uponsuchapoint.Itisadifferenceofopinionwhichdoesnotadmitofproof.Weeachbegin,probably,withalittlebiastowardsourownsexanduponthatbiasbuildeverycircumstanceinfavourofitwhichhasoccurredwithinourowncirclemanyofwhichcircumstances(perhapsthoseverycaseswhichstrikeusthemost)maybepreciselysuchascannotbebroughtforwardwithoutbetrayingaconfidence,orinsomerespectsayingwhatshouldnotbesaid.”
“Ah!”criedCaptainHarville,inatoneofstrongfeeling,“ifIcouldbutmakeyoucomprehendwhatamansufferswhenhetakesalastlookathiswifeandchildren,andwatchestheboatthathehassentthemoffin,aslongasitisinsight,andthenturnsawayandsays,‘Godknowswhetherweevermeetagain!’Andthen,ifIcouldconveytoyoutheglowofhissoulwhenhedoesseethemagainwhen,comingbackafteratwelvemonth’sabsence,perhaps,andobligedtoputintoanotherport,hecalculateshowsoonitbepossibletogetthemthere,pretendingtodeceivehimself,andsaying,‘Theycannotbeheretillsuchaday,’butallthewhilehopingforthemtwelvehourssooner,andseeingthemarriveatlast,asifHeavenhadgiventhemwings,bymanyhourssoonerstill!IfIcouldexplaintoyouallthis,andallthatamancanbearanddo,andgloriestodo,forthesakeofthesetreasuresofhisexistence!Ispeak,youknow,onlyofsuchmenashavehearts!”pressinghisownwithemotion.
“Oh!”criedAnneeagerly,“IhopeIdojusticetoallthatisfeltbyyou,andbythosewhoresembleyou.GodforbidthatIshouldundervaluethewarmandfaithfulfeelingsofanyofmyfellow-creatures!IshoulddeserveuttercontemptifIdaredtosupposethattrueattachmentandconstancywereknownonlybywoman.No,Ibelieveyoucapableofeverythinggreatandgoodinyourmarriedlives.Ibelieveyouequaltoeveryimportantexertion,andtoeverydomesticforbearance,solongas—ifImaybeallowedtheexpression—solongasyouhaveanobject.Imeanwhilethewomanyoulovelives,andlivesforyou.AlltheprivilegeIclaimformyownsex(itisnotaveryenviableoneyouneednotcovetit),isthatoflovinglongest,whenexistenceorwhenhopeisgone.”
Shecouldnotimmediatelyhaveutteredanothersentenceherheartwastoofull,herbreathtoomuchoppressed.
“Youareagoodsoul,”criedCaptainHarville,puttinghishandonherarm,quiteaffectionately.“Thereisnoquarrellingwithyou.AndwhenIthinkofBenwick,mytongueistied.”
Theirattentionwascalledtowardstheothers.MrsCroftwastakingleave.
“Here,Frederick,youandIpartcompany,Ibelieve,”saidshe.“Iamgoinghome,andyouhaveanengagementwithyourfriend.To-nightwemayhavethepleasureofallmeetingagainatyourparty,”(turningtoAnne.)“Wehadyoursister’scardyesterday,andIunderstoodFrederickhadacardtoo,thoughIdidnotseeitandyouaredisengaged,Frederick,areyounot,aswellasourselves?”
CaptainWentworthwasfoldingupaletteringreathaste,andeithercouldnotorwouldnotanswerfully.
“Yes,”saidhe,“verytruehereweseparate,butHarvilleandIshallsoonbeafteryouthatis,Harville,ifyouareready,Iaminhalfaminute.Iknowyouwillnotbesorrytobeoff.Ishallbeatyourserviceinhalfaminute.”
MrsCroftleftthem,andCaptainWentworth,havingsealedhisletterwithgreatrapidity,wasindeedready,andhadevenahurried,agitatedair,whichshewedimpatiencetobegone.Anneknewnothowtounderstandit.Shehadthekindest“Goodmorning,Godblessyou!”fromCaptainHarville,but