footofanoldpierofunknowndate,weretheHarvillessettled.CaptainWentworthturnedintocallonhisfriendtheotherswalkedon,andhewastojointhemontheCobb.
TheywerebynomeanstiredofwonderingandadmiringandnotevenLouisaseemedtofeelthattheyhadpartedwithCaptainWentworthlong,whentheysawhimcomingafterthem,withthreecompanions,allwellknownalready,bydescription,tobeCaptainandMrsHarville,andaCaptainBenwick,whowasstayingwiththem.
CaptainBenwickhadsometimeagobeenfirstlieutenantoftheLaconiaandtheaccountwhichCaptainWentworthhadgivenofhim,onhisreturnfromLymebefore,hiswarmpraiseofhimasanexcellentyoungmanandanofficer,whomhehadalwaysvaluedhighly,whichmusthavestampedhimwellintheesteemofeverylistener,hadbeenfollowedbyalittlehistoryofhisprivatelife,whichrenderedhimperfectlyinterestingintheeyesofalltheladies.HehadbeenengagedtoCaptainHarville’ssister,andwasnowmourningherloss.Theyhadbeenayearortwowaitingforfortuneandpromotion.Fortunecame,hisprize-moneyaslieutenantbeinggreatpromotion,too,cameatlastbutFannyHarvilledidnotlivetoknowit.Shehaddiedtheprecedingsummerwhilehewasatsea.CaptainWentworthbelieveditimpossibleformantobemoreattachedtowomanthanpoorBenwickhadbeentoFannyHarville,ortobemoredeeplyafflictedunderthedreadfulchange.Heconsideredhisdispositionasofthesortwhichmustsufferheavily,unitingverystrongfeelingswithquiet,serious,andretiringmanners,andadecidedtasteforreading,andsedentarypursuits.Tofinishtheinterestofthestory,thefriendshipbetweenhimandtheHarvillesseemed,ifpossible,augmentedbytheeventwhichclosedalltheirviewsofalliance,andCaptainBenwickwasnowlivingwiththementirely.CaptainHarvillehadtakenhispresenthouseforhalfayearhistaste,andhishealth,andhisfortune,alldirectinghimtoaresidenceinexpensive,andbytheseaandthegrandeurofthecountry,andtheretirementofLymeinthewinter,appearedexactlyadaptedtoCaptainBenw