Persuasion Read online

  Chapter 18

  It was the beginning of February; and Anne, having been a month inBath, was growing very eager for news from Uppercross and Lyme. Shewanted to hear much more than Mary had communicated. It was threeweeks since she had heard at all. She only knew that Henrietta was athome again; and that Louisa, though considered to be recovering fast,was still in Lyme; and she was thinking of them all very intently oneevening, when a thicker letter than usual from Mary was delivered toher; and, to quicken the pleasure and surprise, with Admiral and MrsCroft's compliments.

  The Crofts must be in Bath! A circumstance to interest her. They werepeople whom her heart turned to very naturally.

  "What is this?" cried Sir Walter. "The Crofts have arrived in Bath?The Crofts who rent Kellynch? What have they brought you?"

  "A letter from Uppercross Cottage, Sir."

  "Oh! those letters are convenient passports. They secure anintroduction. I should have visited Admiral Croft, however, at anyrate. I know what is due to my tenant."

  Anne could listen no longer; she could not even have told how the poorAdmiral's complexion escaped; her letter engrossed her. It had beenbegun several days back.

  "February 1st.

  "My dear Anne,--I make no apology for my silence, because I know howlittle people think of letters in such a place as Bath. You must be agreat deal too happy to care for Uppercross, which, as you well know,affords little to write about. We have had a very dull Christmas; Mrand Mrs Musgrove have not had one dinner party all the holidays. I donot reckon the Hayters as anybody. The holidays, however, are over atlast: I believe no children ever had such long ones. I am sure I hadnot. The house was cleared yesterday, except of the little Harvilles;but you will be surprised to hear they have never gone home. MrsHarville must be an odd mother to part with them so long. I do notunderstand it. They are not at all nice children, in my opinion; butMrs Musgrove seems to like them quite as well, if not better, than hergrandchildren. What dreadful weather we have had! It may not be feltin Bath, with your nice pavements; but in the country it is of someconsequence. I have not had a creature call on me since the secondweek in January, except Charles Hayter, who had been calling muchoftener than was welcome. Between ourselves, I think it a great pityHenrietta did not remain at Lyme as long as Louisa; it would have kepther a little out of his way. The carriage is gone to-day, to bringLouisa and the Harvilles to-morrow. We are not asked to dine withthem, however, till the day after, Mrs Musgrove is so afraid of herbeing fatigued by the journey, which is not very likely, consideringthe care that will be taken of her; and it would be much moreconvenient to me to dine there to-morrow. I am glad you find Mr Elliotso agreeable, and wish I could be acquainted with him too; but I havemy usual luck: I am always out of the way when any thing desirable isgoing on; always the last of my family to be noticed. What an immensetime Mrs Clay has been staying with Elizabeth! Does she never mean togo away? But perhaps if she were to leave the room vacant, we mightnot be invited. Let me know what you think of this. I do not expectmy children to be asked, you know. I can leave them at the Great Housevery well, for a month or six weeks. I have this moment heard that theCrofts are going to Bath almost immediately; they think the Admiralgouty. Charles heard it quite by chance; they have not had thecivility to give me any notice, or of offering to take anything. I donot think they improve at all as neighbours. We see nothing of them,and this is really an instance of gross inattention. Charles joins mein love, and everything proper. Yours affectionately,

  "Mary M---.

  "I am sorry to say that I am very far from well; and Jemima has justtold me that the butcher says there is a bad sore-throat very muchabout. I dare say I shall catch it; and my sore-throats, you know, arealways worse than anybody's."

  So ended the first part, which had been afterwards put into anenvelope, containing nearly as much more.

  "I kept my letter open, that I might send you word how Louisa bore herjourney, and now I am extremely glad I did, having a great deal to add.In the first place, I had a note from Mrs Croft yesterday, offering toconvey anything to you; a very kind, friendly note indeed, addressed tome, just as it ought; I shall therefore be able to make my letter aslong as I like. The Admiral does not seem very ill, and I sincerelyhope Bath will do him all the good he wants. I shall be truly glad tohave them back again. Our neighbourhood cannot spare such a pleasantfamily. But now for Louisa. I have something to communicate that willastonish you not a little. She and the Harvilles came on Tuesday verysafely, and in the evening we went to ask her how she did, when we wererather surprised not to find Captain Benwick of the party, for he hadbeen invited as well as the Harvilles; and what do you think was thereason? Neither more nor less than his being in love with Louisa, andnot choosing to venture to Uppercross till he had had an answer from MrMusgrove; for it was all settled between him and her before she cameaway, and he had written to her father by Captain Harville. True, uponmy honour! Are not you astonished? I shall be surprised at least ifyou ever received a hint of it, for I never did. Mrs Musgrove protestssolemnly that she knew nothing of the matter. We are all very wellpleased, however, for though it is not equal to her marrying CaptainWentworth, it is infinitely better than Charles Hayter; and Mr Musgrovehas written his consent, and Captain Benwick is expected to-day. MrsHarville says her husband feels a good deal on his poor sister'saccount; but, however, Louisa is a great favourite with both. Indeed,Mrs Harville and I quite agree that we love her the better for havingnursed her. Charles wonders what Captain Wentworth will say; but ifyou remember, I never thought him attached to Louisa; I never could seeanything of it. And this is the end, you see, of Captain Benwick'sbeing supposed to be an admirer of yours. How Charles could take sucha thing into his head was always incomprehensible to me. I hope hewill be more agreeable now. Certainly not a great match for LouisaMusgrove, but a million times better than marrying among the Hayters."

