lace.”
“Oh!no.Theusualcharacterofthemhasnothingforme.Iamnocard-player.”
“Youwerenotformerly,Iknow.Youdidnotusetolikecardsbuttimemakesmanychanges.”
“Iamnotyetsomuchchanged,”criedAnne,andstopped,fearingshehardlyknewwhatmisconstruction.Afterwaitingafewmomentshesaid,andasifitweretheresultofimmediatefeeling,“Itisaperiod,indeed!Eightyearsandahalfisaperiod.”
WhetherhewouldhaveproceededfartherwaslefttoAnne’simaginationtoponderoverinacalmerhourforwhilestillhearingthesoundshehaduttered,shewasstartledtoothersubjectsbyHenrietta,eagertomakeuseofthepresentleisureforgettingout,andcallingonhercompanionstolosenotime,lestsomebodyelseshouldcomein.
Theywereobligedtomove.Annetalkedofbeingperfectlyready,andtriedtolookitbutshefeltthatcouldHenriettahaveknowntheregretandreluctanceofherheartinquittingthatchair,inpreparingtoquittheroom,shewouldhavefound,inallherownsensationsforhercousin,intheverysecurityofhisaffection,wherewithtopityher.
Theirpreparations,however,werestoppedshort.Alarmingsoundswereheardothervisitorsapproached,andthedoorwasthrownopenforSirWalterandMissElliot,whoseentranceseemedtogiveageneralchill.Annefeltaninstantoppression,andwherevershelookedsawsymptomsofthesame.Thecomfort,thefreedom,thegaietyoftheroomwasover,hushedintocoldcomposure,determinedsilence,orinsipidtalk,tomeettheheartlesseleganceofherfatherandsister.Howmortifyingtofeelthatitwasso!
Herjealouseyewassatisfiedinoneparticular.CaptainWentworthwasacknowledgedagainbyeach,byElizabethmoregraciouslythanbefore.Sheevenaddressedhimonce,andlookedathimmorethanonce.Elizabethwas,infact,revolvingagreatmeasure.Thesequelexplainedit.Afterthewasteofafewminutesinsayingthepropernothings,shebegantogivetheinvitationwhichwastocomprisealltheremainingduesoftheMusgroves.“To-morrowevening,tomeetafewfriends:noformalparty.”Itwasallsaidverygracefully,andthecardswithwhichshehadprovidedherself,the“MissElliotathome,”werelaidonthetable,withacourteous,comprehensivesmiletoall,andonesmileandonecardmoredecidedlyforCaptainWentworth.Thetruthwas,thatElizabethhadbeenlongenoughinBathtounderstandtheimportanceofamanofsuchanairandappearanceashis.Thepastwasnothing.ThepresentwasthatCaptainWentworthwouldmoveaboutwellinherdrawing-room.Thecardwaspointedlygiven,andSirWalterandElizabetharoseanddisappeared.
Theinterruptionhadbeenshort,thoughsevere,andeaseandanimationreturnedtomostofthosetheyleftasthedoorshutthemout,butnottoAnne.Shecouldthinkonlyoftheinvitationshehadwithsuchastonishmentwitnessed,andofthemannerinwhichithadbeenreceivedamannerofdoubtfulmeaning,ofsurpriseratherthangratification,ofpoliteacknowledgementratherthanacceptance.Sheknewhimshesawdisdaininhiseye,andcouldnotventuretobelievethathehaddeterminedtoacceptsuchanoffering,asa