retgratificationtoherselftohaveseenhercousin,andtoknowthatthefutureownerofKellynchwasundoubtedlyagentleman,andhadanairofgoodsense.Shewouldnot,uponanyaccount,mentionherhavingmetwithhimthesecondtimeluckilyMarydidnotmuchattendtotheirhavingpassedclosebyhimintheirearlierwalk,butshewouldhavefeltquiteill-usedbyAnne’shavingactuallyrunagainsthiminthepassage,andreceivedhisverypoliteexcuses,whileshehadneverbeennearhimatallno,thatcousinlylittleinterviewmustremainaperfectsecret.
“Ofcourse,”saidMary,“youwillmentionourseeingMrElliot,thenexttimeyouwritetoBath.Ithinkmyfathercertainlyoughttohearofitdomentionallabouthim.”
Anneavoidedadirectreply,butitwasjustthecircumstancewhichsheconsideredasnotmerelyunnecessarytobecommunicated,butaswhatoughttobesuppressed.Theoffencewhichhadbeengivenherfather,manyyearsback,sheknewElizabeth’sparticularshareinitshesuspectedandthatMrElliot’sideaalwaysproducedirritationinbothwasbeyondadoubt.MaryneverwrotetoBathherselfallthetoilofkeepingupaslowandunsatisfactorycorrespondencewithElizabethfellonAnne.
Breakfasthadnotbeenlongover,whentheywerejoinedbyCaptainandMrsHarvilleandCaptainBenwickwithwhomtheyhadappointedtotaketheirlastwalkaboutLyme.TheyoughttobesettingoffforUppercrossbyone,andinthemeanwhileweretobealltogether,andoutofdoorsaslongastheycould.
AnnefoundCaptainBenwickgettingnearher,assoonastheywereallfairlyinthestreet.Theirconversationtheprecedingeveningdidnotdisinclinehimtoseekheragainandtheywalkedtogethersometime,talkingasbeforeofMrScottandLordByron,andstillasunableasbefore,andasunableasanyothertworeaders,tothinkexactlyalikeofthemeritsofeither,tillsomethingoccasionedanalmostgeneralchangeamongsttheirparty,andinsteadofCaptainBenwick,shehadCaptainHarvillebyherside.
“MissElliot,”saidhe,speakingratherlow,“youhavedoneagooddeedinmakingthatpoorfellowtalksomuch.Iwishhecouldhavesuchcompanyoftener.Itisbadforhim,Iknow,tobeshutupasheisbutwhatcanwedo?Wecannotpart.”
“No,”saidAnne,“thatIcaneasilybelievetobeimpossiblebutintime,perhaps—weknowwhattimedoesineverycaseofaffliction,andyoumustremember,CaptainHarville,thatyourfriendmayyetbecalledayoungmourner—onlylastsummer,Iunderstand.”
“Ay,trueenough,”(withadeepsigh)“onlyJune.”
“Andnotknowntohim,perhaps,sosoon.”
“NottillthefirstweekofAugust,whenhecamehomefromtheCape,justmadeintotheGrappler.IwasatPlymouthdreadingtohearofhimhesentinletters,buttheGrapplerwasunderordersforPortsmouth.Therethenewsmustfollowhim,butwhowastotellit?notI.Iwouldassoonhavebeenrunuptotheyard-arm.Nobodycoulddoit,butthatgoodfellow”(pointingtoCaptainWentwor