heandMrsMusgroveweresitting,tookaplacebythelatter,andenteredintoconversationwithher,inalowvoice,aboutherson,doingitwithsomuchsympathyandnaturalgrace,asshewedthekindestconsiderationforallthatwasrealandunabsurdintheparent’sfeelings.
Theywereactuallyonthesamesofa,forMrsMusgrovehadmostreadilymaderoomforhimtheyweredividedonlybyMrsMusgrove.Itwasnoinsignificantbarrier,indeed.MrsMusgrovewasofacomfortable,substantialsize,infinitelymorefittedbynaturetoexpressgoodcheerandgoodhumour,thantendernessandsentimentandwhiletheagitationsofAnne’sslenderform,andpensiveface,maybeconsideredasverycompletelyscreened,CaptainWentworthshouldbeallowedsomecreditfortheself-commandwithwhichheattendedtoherlargefatsighingsoverthedestinyofason,whomalivenobodyhadcaredfor.
Personalsizeandmentalsorrowhavecertainlynonecessaryproportions.Alargebulkyfigurehasasgoodarighttobeindeepaffliction,asthemostgracefulsetoflimbsintheworld.But,fairornotfair,thereareunbecomingconjunctions,whichreasonwillpatronizeinvain—whichtastecannottolerate—whichridiculewillseize.
TheAdmiral,aftertakingtwoorthreerefreshingturnsabouttheroomwithhishandsbehindhim,beingcalledtoorderbyhiswife,nowcameuptoCaptainWentworth,andwithoutanyobservationofwhathemightbeinterrupting,thinkingonlyofhisownthoughts,beganwith—
“IfyouhadbeenaweeklateratLisbon,lastspring,Frederick,youwouldhavebeenaskedtogiveapassagetoLadyMaryGriersonandherdaughters.”
“ShouldI?IamgladIwasnotaweeklaterthen.”
TheAdmiralabusedhimforhiswantofgallantry.Hedefendedhimselfthoughprofessingthathewouldneverwillinglyadmitanyladiesonboardashipofhis,exceptingforaball,oravisit,whichafewhoursmightcomprehend.
“But,ifIknowmyself,”saidhe,“thisisfromnowantofgallantrytowardsthem.Itisratherfromfeelinghowimpossibleitis,withallone’sefforts,andallone’ssacrifices,tomaketheaccommodationsonboardsuchaswomenoughttohave.Therecanbenowantofgallantry,Admiral,inratingtheclaimsofwomentoeveryperson