything more of your ignorance. Here is complete proof.”
“I will not oppose such kind politeness; but I should be sorry to be examined by a real proficient.”
“I have not had the pleasure of visiting in Camden Place so long,” replied he,“without knowing something of Miss Anne Elliot;and I do regard her as one who is too modest for the world in general to be aware of half her accomplishments,and too highly accomplished for modesty to be natural in any other woman.”
“For shame!for shame!this is too much flattery. I forget what we are to have next,” turning to the bill.
“Perhaps,” said Mr Elliot, speaking low,“I have had a longer acquaintance with your character than you are aware of.”
“Indeed!How so?You can have been acquainted with it only since I came to Bath,excepting as you might hear me previously spoken of in my own family.”
“I knew you by report long before you came to Bath.I had heard you described by those who knew you intimately.I have been acquainted with you by character many years. Your person, your disposition,accomplishments, manner; they were all present to me.”
Mr Elliot was not disappointed in the interest he hoped to raise.No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery.To have been described long ago to a recent acquaintance, by nameless people, is irresistible;and Anne was all curiosity. She wondered, and questioned him eagerly; but in vain.He delighted in being asked, but he would not tell.
“No, no, some time or other, perhaps, but not now. He would mention no names now; but such,he could assure her, had been the fact.He had many years ago received such a description of Miss Anne Elliot as had inspired him with the highest idea of her merit,and excited the warmest curiosity to know her.”
Anne could think of no one so likely to have spoken with partiality of her many years ago as the Mr Wentworth of Monkford,Captain Wentworth’s brother. He might have been in Mr Elliot’s company,but she had not courage to ask the question.
“The name of Anne Elliot,” said he, “has long had an interesting sound to me.Very long has it possessed a charm over my fancy; and, if I dared,I would breathe my wishes that the name might never change.”
Such, she believed, were his words; but scarcely had she received their sound,than her attention was caught by other sounds immediately behind her,which rendered every thing else trivial. Her father and Lady Dalrymple were speaking.
“A well-looking man,” said Sir Walter, “a very well-looking man.”
“A very fine young man indeed!” said Lady Dalrymple. “More air than one often sees in Bath. Irish, I dare say.”
“No, I just know his name. A bowing acquaintance. Wentworth; Captain Wentworth of the navy.His sister married my tenant in Somersetshire, the Croft, who rents Kellynch.”
Before Sir Walter had reached this point, Anne’s eyes had caught the right direction,and distinguished Captain Wentworth standing among a cluster of men at a little distance.As her eyes fell on him, his seemed to be withdrawn from her. It had that appearance.It seemed as if she had been one moment too late; and as long as she dared observe,he did not look again: but the performance was recommencing,and she was forced to seem to restore her attention to the orchestra and look straight forward.
When she could give another glance, he had moved away.He could not have come nearer to her if he would; she was so surrounded and shut in:but she would rather have caught his eye.
Mr Elliot’s speech, too, distressed her. She had no longer any inclination to talk to him. She wished him not so near her.
The first act was over. Now she hoped for some beneficial change; and,after a period of nothing-saying amongst the party,some of them did decide on going in quest of tea.Anne was one of the few who did not choose to move. She remained in her seat,and so did Lady Russell; but she had the pleasure of getting rid of Mr Elliot;and she did not mean, whatever she might feel on Lady Russell’s account,to shrink from conversation with Captain Wentworth, if he gave her the opportunity.She was persuaded by Lady Russell’s countenance that she had seen him.
He did not come however. Anne sometimes fancied she discerned him at a distance, but he never came.The anxious interval wore away unproductively. The others returned, the room filled again,benches were reclaimed and repossessed,and another hour of pleasure or of penance was to be sat out,another hour of music was to give delight or the gapes, as real or affected taste for it prevailed.To Anne, it chiefly wore the prospect of an hour of agitation.She could not quit that room in peace without seeing Captain Wentworth once more,without the interchange of one friendly look.
In re-settling themselves there were now many changes, the result of which was favourable for her.Colonel Wallis declined sitting down again,and Mr Elliot was invited by Elizabeth and Miss Carteret, in a manner not to be refused,to sit between them; and by some other removals, and a little scheming of her own,Anne was enabled to place herself much nearer the end of the bench than she had been before,much more within reach of a passer-by. She could not do so,without comparing herself with Miss Larolles, the inimitable Miss Larolles; but still she did it,and not with much happier effect; though by what seemed prosperity in the shape of an early abdication in her next neighbours,she found herself at the very end of the bench before the concert closed.
Such was her situation, with a vacant space at hand, when Captain Wentworth was again in sight.She saw him not far off. He saw her too; yet he looked grave, and seemed irresolute,and only by very slow degrees came at last near enough to speak to her.She felt that something must be the matter. The change was indubitable.The difference between his present air and what it had been in the Octagon Room was strikingly great. Why was it?She thought of her father, of Lady Russell. Could there have been any unpleasant glances?He began by speaking of the concert gravely, more like the Captain Wentworth of Uppercross;owned himself disappointed, had expected singing; and in short,must confess that he should not be sorry when it was over. Anne replied,and spoke in defence of the performance so well,and yet in allowance for his feelings so pleasantly, that his countenance improved,and he replied again with almost a smile. They talked for a few minutes more; the improvement held;he even looked down towards the bench, as if he saw a place on it well worth occupying;when at that moment a touch on her shoulder obliged Anne to turn round. It came from Mr Elliot.He begged her pardon, but she must be applied to, to explain Italian again.Miss Carteret was very anxious to have a general idea of what was next to be sung.Anne could not refuse; but never had she sacrificed to politeness with a more suffering spirit.
