第 30 节
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while you were at dinner; and going on now for Crewkherne; in his
way to Bath and London。”
“Elliot!” Many had looked on each other; and many had
repeated the name; before all this had been got through; even by
the smart rapidity of a waiter。
“Bless me!” cried Mary; “it must be our cousin;—it must be our
Mr。 Elliot; it must; indeed!—Charles; Anne; must not it? In
mourning; you see; just as our Mr。 Elliot must be。 How very
extraordinary! In the very same inn with us! Anne; must not it be
our Mr。 Elliot; my father’s next heir? Pray sir;” (turning to the
waiter); “did not you hear; did not his servant say whether he
belonged to the Kellynch family?”
“No; ma’am; he did not mention no particular family; but he
said his master was a very rich gentleman; and would be a
baronight some day。”
“There! you see!” cried Mary in an ecstasy; “just as I said! Heir
to Sir Walter Elliot!—I was sure that would come out; if it was so。
Depend upon it; that is a circumstance which his servants take
care to publish; wherever he goes。 But; Anne; only conceive how
extraordinary! I wish I had looked at him more。 I wish we had
been aware in time; who it was; that he might have been
introduced to us。 What a pity that we should not have been
introduced to each other!—Do you think he had the Elliot
countenance? I hardly looked at him; I was looking at the horses;
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but I think he had something of the Elliot countenance; I wonder
the arms did not strike me! Oh!—the great…coat was hanging over
the panel; and hid the arms; so it did; otherwise; I am sure; I
should have observed them; and the livery too; if the servant had
not been in mourning; one should have known him by the livery。”
“Putting all these very extraordinary circumstances together;”
said Captain Wentworth; “we must consider it to be the
arrangement of Providence; that you should not be introduced to
your cousin。”
When she could command Mary’s attention; Anne quietly tried
to convince her that their father and Mr。 Elliot had not; for many
years; been on such terms as to make the power of attempting an
introduction at all desirable。
At the same time; however; it was a secret gratification to
herself to have seen her cousin; and to know that the future owner
of Kellynch was undoubtedly a gentleman; and had an air of good
sense。 She would not; upon any account; mention her having met
with him the second time; luckily Mary did not much attend to
their having passed close by him in their earlier walk; but she
would have felt quite ill…used by Anne’s having actually run
against him in the passage; and received his very polite excuses;
while she had never been near him at all; no; that cousinly little
interview must remain a perfect secret。
“Of course;” said Mary; “you will mention our seeing Mr。 Elliot;
the next time you write to Bath。 I think my father certainly ought
to hear of it; do mention all about him。”
Anne avoided a direct reply; but it was just the circumstance
which she considered as not merely unnecessary to be
communicated; but as what ought to be suppressed。 The offence
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which had been given her father; many years back; she knew;
Elizabeth’s particular share in it she suspected; and that Mr。
Elliot’s idea always produced irritation in both was beyond a
doubt。 Mary never wrote to Bath herself; all the toil of keeping up
a slow and unsatisfactory correspondence with Elizabeth fell on
Anne。
Breakfast had not been long over; when they were joined by
Captain and Mrs。 Harville and Captain Benwick; with whom they
had appointed to take their last walk about Lyme。 They ought to
be setting off for Uppercross by one; and in the meanwhile were to
be all together; and out of doors as long as they could。
Anne found Captain Benwick getting near her; as soon as they
were all fairly in the street。 Their conversation the preceding
evening did not disincline him to seek her again; and they walked
together some time; talking as before of Mr。 Scott and Lord Byron;
and still as unable as before; and as unable as any other two
readers; to think exactly alike of the merits of either; till something
occasioned an almost general change amongst their party; and
instead of Captain Benwick; she had Captain Harville by her side。
“Miss Elliot;” said he; speaking rather low; “you have done a
good deed in making that poor fellow talk so much。 I wish he could
have such company oftener。 It is bad for him; I know; to be shut up
as he is; but what can we do? We cannot part。”
“No;” said Anne; “that I can easily believe to be impossible; but
in time; perhaps—we know what time does in every case of
affliction; and you must remember; Captain Harville; that your
friend may yet be called a young mourner—Only last summer; I
understand。”
“Ay; true enough;” (with a deep sigh) “only June。”
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“And not known to him; perhaps; so soon。”
“Not till the first week of August; when he came home from the
Cape;—just made into the Grappler。 I was at Plymouth; dreading
to hear of him; he sent in letters; but the Grappler was under
orders for Portsmouth。 There the news must follow him; but who
was to tell it? not I。 I would as soon have been run up to the yard…
arm。 Nobody could do it; but that good fellow (pointing to Captain
Wentworth)。 The Laconia had come into Plymouth the week
before; no danger of her being sent to sea again。 He stood his
chance for the rest;—wrote up for leave of absence; but without
waiting the return; travelled night and day till he got to
Portsmouth; rowed off to the Grappler that instant; and never left
the poor fellow for a week; that’s what he did; and nobody else
could have saved poor James。 You may think; Miss Elliot; whether
he is dear to us!”
Anne did think on the question with perfect decision; and said
as much in reply as her own feeling could accomplish; or as his
seemed able to bear; for he was too much affected to renew the
subject; and when he spoke again; it was of something totally
different。
Mrs。 Harville’s giving it as her opinion that her husband would
have quite walking enough by the time he reached home;
determined the direction of all the party in what was to be their
last walk; they would accompany them to their door; and then
return and set off themselves。 By all their calculations there was
just time for this; but as they drew near the Cobb; there was such a
general wish to walk along it once more; all were so inclined; and
Louisa soon grew so determined; that the difference of a quarter of
an hour; it was found; would be no difference at all; so with all the
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kind leave…taking; and all the kind interchange of invitations and
promises which may be imagined; they parted from Captain and
Mrs。 Harville at their own door; and still accompanied by Captain
Benwick; who seemed to cling to them to the last; procee