uencewitheverybody!Ialwayslookuponherasabletopersuadeapersontoanything!Iamafraidofher,asIhavetoldyoubefore,quiteafraidofher,becausesheissoverycleverbutIrespectheramazingly,andwishwehadsuchaneighbouratUppercross.”
AnnewasamusedbyHenrietta’smannerofbeinggrateful,andamusedalsothatthecourseofeventsandthenewinterestsofHenrietta’sviewsshouldhaveplacedherfriendatallinfavourwithanyoftheMusgrovefamilyshehadonlytime,however,forageneralanswer,andawishthatsuchanotherwomanwereatUppercross,beforeallsubjectssuddenlyceased,onseeingLouisaandCaptainWentworthcomingtowardsthem.TheycamealsoforastrolltillbreakfastwaslikelytobereadybutLouisarecollecting,immediatelyafterwardsthatshehadsomethingtoprocureatashop,invitedthemalltogobackwithherintothetown.Theywereallatherdisposal.
Whentheycametothesteps,leadingupwardsfromthebeach,agentleman,atthesamemomentpreparingtocomedown,politelydrewback,andstoppedtogivethemway.Theyascendedandpassedhimandastheypassed,Anne’sfacecaughthiseye,andhelookedatherwithadegreeofearnestadmiration,whichshecouldnotbeinsensibleof.Shewaslookingremarkablywellherveryregular,veryprettyfeatures,havingthebloomandfreshnessofyouthrestoredbythefinewindwhichhadbeenblowingonhercomplexion,andbytheanimationofeyewhichithadalsoproduced.Itwasevidentthatthegentleman,(completelyagentlemaninmanner)admiredherexceedingly.CaptainWentworthlookedroundatherinstantlyinawaywhichshewedhisnoticingofit.Hegaveheramomentaryglance,aglanceofbrightness,whichseemedtosay,“Thatmanisstruckwithyou,andevenI,atthismoment,seesomethinglikeAnneElliotagain.”
AfterattendingLouisathroughherbusiness,andloiteringaboutalittlelonger,theyreturnedtotheinnandAnne,inpassingafterwardsquicklyfromherownchambertotheirdining-room,hadnearlyrunagainsttheverysamegentleman,ashecameoutofanadjoiningapartment.Shehadbeforeconjecturedhimtobeastrangerlikethemselves,anddeterminedthatawell-lookinggroom,whowasstrollingaboutnearthetwoinnsastheycameback,shouldbehisservant.Bothmasterandmanbeinginmourningassistedtheidea.Itwasnowprovedthathebelongedtothesameinnasthemselvesandthissecondmeeting,shortasitwas,alsoprovedagainbythegentleman’slooks,thathethoughthersverylovely,andbythereadinessandproprietyofhisapologies,thathewasamanofexceedinglygoodmanners.Heseemedaboutthirty,andthoughnothandsome,hadanagreeableperson.Annefeltthatsheshouldliketoknowwhohewas.
Theyhadnearlydonebreakfast,whenthesoundofacarriage,(almostthefirsttheyhadheardsinceenteringLyme)drewhalfthepartytothewindow.Itwasagentleman’scarriage,acurricle,butonlycomingroundfromthestable-yardtothefrontdoorso