ly.“Iwasaswellsatisfiedwithmyappointmentasyoucandesire.Itwasagreatobjectwithmeatthattimetobeatseaaverygreatobject,Iwantedtobedoingsomething.”
“Tobesureyoudid.Whatshouldayoungfellowlikeyoudoashoreforhalfayeartogether?Ifamanhadnotawife,hesoonwantstobeafloatagain.”
“But,CaptainWentworth,”criedLouisa,“howvexedyoumusthavebeenwhenyoucametotheAsp,toseewhatanoldthingtheyhadgivenyou.”
“Iknewprettywellwhatshewasbeforethatday”saidhe,smiling.“Ihadnomorediscoveriestomakethanyouwouldhaveastothefashionandstrengthofanyoldpelisse,whichyouhadseenlentaboutamonghalfyouracquaintanceeversinceyoucouldremember,andwhichatlast,onsomeverywetday,islenttoyourself.Ah!shewasadearoldAsptome.ShedidallthatIwanted.Iknewshewould.Iknewthatweshouldeithergotothebottomtogether,orthatshewouldbethemakingofmeandIneverhadtwodaysoffoulweatherallthetimeIwasatseainherandaftertakingprivateersenoughtobeveryentertaining,Ihadthegoodluckinmypassagehomethenextautumn,tofallinwiththeveryFrenchfrigateIwanted.IbroughtherintoPlymouthandhereanotherinstanceofluck.WehadnotbeensixhoursintheSound,whenagalecameon,whichlastedfourdaysandnights,andwhichwouldhavedoneforpooroldAspinhalfthetimeourtouchwiththeGreatNationnothavingmuchimprovedourcondition.Four-and-twentyhourslater,andIshouldonlyhavebeenagallantCaptainWentworth,inasmallparagraphatonecornerofthenewspapersandbeinglostinonlyasloop,nobodywouldhavethoughtaboutme.”Anne’sshudderingsweretoherselfalonebuttheMissMusgrovescouldbeasopenastheyweresincere,intheirexclamationsofpityandhorror.
“Andsothen,Isuppose,”saidMrsMusgrove,inalowvoice,asifthinkingaloud,“sothenhewentawaytotheLaconia,andtherehemetwithourpoorboy.Charles,mydear,”(beckoninghimtoher),“doaskCaptainWentworthwhereitwashefirstmetwithyourpoorbrother.Ialwaysforgot.”
“ItwasatGibraltar,mother,Iknow.DickhadbeenleftillatGibraltar,witharecommendationfromhisformercaptaintoCaptainWentworth.”
“Oh!but,Charles,tellCaptainWentw