mebodymustbegoingaway.Itwasdrivenbyaservantinmourning.
ThewordcurriclemadeCharlesMusgrovejumpupthathemightcompareitwithhisowntheservantinmourningrousedAnne’scuriosity,andthewholesixwerecollectedtolook,bythetimetheownerofthecurriclewastobeseenissuingfromthedooramidstthebowsandcivilitiesofthehousehold,andtakinghisseat,todriveoff.
“Ah!”criedCaptainWentworth,instantly,andwithhalfaglanceatAnne,“itistheverymanwepassed.”
TheMissMusgrovesagreedtoitandhavingallkindlywatchedhimasfarupthehillastheycould,theyreturnedtothebreakfasttable.Thewaitercameintotheroomsoonafterwards.
“Pray,”saidCaptainWentworth,immediately,“canyoutellusthenameofthegentlemanwhoisjustgoneaway?”
“Yes,Sir,aMrElliot,agentlemanoflargefortune,cameinlastnightfromSidmouth.Daresayyouheardthecarriage,sir,whileyouwereatdinnerandgoingonnowforCrewkherne,inhiswaytoBathandLondon.”
“Elliot!”Manyhadlookedoneachother,andmanyhadrepeatedthename,beforeallthishadbeengotthrough,evenbythesmartrapidityofawaiter.
“Blessme!”criedMary“itmustbeourcousinitmustbeourMrElliot,itmust,indeed!Charles,Anne,mustnotit?Inmourning,yousee,justasourMrElliotmustbe.Howveryextraordinary!Intheverysameinnwithus!Anne,mustnotitbeourMrElliot?myfather’snextheir?Praysir,”turningtothewaiter,“didnotyouhear,didnothisservantsaywhetherhebelongedtotheKellynchfamily?”
“No,ma’am,hedidnotmentionnoparticularfamilybuthesaidhismasterwasaveryrichgentleman,andwouldbeabaronightsomeday.”
“There!yousee!”criedMaryinanecstasy,“justasIsaid!HeirtoSirWalterElliot!Iwassurethatwouldcomeout,ifitwasso.Dependuponit,thatisacircumstancewhichhisservantstakecaretopublish,whereverhegoes.But,Anne,onlyconceivehowextraordinary!IwishIhadlookedathimmore.Iwishwehadbeenawareintime,whoitwas,thathemighthavebeenintroducedtous.Whatapitythatweshouldnothavebeenintroducedtoeachother!DoyouthinkhehadtheElliotcountenance?Ihardlylookedathim,IwaslookingatthehorsesbutIthinkhehadsomethingoftheElliotcountenance,Iwonderthearmsdidnotstrikeme!Oh!thegreat-coatwashangingoverthepanel,andhidthearms,soitdidotherwise,Iamsure,Ishouldhaveobservedthem,andtheliverytooiftheservanthadnotbeeninmourning,oneshouldhaveknownhimbythelivery.”
“Puttingalltheseveryextraordinarycircumstancestogether,”saidCaptainWentworth,“wemustconsiderittobethearrangementofProvidence,thatyoushouldnotbeintroducedtoyourcousin.”
WhenshecouldcommandMary’sattention,AnnequietlytriedtoconvinceherthattheirfatherandMrElliothadnot,formanyyears,beenonsuchtermsastomakethepowerofattemptinganintroductionatalldesirable.
Atthesametime,however,itwasasec