s.Weliveathome,quiet,confined,andourfeelingspreyuponus.Youareforcedonexertion.Youhavealwaysaprofession,pursuits,businessofsomesortorother,totakeyoubackintotheworldimmediately,andcontinualoccupationandchangesoonweakenimpressions.”
“Grantingyourassertionthattheworlddoesallthissosoonformen(which,however,IdonotthinkIshallgrant),itdoesnotapplytoBenwick.Hehasnotbeenforceduponanyexertion.Thepeaceturnedhimonshoreattheverymoment,andhehasbeenlivingwithus,inourlittlefamilycircle,eversince.”
“True,”saidAnne,“verytrueIdidnotrecollectbutwhatshallwesaynow,CaptainHarville?Ifthechangebenotfromoutwardcircumstances,itmustbefromwithinitmustbenature,man’snature,whichhasdonethebusinessforCaptainBenwick.”
“No,no,itisnotman’snature.Iwillnotallowittobemoreman’snaturethanwoman’stobeinconstantandforgetthosetheydolove,orhaveloved.Ibelievethereverse.Ibelieveinatrueanalogybetweenourbodilyframesandourmentalandthatasourbodiesarethestrongest,soareourfeelingscapableofbearingmostroughusage,andridingouttheheaviestweather.”
“Yourfeelingsmaybethestrongest,”repliedAnne,“butthesamespiritofanalogywillauthorisemetoassertthatoursarethemosttender.Manismorerobustthanwoman,butheisnotlongerlivedwhichexactlyexplainsmyviewofthenatureoftheirattachments.Nay,itwouldbetooharduponyou,ifitwereotherwise.Youhavedifficulties,andprivations,anddangersenoughtostrugglewith.Youarealwayslabouringandtoiling,exposedtoeveryriskandhardship.Yourhome,country,friends,allquitted.Neithertime,norhealth,norlife,tobecalledyourown.Itwouldbehard,indeed”(withafalteringvoice),“ifwoman’sfeelingsweretobeaddedtoallthis.”
“Weshallneveragreeuponthisquestion,”CaptainHarvillewasbeginningtosay,whenaslightnoisecalledtheirattentiontoCaptainWentworth’shithertoperfectlyquietdivisionoftheroom.ItwasnothingmorethanthathispenhadfallendownbutAnnewasstartledatfindinghimnearerthanshehadsupposed,andhalfinclinedtosuspectthatthepenhadonlyfallenbecausehehadbeenoccupiedbythem,strivingtocatchsounds,whichyetshedidnotthinkhecouldhavecaught.
“Haveyoufinishedyourletter?”saidCaptainHarville.
“Notquite,afewlinesmore.Ishallhavedoneinfiveminutes.”
“Thereisnohurryonmyside.Iamonlyreadywheneveryouare.Iaminverygoodanchoragehere,”(smilingatAnne,)“wellsupplied,andwantfornothing.Nohurryforasignalatall.Well,MissElliot,”(loweringhisvoice,)“asIwassayingweshallneveragree,Isuppose,uponthispoint.Nomanandwoman,would,probably.Butletmeobservethatallhistoriesareagainstyou—allstories,proseandverse.IfIhadsuchamemoryasBenwick,Icouldbringyoufiftyquotationsinamomentonmysidetheargument,andIdonotthinkIeveropenedabookinmylifewhichhadnotsomethingtosayuponwoman’sinconstancy.Songsandproverbs,alltalkofwoman’sfickleness.Butperhapsyouwillsay,thesewereallwrittenbymen.”
“PerhapsIshall.Yes,yes,ifyouplease,noreferencetoexamplesinbooks.Menhavehadeveryadvantageofusintellingtheirownstory.Educationhasbeentheirsinsomuchhigheradegreethepenhasbeenintheirhands.Iwillnotallowbookstoproveanything.”
“Buthowshallweproveanything?”
“Wenevershall.Wenevercanexpecttoproveanything