A few minutes, though as few as possible, were inevitably consumed; and when her own mistress again,when able to turn and look as she had done before, she found herself accosted by Captain Wentworth,in a reserved yet hurried sort of farewell. “He must wish her good night; he was going;he should get home as fast as he could.”
“Is not this song worth staying for?” said Anne, suddenly struck by an idea which made her yet more anxious to be encouraging.
“No!” he replied impressively, “there is nothing worth my staying for;” and he was gone directly.
Jealousy of Mr Elliot!It was the only intelligible motive. Captain Wentworth jealous of her affection!Could she have believed it a week ago; three hours ago!For a moment the gratification was exquisite. But, alas!there were very different thoughts to succeed. How was such jealousy to be quieted?How was the truth to reach him?How, in all the peculiar disadvantages of their respective situations,would he ever learn of her real sentiments?It was misery to think of Mr Elliot’s attentions. Their evil was incalculable.
CHAPTER XXI.
Anne recollected with pleasure the next morning her promise of going to Mrs Smith,meaning that it should engage her from home at the time when Mr Elliot would be most likely to call;for to avoid Mr Elliot was almost a first object.
She felt a great deal of good-will towards him. In spite of the mischief of his attentions,she owed him gratitude and regard, perhaps compassion.She could not help thinking much of the extraordinary circumstances attending their acquaintance,of the right which he seemed to have to interest her, by everything in situation,by his own sentiments, by his early prepossession. It was altogether very extraordinary;flattering, but painful. There was much to regret.How she might have felt had there been no Captain Wentworth in the case, was not worth enquiry;for there was a Captain Wentworth; and be the conclusion of the present suspense good or bad,her affection would be his for ever. Their union, she believed,could not divide her more from other men, than their final separation.
Prettier musings of high-wrought love and eternal constancy,could never have passed along the streets of Bath,than Anne was sporting with from Camden Place to Westgate Buildings.It was almost enough to spread purification and perfume all the way.
She was sure of a pleasant reception; and her friend seemed this morning particularly obliged to her for coming,seemed hardly to have expected her, though it had been an appointment.
An account of the concert was immediately claimed;and Anne’s recollections of the concert were quite happy enough to animate her features and make her rejoice to talk of it.All that she could tell she told most gladly, but the all was little for one who had been there,and unsatisfactory for such an enquirer as Mrs Smith, who had already heard,through the short cut of a laundress and a waiter,rather more of the general success and produce of the evening than Anne could relate,and who now asked in vain for several particulars of the company.Everybody of any consequence or notoriety in Bath was well know by name to Mrs Smith.
“The little Durands were there, I conclude,” said she, “with their mouths open to catch the music,like unfledged sparrows ready to be fed. They never miss a concert.”
“Yes; I did not see them myself, but I heard Mr Elliot say they were in the room.”
“The Ibbotsons, were they there?and the two new beauties, with the tall Irish officer, who is talked of for one of them.”
“I do not know. I do not think they were.”
“Old Lady Mary Maclean?I need not ask after her. She never misses, I know; and you must have seen her.She must have been in your own circle; for as you went with Lady Dalrymple,you were in the seats of grandeur, round the orchestra, of course.”
“No, that was what I dreaded. It would have been very unpleasant to me in every respect.But happily Lady Dalrymple always chooses to be farther off; and we were exceedingly well placed,that is, for hearing; I must not say for seeing, because I appear to have seen very little.”
“Oh!you saw enough for your own amusement. I can understand.There is a sort of domestic enjoyment to be known even in a crowd, and this you had.You were a large party in yourselves, and you wanted nothing beyond.”
“But I ought to have looked about me more,” said Anne,conscious while she spoke that there had in fact been no want of looking about,that the object only had been deficient.
“No, no; you were better employed. You need not tell me that you had a pleasant evening.I see it in your eye. I perfectly see how the hours passed:that you had always something agreeable to listen to.In the intervals of the concert it was conversation.”
Anne half smiled and said, “Do you see that in my eye?”
“Yes, I do. Your countenance perfectly informs me that you were in company last night with the person whom you think the most agreeable in the world,the person who interests you at this present time more than all the rest of the world put together. ”
A blush overspread Anne’s cheeks. She could say nothing.
“And such being the case,” continued Mrs Smith, after a short pause,“I hope you believe that I do know how to value your kindness in coming to me this morning.It is really very good of you to come and sit with me,when you must have so many pleasanter demands upon your time.”
Anne heard nothing of this. She was still in the astonishment and confusion excited by her friend’s penetration,unable to imagine how any report of Captain Wentworth could have reached her. After another short silence—
“Pray,” said Mrs Smith, “is Mr Elliot aware of your acquaintance with me?Does he know that I am in Bath?”
“Mr Elliot!” repeated Anne, looking up surprised. A moment’s reflection shewed her the mistake she had been under.She caught it instantaneously; and recovering her courage with the feeling of safety, soon added,more composedly, “Are you acquainted with Mr Elliot?”
“I have been a good deal acquainted with him,” replied Mrs Smith, gravely,“but it seems worn out now. It is a great while since we met.”
“I was not at all aware of this. You never mentioned it before. Had I known it,I would have had the pleasure of talking to him about you.”
“To confess the truth,” said Mrs Smith, assuming her usual air of cheerfulness,“that is exactly the pleasure I want you to have. I want you to talk about me to Mr Elliot.I want your interest with him. He can be of essential service to me;and if you would have the goodness, my dear Miss Elliot, to make it an object to yourself, of course it is done.”