  Mary need not have feared her sister's being in any degree prepared forthe news. She had never in her life been more astonished. CaptainBenwick and Louisa Musgrove! It was almost too wonderful for belief,and it was with the greatest effort that she could remain in the room,preserve an air of calmness, and answer the common questions of themoment. Happily for her, they were not many. Sir Walter wanted toknow whether the Crofts travelled with four horses, and whether theywere likely to be situated in such a part of Bath as it might suit MissElliot and himself to visit in; but had little curiosity beyond.

  "How is Mary?" said Elizabeth; and without waiting for an answer, "Andpray what brings the Crofts to Bath?"

  "They come on the Admiral's account. He is thought to be gouty."

  "Gout and decrepitude!" said Sir Walter. "Poor old gentleman."

  "Have they any acquaintance here?" asked Elizabeth.

  "I do not know; but I can hardly suppose that, at Admiral Croft's timeof life, and in his profession, he should not have many acquaintance insuch a place as this."

  "I suspect," said Sir Walter coolly, "that Admiral Croft will be bestknown in Bath as the renter of Kellynch Hall. Elizabeth, may weventure to present him and his wife in Laura Place?"

  "Oh, no! I think not. Situated as we are with Lady Dalrymple, cousins,we ought to be very careful not to embarrass her with acquaintance shemight not approve. If we were not related, it would not signify; butas cousins, she would feel scrupulous as to any proposal of ours. Wehad better leave the Crofts to find their own level. There are severalodd-looking men walking about here, who, I am told, are sailors. TheCrofts will associate with them."

  This was Sir Walter and Elizabeth's share of interest in the letter;when Mrs Clay had paid her tribute of more decent attention, in anenquiry after Mrs Charles Musgrove, and her fine little boys, Anne wasat liberty.

  In her own room, she tried to comprehend it. Well might Charles wonderhow Captain Wentworth would feel! Perhaps he had quitted the field,had given Louisa up, had ceased to love, had found he did not love
her.She could not endure the idea of treachery or levity, or anything akinto ill usage between him and his friend. She could not endure thatsuch a friendship as theirs should be severed unfairly.

  Captain Benwick and Louisa Musgrove! The high-spirited, joyous-talkingLouisa Musgrove, and the dejected, thinking, feeling, reading, CaptainBenwick, seemed each of them everything that would not suit the other.Their minds most dissimilar! Where could have been the attraction?The answer soon presented itself. It had been in situation. They hadbeen thrown together several weeks; they had been living in the samesmall family party: since Henrietta's coming away, they must have beendepending almost entirely on each other, and Louisa, just recoveringfrom illness, had been in an interesting state, and Captain Benwick wasnot inconsolable. That was a point which Anne had not been able toavoid suspecting before; and instead of drawing the same conclusion asMary, from the present course of events, they served only to confirmthe idea of his having felt some dawning of tenderness toward herself.She did not mean, however, to derive much more from it to gratify hervanity, than Mary might have allowed. She was persuaded that anytolerably pleasing young woman who had listened and seemed to feel forhim would have received the same compliment. He had an affectionateheart. He must love somebody.

  She saw no reason against their being happy. Louisa had fine navalfervour to begin with, and they would soon grow more alike. He wouldgain cheerfulness, and she would learn to be an enthusiast for Scottand Lord Byron; nay, that was probably learnt already; of course theyhad fallen in love over poetry. The idea of Louisa Musgrove turnedinto a person of literary taste, and sentimental reflection wasamusing, but she had no doubt of its being so. The day at Lyme, thefall from the Cobb, might influence her health, her nerves, hercourage, her character to the end of her life, as thoroughly as itappeared to have influenced her fate.

  The conclusion of the whole was, that if the woman who had beensensible of Captain Wentworth's merits could be allowed to preferanother man, there was nothing in the engagement to excite lastingwonder; and if Captain Wentworth lost no friend by it, certainlynothing to be regretted. No, it was not regret which made Anne's heartbeat in spite of herself, and brought the colour into her cheeks whenshe thought of Captain Wentworth unshackled and free. She had somefeelings which she was ashamed to investigate. They were too much likejoy, senseless joy!

