Anne is just setting out for Lady Russell’s when a knock at the door
announces visitors, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Musgrove are ushered into
the room.
Anne is really glad to see them, and the others are not so sorry that
they cannot put on a decent air of welcome, considerably increased when
it is clear that these their nearest relatives have not arrived with
any idea of accommodation in that house.
The young Musgroves are staying for a few days at the “White Hart”
with old Mrs. Musgrove, Henrietta, and Captain Harville. The last has
business of his own in Bath. Mrs. Musgrove and Henrietta are already
come to buy wedding clothes. It was not then incumbent on every bride,
in the rank of Henrietta and Louisa Musgrove, to have her trousseau
from London and Paris. Such a place as Bath was sufficient for the
requirements of all Somersetshire in that respect.
Anne walks off directly with Charles and Mary to their mother and
sister. The enlightenment of Lady Russell is of necessity left for
another day. Mr. Elliot’s character has a reprieve of twenty-four hours.
Anne finds herself warmly greeted, even affectionately claimed to be
with them during their stay, by Mrs. Musgrove and Henrietta, and falls
naturally into her wonted ways of attention and assistance. “On Charles
leaving them together, Anne was listening to Mrs. Musgrove’s history
of Louisa, and to Henrietta’s of herself; giving opinions on business
and recommendations to shops, with intervals of every help which Mary
required; from altering her ribbon to settling her accounts, from
finding her keys and assorting her trinkets, to trying to convince
her she was not ill-used by anybody; while Mary, well amused as she
generally was in her station at a window overlooking the entrance to
the Pump-room, could not but have her moments of imagining.
“A morning of thorough confusion was to be expected. A large party in
an hotel ensured a quick-changing, unsettled scene. One five minutes
brought a note, the next a parcel; and Anne had not been there half an
hour when their dining-room, spacious as it was, seemed half-filled.
A party of steady old friends were seated round Mrs. Musgrove, and
Charles came back with Captains Harville and Wentworth. The appearance
of the latter could not be more than the surprise of the moment. It
was impossible for her to have forgotten to feel that this arrival of
their common friends must be soon bringing them together again. Their
last meeting had been most important in opening his feelings; she had
derived from it a delightful conviction; but she feared from his looks
that the same unfortunate persuasion, which had hastened him away from
the Concert-room, still governed. He did not seem to want to be near
enough for conversation.
“‘Anne,’ cried Mary, still at her window, ‘there is Mrs. Clay, I am
sure, standing under the colonnade, and a gentleman with her. I saw
them turn the corner from Bath Street just now. They seem deep in talk.
Who is it? Come and tell me. Good heavens! I recollect. It is Mr.
Elliot himself.’
“‘No,’ cried Anne, quickly; ‘it cannot be. He was to leave Bath at nine
this morning, and does not come back till to-morrow.’
“As she spoke she felt that Captain Wentworth was looking at her, the
consciousness of which vexed and embarrassed her, and made her regret
that she had said so much, simple as it was.
“Mary, resenting that she should be supposed not to know her own
cousin, began talking very warmly about the family features, and
protesting still more positively that it was Mr. Elliot, calling again
upon Anne to come and look herself; but Anne did not mean to stir, and
tried to be cool and unconcerned. Her distress returned, however, on
perceiving smiles and intelligent glances pass between two or three
of the lady visitors, as if they believed themselves quite in the
secret. It was evident that the report concerning her had spread, and a
short pause succeeded, which seemed to ensure that it would now spread
further.
“‘Do come, Anne,’ cried Mary--‘come and look yourself. You will be
too late if you do not make haste. They are parting--they are shaking
hands--he is turning away. Not know Mr. Elliot, indeed! You seem to
have forgot all about Lyme.’
“To pacify Mary, and perhaps screen her own embarrassment, Anne did
move quietly to the window. She was just in time to ascertain that it
really was Mr. Elliot before he disappeared on one side, as Mrs. Clay
walked quickly off on the other; and checking the surprise which she
could not but feel at such an appearance of friendly conference between
two persons of totally opposite interests, she calmly said, ‘Yes, it
is Mr. Elliot, certainly. He has changed his hour of going, I suppose,
that is all, or I may be mistaken,’ and walked back to her chair
recomposed, and with the comfortable hope of having acquitted herself
well.
“Captain Wentworth left his seat and walked to the fire-place, probably
for the sake of walking away from it soon afterwards, and taking a
station, with less barefaced design, by Anne.
“‘You have not been long enough in Bath,’ said he, ‘to enjoy the
evening parties of the place.’
“‘Oh, no, the usual character of them has nothing for me. I am no
card-player.’
“‘You were not formerly, I know. You did not use to like cards, but
time makes many changes.’
“‘I am not yet so much changed,’ cried Anne, and stopped, fearing she
hardly knew what misconstruction. After waiting a few moments, he said,
and as if it were the result of immediate feeling, ‘It is a period,
indeed! Eight years and a half is a period.’
“Whether he would have proceeded farther was left to Anne’s imagination
to ponder over in a calmer hour; for while still hearing the sounds he
had uttered, she was startled to other subjects by Henrietta, eager to
get out and calling on her companions to lose no time, lest somebody
else should come in.
“They were obliged to move. Anne talked of being perfectly ready, and
tried to look it; but she felt that could Henrietta have known the
regret and reluctance of her heart in quitting the room, she would have
found, in all her own sensations for her cousin, in the very security
of his affection, wherewith to pity her.”
Their preparations are stopped short; the door is thrown open for Sir
Walter and Miss Elliot, whose entrance seems to cause a general chill.
Anne is satisfied with regard to one particular: Captain Wentworth is
acknowledged again by each.
Elizabeth is revolving a great measure. She gives her invitations
“To-morrow evening, to meet a few friends; no formal party;” and
puts down her cards with “Miss Elliot at home,” and a courteous,
comprehensive smile for all, and one smile and one card decidedly for
Captain Wentworth. Elizabeth has been long enough in Bath to understand
the importance in society of a man of such an air and appearance. The
cards given, Sir Walter and Elizabeth rise and disappear.
Captain Wentworth has received the card with no more than a polite
acknowledgment. Anne cannot think that he will accept such an offering
as an atonement for the insolence of the past. He holds the card in his
hand as if considering.
“‘Only think of Elizabeth’s including everybody,’ whispers Mary
audibly. ‘I do not wonder Captain Wentworth is delighted. He cannot put
the card out of his hand.’”
Anne catches his eye, sees his cheeks glow and his mouth form itself
into an expression of contempt, and turns away that she may see no more.
The party separates--Anne going with the ladies. She is begged to
return and dine, but her spirits have been too long exerted, she is
only fit for home. She promises to be with her friends the whole of the
following morning, and closes the fatigues of the day by a toilsome
walk to Camden Place.
Anne rouses herself from the never-ending self-questioning, “Will
Captain Wentworth come or not?” to let Mrs. Clay know she has been seen
with Mr. Elliot three hours after his being supposed to have left Bath.
It seems to Anne there is guilt in Mrs. Clay’s face, but the expression
clears instantly. “Oh, dear! very true,” exclaims Mrs. Clay. “Only
think, Miss Elliot, to my great surprise I met with Mr. Elliot in Bath
Street. I was never more astonished. He turned back and walked with me
to the Pump Yard. He had been prevented setting off for Thornbury. He
wanted to know how early he might be admitted to-morrow. He was full of
‘to-morrow.’”