etshesoonbegantorejoicethatshehadheardthem.Theywereofsoberingtendencytheyallayedagitationtheycomposed,andconsequentlymustmakeherhappier.
FrederickWentworthhadusedsuchwords,orsomethinglikethem,butwithoutanideathattheywouldbecarriedroundtoher.Hehadthoughtherwretchedlyaltered,andinthefirstmomentofappeal,hadspokenashefelt.HehadnotforgivenAnneElliot.Shehadusedhimill,desertedanddisappointedhimandworse,shehadshewnafeeblenessofcharacterindoingso,whichhisowndecided,confidenttempercouldnotendure.Shehadgivenhimuptoobligeothers.Ithadbeentheeffectofover-persuasion.Ithadbeenweaknessandtimidity.
Hehadbeenmostwarmlyattachedtoher,andhadneverseenawomansincewhomhethoughtherequalbut,exceptfromsomenaturalsensationofcuriosity,hehadnodesireofmeetingheragain.Herpowerwithhimwasgoneforever.
Itwasnowhisobjecttomarry.Hewasrich,andbeingturnedonshore,fullyintendedtosettleassoonashecouldbeproperlytemptedactuallylookinground,readytofallinlovewithallthespeedwhichaclearheadandaquicktastecouldallow.HehadaheartforeitheroftheMissMusgroves,iftheycouldcatchitaheart,inshort,foranypleasingyoungwomanwhocameinhisway,exceptingAnneElliot.Thiswashisonlysecretexception,whenhesaidtohissister,inanswertohersuppositions:—
“Yes,hereIam,Sophia,quitereadytomakeafoolishmatch.Anybodybetweenfifteenandthirtymayhavemeforasking.Alittlebeauty,andafewsmiles,andafewcomplimentstothenavy,andIamalostman.Shouldnotthisbeenoughforasailor,whohashadnosocietyamongwomentomakehimnice?”
Hesaidit,sheknew,tobecontradicted.HisbrightproudeyespoketheconvictionthathewasniceandAnneElliotwasnotoutofhisthoughts,whenhemoreseriouslydescribedthewomanheshouldwishtomeetwith.“Astrongmind,withsweetnessofmanner,”madethefirstandthelastofthedescription.
“ThatisthewomanIwant,”saidhe.“SomethingalittleinferiorIshallofcourseputupwith,butitmustnotbemuch.IfIamafool,Ishallbeafoolindeed,forIhavethoughtonthesubjectmorethanmostmen.”