  She longed to see the Crofts; but when the meeting took place, it wasevident that no rumour of the news had yet reached them. The visit ofceremony was paid and returned; and Louisa Musgrove was mentioned, andCaptain Benwick, too, without even half a smile.

  The Crofts had placed themselves in lodgings in Gay Street, perfectlyto Sir Walter's satisfaction. He was not at all ashamed of theacquaintance, and did, in fact, think and talk a great deal more aboutthe Admiral, than the Admiral ever thought or talked about him.

  The Crofts knew quite as many people in Bath as they wished for, andconsidered their intercourse with the Elliots as a mere matter of form,and not in the least likely to afford them any pleasure. They broughtwith them their country habit of being almost always together. He wasordered to walk to keep off the gout, and Mrs Croft seemed to go shareswith him in everything, and to walk for her life to do him good. Annesaw them wherever she went. Lady Russell took her out in her carriagealmost every morning, and she never failed to think of them, and neverfailed to see them. Knowing their feelings as she did, it was a mostattractive picture of happiness to her. She always watched them aslong as she could, delighted to fancy she understood what they might betalking of, as they walked along in happy independence, or equallydelighted to see the Admiral's hearty shake of the hand when heencountered an old friend, and observe their eagerness of conversationwhen occasionally forming into a little knot of the navy, Mrs Croftlooking as intelligent and keen as any of the officers around her.

  Anne was too much engaged with Lady Russell to be often walkingherself; but it so happened that one morning, about a week or ten daysafter the Croft's arrival, it suited her best to leave her friend, orher friend's carriage, in the lower part of the town, and return aloneto Camden Place, and in walking up Milsom Street she had the goodfortune to meet with the Admiral. He was standing by himself at aprintshop window, with his hands behind him, in earnest contemplationof some print, and she not only might have passed him unseen, but wasobliged to touch as well as address him before she could catch hisnotice. When he did perceive and acknowledge her, however, it was donewith all his usual frankness and good humour. "Ha! is it you? Thankyou, thank you. This is treating me like a friend. Here I am, yousee, staring at a picture. I can never get by this shop withoutstopping. But what a thing here is, by way of a boat! Do look at it.Did you ever see the like? What queer fellows your fine painters mustbe, to think that anybody would venture their lives in such a shapelessold cockleshell as that? And yet here are two gentlemen stuck up in itmightily at their ease, and looking about them at the rocks andmountains, as if they were not to be upset the next moment, which theycertainly must be. I wonder where that boat was built!" (laughingheartily); "I would not venture over a horsepond in it. Well,"(turning away), "now, where are you bound? Can I go anywhere for you,or with you? Can I be of any use?"

  "None, I thank you, unless you will give me the pleasure of yourcompany the little way our road lies together. I am going home."

  "That I will, with all my heart, and farther, too. Yes, yes we willhave a snug walk together, and I have something to tell you as we goalong. There, take my arm; that's right; I do not feel comfortable ifI have not a woman there. Lord! what a boat it is!" taking a last lookat the picture, as they began to be in motion.

  "Did you say that you had something to tell me, sir?"

  "Yes, I have, presently. But here comes a friend, Captain Brigden; Ishall only say, 'How d'ye do?' as we pass, however. I shall not stop.'How d'ye do?' Brigden stares to see anybody with me but my wife.She, poor soul, is tied by the leg. She has a blister on one of herheels, as large as a three-shilling piece. If you look across thestreet, you will see Admiral Brand coming down and his brother. Shabbyfellows, both of them! I am glad they are not on this side of the way.Sophy cannot bear them. They played me a pitiful trick once: got awaywith some of my best men. I will tell you the whole story anothertime. There comes old Sir Archibald Drew and his grandson. Look, hesees us; he kisses his hand to you; he takes you for my wife. Ah! thepeace has come too soon for that younker. Poor old Sir Archibald! Howdo you like Bath, Miss Elliot? It suits us very well. We are alwaysmeeting with some old friend or other; the streets full of them everymorning; sure to have plenty of chat; and then we get away from themall, and shut ourselves in our lodgings, and draw in our chairs, andare as snug as if we were at Kellynch, ay, or as we used to be even atNorth Yarmouth and Deal. We do not like our lodgings here the worse, Ican tell you, for putting us in mind of those we first had at NorthYarmouth. The wind blows through one of the cupboards just in the sameway."

  When they were got a little farther, Anne ventured to press again forwhat he had to communicate. She hoped when clear of Milsom Street tohave her curiosity gratified; but she was still obliged to wait, forthe Admiral had made up his mind not to begin till they had gained thegreater space and quiet of Belmont; and as she was not really MrsCroft, she must let him have his own way. As soon as they were fairlyascending Belmont, he began--

  "Well, now you shall hear something that will surprise you. But firstof all, you must tell me the name of the young lady I am going to talkabout. That young lady, you know, that we have all been so concernedfor. The Miss Musgrove, that all this has been happening to. HerChristian name: I always forget her Christian name."

