presentairandwhatithadbeenintheOctagonRoomwasstrikinglygreat.Whywasit?Shethoughtofherfather,ofLadyRussell.Couldtherehavebeenanyunpleasantglances?Hebeganbyspeakingoftheconcertgravely,moreliketheCaptainWentworthofUppercrossownedhimselfdisappointed,hadexpectedsingingandinshort,mustconfessthatheshouldnotbesorrywhenitwasover.Annereplied,andspokeindefenceoftheperformancesowell,andyetinallowanceforhisfeelingssopleasantly,thathiscountenanceimproved,andherepliedagainwithalmostasmile.Theytalkedforafewminutesmoretheimprovementheldheevenlookeddowntowardsthebench,asifhesawaplaceonitwellworthoccupyingwhenatthatmomentatouchonhershoulderobligedAnnetoturnround.ItcamefromMrElliot.Hebeggedherpardon,butshemustbeappliedto,toexplainItalianagain.MissCarteretwasveryanxioustohaveageneralideaofwhatwasnexttobesung.Annecouldnotrefusebutneverhadshesacrificedtopolitenesswithamoresufferingspirit.
Afewminutes,thoughasfewaspossible,wereinevitablyconsumedandwhenherownmistressagain,whenabletoturnandlookasshehaddonebefore,shefoundherselfaccostedbyCaptainWentworth,inareservedyethurriedsortoffarewell.“Hemustwishhergoodnighthewasgoingheshouldgethomeasfastashecould.”
“Isnotthissongworthstayingfor?”saidAnne,suddenlystruckbyanideawhichmadeheryetmoreanxioustobeencouraging.
“No!”herepliedimpressively,“thereisnothingworthmystayingfor”andhewasgonedirectly.
JealousyofMrElliot!Itwastheonlyintelligiblemotive.CaptainWentworthjealousofheraffection!Couldshehavebelieveditaweekagothreehoursago!Foramomentthegratificationwasexquisite.But,alas!therewereverydifferentthoughtstosucceed.Howwassuchjealousytobequieted?Howwasthetruthtoreachhim?How,inallthepeculiardisadvantagesoftheirrespectivesituations,wouldheeverlearnofherrealsentiments?ItwasmiserytothinkofMrElliot’sattentions.Theirevilwasincalculable.