ewouldnotlongbesounjustastosupposeshewouldshrinkunnecessarilyfromtheofficeofafriend.
Inthemeanwhileshewasinthecarriage.Hehadhandedthembothin,andplacedhimselfbetweenthemandinthismanner,underthesecircumstances,fullofastonishmentandemotiontoAnne,shequittedLyme.Howthelongstagewouldpasshowitwastoaffecttheirmannerswhatwastobetheirsortofintercourse,shecouldnotforesee.Itwasallquitenatural,however.HewasdevotedtoHenriettaalwaysturningtowardsherandwhenhespokeatall,alwayswiththeviewofsupportingherhopesandraisingherspirits.Ingeneral,hisvoiceandmannerwerestudiouslycalm.TospareHenriettafromagitationseemedthegoverningprinciple.Onceonly,whenshehadbeengrievingoverthelastill-judged,ill-fatedwalktotheCobb,bitterlylamentingthatiteverhadbeenthoughtof,heburstforth,asifwhollyovercome—
“Don’ttalkofit,don’ttalkofit,”hecried.“OhGod!thatIhadnotgivenwaytoheratthefatalmoment!HadIdoneasIought!Butsoeagerandsoresolute!Dear,sweetLouisa!”
Annewonderedwhetheriteveroccurredtohimnow,toquestionthejustnessofhisownpreviousopinionastotheuniversalfelicityandadvantageoffirmnessofcharacterandwhetheritmightnotstrikehimthat,likeallotherqualitiesofthemind,itshouldhaveitsproportionsandlimits.Shethoughtitcouldscarcelyescapehimtofeelthatapersuadabletempermightsometimesbeasmuchinfavourofhappinessasaveryresolutecharacter.
Theygotonfast.Annewasastonishedtorecognisethesamehillsandthesameobjectssosoon.Theiractualspeed,heightenedbysomedreadoftheconclusion,madetheroadappearbuthalfaslongasonthedaybefore.Itwasgrowingquitedusk,however,beforetheywereintheneighbourhoodofUppercross,andtherehadbeentotalsilenceamongthemforsometime,Henriettaleaningbackinthecorner,withashawloverherface,givingthehopeofherhavingcriedherselftosleepwhen,astheyweregoinguptheirlasthill,AnnefoundherselfallatonceaddressedbyCaptainWentworth.Inalow,cautiousvoice,hesaid:—
“Ihavebeenconsideringwhatwehadbestdo.Shemustnotappearatfirst.Shecouldnotstandit.Ihavebeenthinkingwhetheryouhadnotbetterremaininthecarriagewithher,whileIgoinandbreakittoMrandMrsMusgrove.Doyouthinkthisisagoodplan?”
Shedid:hewassatisfied,andsaidnomore.Buttheremembranceoftheappealremainedapleasuretoher,asaproofoffriendship,andofdeferenceforherjudgement,agreatpleasureandwhenitbecameasortofpartingproof,itsvaluedidnotlessen.
WhenthedistressingcommunicationatUppercrosswasover,andhehadseenthefatherandmotherquiteascomposedascouldbehoped,andthedaughterallthebetterforbeingwiththem,heannouncedhisintentionofreturninginthesamecarriagetoLymeandwhenthehorseswerebaited,hewasoff.
(Endofvolumeone.)