  Anne had been ashamed to appear to comprehend so soon as she reallydid; but now she could safely suggest the name of "Louisa."

  "Ay, ay, Miss Louisa Musgrove, that is the name. I wish young ladieshad not such a number of fine Christian names. I should never be outif they were all Sophys, or something
of that sort. Well, this MissLouisa, we all thought, you know, was to marry Frederick. He wascourting her week after week. The only wonder was, what they could bewaiting for, till the business at Lyme came; then, indeed, it was clearenough that they must wait till her brain was set to right. But eventhen there was something odd in their way of going on. Instead ofstaying at Lyme, he went off to Plymouth, and then he went off to seeEdward. When we came back from Minehead he was gone down to Edward's,and there he has been ever since. We have seen nothing of him sinceNovember. Even Sophy could not understand it. But now, the matter hastaken the strangest turn of all; for this young lady, the same MissMusgrove, instead of being to marry Frederick, is to marry JamesBenwick. You know James Benwick."

  "A little. I am a little acquainted with Captain Benwick."

  "Well, she is to marry him. Nay, most likely they are married already,for I do not know what they should wait for."

  "I thought Captain Benwick a very pleasing young man," said Anne, "andI understand that he bears an excellent character."

  "Oh! yes, yes, there is not a word to be said against James Benwick.He is only a commander, it is true, made last summer, and these are badtimes for getting on, but he has not another fault that I know of. Anexcellent, good-hearted fellow, I assure you; a very active, zealousofficer too, which is more than you would think for, perhaps, for thatsoft sort of manner does not do him justice."

  "Indeed you are mistaken there, sir; I should never augur want ofspirit from Captain Benwick's manners. I thought them particularlypleasing, and I will answer for it, they would generally please."

  "Well, well, ladies are the best judges; but James Benwick is rathertoo piano for me; and though very likely it is all our partiality,Sophy and I cannot help thinking Frederick's manners better than his.There is something about Frederick more to our taste."

  Anne was caught. She had only meant to oppose the too common idea ofspirit and gentleness being incompatible with each other, not at all torepresent Captain Benwick's manners as the very best that couldpossibly be; and, after a little hesitation, she was beginning to say,"I was not entering into any comparison of the two friends," but theAdmiral interrupted her with--

  "And the thing is certainly true. It is not a mere bit of gossip. Wehave it from Frederick himself. His sister had a letter from himyesterday, in which he tells us of it, and he had just had it in aletter from Harville, written upon the spot, from Uppercross. I fancythey are all at Uppercross."

  This was an opportunity which Anne could not resist; she said,therefore, "I hope, Admiral, I hope there is nothing in the style ofCaptain Wentworth's letter to make you and Mrs Croft particularlyuneasy. It did seem, last autumn, as if there were an attachmentbetween him and Louisa Musgrove; but I hope it may be understood tohave worn out on each side equally, and without violence. I hope hisletter does not breathe the spirit of an ill-used man."

  "Not at all, not at all; there is not an oath or a murmur frombeginning to end."

  Anne looked down to hide her smile.

  "No, no; Frederick is not a man to whine and complain; he has too muchspirit for that. If the girl likes another man better, it is very fitshe should have him."

  "Certainly. But what I mean is, that I hope there is nothing inCaptain Wentworth's manner of writing to make you suppose he thinkshimself ill-used by his friend, which might appear, you know, withoutits being absolutely said. I should be very sorry that such afriendship as has subsisted between him and Captain Benwick should bedestroyed, or even wounded, by a circumstance of this sort."

  "Yes, yes, I understand you. But there is nothing at all of thatnature in the letter. He does not give the least fling at Benwick;does not so much as say, 'I wonder at it, I have a reason of my own forwondering at it.' No, you would not guess, from his way of writing,that he had ever thought of this Miss (what's her name?) for himself.He very handsomely hopes they will be happy together; and there isnothing very unforgiving in that, I think."

  Anne did not receive the perfect conviction which the Admiral meant toconvey, but it would have been useless to press the enquiry farther.She therefore satisfied herself with common-place remarks or quietattention, and the Admiral had it all his own way.

  "Poor Frederick!" said he at last. "Now he must begin all over againwith somebody else. I think we must get him to Bath. Sophy mustwrite, and beg him to come to Bath. Here are pretty girls enough, I amsure. It would be of no use to go to Uppercross again, for that otherMiss Musgrove, I find, is bespoke by her cousin, the young parson. Donot you think, Miss Elliot, we had better try to get him to Bath?"