FromthistimeCaptainWentworthandAnneElliotwererepeatedlyinthesamecircle.TheyweresoondiningincompanytogetheratMrMusgrove’s,forthelittleboy’sstatecouldnolongersupplyhisauntwithapretenceforabsentingherselfandthiswasbutthebeginningofotherdiningsandothermeetings.
Whetherformerfeelingsweretoberenewedmustbebroughttotheproofformertimesmustundoubtedlybebroughttotherecollectionofeachtheycouldnotbutberevertedtotheyearoftheirengagementcouldnotbutbenamedbyhim,inthelittlenarrativesordescriptionswhichconversationcalledforth.Hisprofessionqualifiedhim,hisdispositionleadhim,totalkand“Thatwasintheyearsix”“ThathappenedbeforeIwenttoseaintheyearsix,”occurredinthecourseofthefirsteveningtheyspenttogether:andthoughhisvoicedidnotfalter,andthoughshehadnoreasontosupposehiseyewanderingtowardsherwhilehespoke,Annefelttheutterimpossibility,fromherknowledgeofhismind,thathecouldbeunvisitedbyremembranceanymorethanherself.Theremustbethesameimmediateassociationofthought,thoughshewasveryfarfromconceivingittobeofequalpain.
Theyhadnoconversationtogether,nointercoursebutwhatthecommonestcivilityrequired.Oncesomuchtoeachother!Nownothing!Therehadbeenatime,whenofallthelargepartynowfillingthedrawing-roomatUppercross,theywouldhavefounditmostdifficulttoceasetospeaktooneanother.Withtheexception,perhaps,ofAdmiralandMrsCroft,whoseemedparticularlyattachedandhappy,(Annecouldallownootherexceptionsevenamongthemarriedcouples),therecouldhavebeennotwoheartssoopen,notastessosimilar,nofeelingssoinunison,nocountenancessobeloved.Nowtheywereasstrangersnay,worsethanstrangers,fortheycouldneverbecomeacquainted.Itwasaperpetualestrangement.
Whenhetalked,sheheardthesamevoice,anddiscernedthesamemind.Therewasaverygeneralignoranceofallnavalmattersthroughoutthepartyandhewasverymuchquestioned,andespeciallybythetwoMissMusgroves,whoseemedhardlytohaveanyeyesbutforhim,astothemanneroflivingonboard,dailyregulations,f