dCaptainWentworth.“Whenoncemarriedpeoplebegintoattackmewith,—‘Oh!youwillthinkverydifferently,whenyouaremarried.’Icanonlysay,‘No,Ishallnot’andthentheysayagain,‘Yes,youwill,’andthereisanendofit.”
Hegotupandmovedaway.
“Whatagreattravelleryoumusthavebeen,ma’am!”saidMrsMusgrovetoMrsCroft.
“Prettywell,ma’aminthefifteenyearsofmymarriagethoughmanywomenhavedonemore.IhavecrossedtheAtlanticfourtimes,andhavebeenoncetotheEastIndies,andbackagain,andonlyoncebesidesbeingindifferentplacesabouthome:Cork,andLisbon,andGibraltar.ButIneverwentbeyondtheStreights,andneverwasintheWestIndies.WedonotcallBermudaorBahama,youknow,theWestIndies.”
MrsMusgrovehadnotawordtosayindissentshecouldnotaccuseherselfofhavingevercalledthemanythinginthewholecourseofherlife.
“AndIdoassureyou,ma’am,”pursuedMrsCroft,“thatnothingcanexceedtheaccommodationsofaman-of-warIspeak,youknow,ofthehigherrates.Whenyoucometoafrigate,ofcourse,youaremoreconfinedthoughanyreasonablewomanmaybeperfectlyhappyinoneofthemandIcansafelysay,thatthehappiestpartofmylifehasbeenspentonboardaship.Whileweweretogether,youknow,therewasnothingtobefeared.ThankGod!Ihavealwaysbeenblessedwithexcellenthealth,andnoclimatedisagreeswithme.Alittledisorderedalwaysthefirsttwenty-fourhoursofgoingtosea,butneverknewwhatsicknesswasafterwards.TheonlytimeIeverreallysufferedinbodyormind,theonlytimethatIeverfanciedmyselfunwell,orhadanyideasofdanger,wasthewinterthatIpassedbymyselfatDeal,whentheAdmiral(CaptainCroftthen)wasintheNorthSeas.Ilivedinperpetualfrightatthattime,andhadallmannerofimaginarycomplaintsfromnotknowingwhattodowithmyself,orwhenIshouldhearfromhimnextbutaslongaswecouldbetogether,nothingeverailedme,andInevermetwiththesmallestinconvenience.”
“Aye,tobesure.Yes,indeed,ohyes!Iamquiteofyouropinion,MrsCroft,”wasMrsMusgrove’sheartyanswer.“Thereisnothingsobadasaseparation.Iamquiteofyouropinion.Iknowwhatitis,forMrMusgrovealwaysattendsthea