SirWalter,histwodaughters,andMrsClay,weretheearliestofalltheirpartyattheroomsintheeveningandasLadyDalrymplemustbewaitedfor,theytooktheirstationbyoneofthefiresintheOctagonRoom.Buthardlyweretheysosettled,whenthedooropenedagain,andCaptainWentworthwalkedinalone.Annewasthenearesttohim,andmakingyetalittleadvance,sheinstantlyspoke.Hewaspreparingonlytobowandpasson,buthergentle“Howdoyoudo?”broughthimoutofthestraightlinetostandnearher,andmakeenquiriesinreturn,inspiteoftheformidablefatherandsisterinthebackground.TheirbeinginthebackgroundwasasupporttoAnnesheknewnothingoftheirlooks,andfeltequaltoeverythingwhichshebelievedrighttobedone.
Whiletheywerespeaking,awhisperingbetweenherfatherandElizabethcaughtherear.Shecouldnotdistinguish,butshemustguessthesubjectandonCaptainWentworth’smakingadistantbow,shecomprehendedthatherfatherhadjudgedsowellastogivehimthatsimpleacknowledgementofacquaintance,andshewasjustintimebyasideglancetoseeaslightcurtseyfromElizabethherself.This,thoughlate,andreluctant,andungracious,wasyetbetterthannothing,andherspiritsimproved.
Aftertalking,however,oftheweather,andBath,andtheconcert,theirconversationbegantoflag,andsolittlewassaidatlast,thatshewasexpectinghimtogoeverymoment,buthedidnotheseemedinnohurrytoleaveherandpresentlywithrenewedspirit,withalittlesmile,alittleglow,hesaid—
“IhavehardlyseenyousinceourdayatLyme.Iamafraidyoumusthavesufferedfromtheshock,andthemorefromitsnotoverpoweringyouatthetime.”
Sheassuredhimthatshehadnot.
“Itwasafrightfulhour,”saidhe,“afrightfulday!”andhepassedhishandacrosshiseyes,asiftheremembrancewerestilltoopainful,butinamoment,halfsmilingagain,added,“Thedayhasproducedsomeeffectshoweverhashadsomeconsequenceswhichmustbeconsideredastheveryreverseoffrightful.WhenyouhadthepresenceofmindtosuggestthatBenwickwouldbetheproperest