第 49 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9288
  street on a commission of Mrs。 Clay’s。
  She   now   felt   a   great   inclination   to   go   to   the   outer   door;   she
  wanted      to  see  if  it  rained。  Why     was   she   to  suspect    herself    of
  another motive? Captain Wentworth must be out of sight。 She left
  her   seat;   she   would   go;   one   half   of   her   should   not   be   always   so
  much wiser than the other half; or always suspecting the other of
  being worse than it was。 She would see if it rained。 She was sent
  back;     however;      in   a   moment       by   the   entrance      of   Captain
  Wentworth        himself;    among      a  party    of  gentlemen      and    ladies;
  evidently his acquaintance; and whom he must have joined a little
  below Milsom…street。 He was more obviously struck and confused
  by the sight of her than she had ever observed before; he looked
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  quite red。 For the first time; since their renewed acquaintance; she
  felt that she was betraying the least sensibility of the two。 She had
  the advantage of him in the preparation of the last few moments。
  All the overpowering; blinding; bewildering; first effects of strong
  surprise   were   over   with   her。   Still;   however;   she   had   enough   to
  feel! It was agitation; pain; pleasure; a something between delight
  and misery。
  He   spoke   to   her;   and   then   turned   away。   The   character   of   his
  manner   was   embarrassment。   She   could   not   have   called   it   either
  cold or friendly; or anything so certainly as embarrassed。
  After a short interval; however; he came towards her; and spoke
  again。   Mutual   enquiries   on   common   subjects   passed;   neither   of
  them;   probably;   much   the   wiser   for   what   they   heard;   and   Anne
  continuing   fully   sensible   of   his   being   less   at   ease   than   formerly。
  They had by dint of being so very much together; got to speak to
  each   other   with   a   considerable   portion   of   apparent   indifference
  and calmness; but he could not do it now。 Time had changed him;
  or Louisa had changed him。 There was consciousness of some sort
  or  other。   He  looked   very  well;   not   as   if   he   had   been   suffering   in
  health  or  spirits; and   he   talked   of  Uppercross;   of  the   Musgroves;
  nay;   even   of  Louisa; and   had  even   a  momentary  look   of   his   own
  arch     significance      as  he    named      her;   but    yet   it  was    Captain
  Wentworth   not   comfortable;   not   easy;   not   able   to   feign   that   he
  was。
  It   did   not    surprise;    but    it  grieved    Anne      to  observe      that
  Elizabeth   would   not   know   him。   She   saw   that   he   saw   Elizabeth;
  that     Elizabeth      saw    him;     that   there     was    complete      internal
  recognition on each side; she was convinced that he was ready to
  be   acknowledged   as   an   acquaintance;   expecting   it;   and   she   had
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  the pain of seeing her sister turn away with unalterable coldness。
  Lady  Dalrymple’s   carriage;   for   which   Miss   Elliot   was   growing
  very impatient; now drew up; the servant came in to announce it。
  It was beginning to rain again; and  altogether  there   was   a   delay;
  and a bustle; and a talking; which must make all the little crowd in
  the   shop   understand   that   Lady   Dalrymple   was   calling   to   convey
  Miss Elliot。 At last  Miss   Elliot  and   her  friend;   unattended but  by
  the servant; (for there was no  cousin   returned)  were   walking  off;
  and   Captain   Wentworth;   watching   them;   turned   again   to   Anne;
  and   by   manner;   rather   than   words;   was   offering   his   services   to
  her。
  “I   am   much   obliged   to   you;”   was   her   answer;   “but   I   am   not
  going with them。 The carriage would not accommodate so many。 I
  walk。 I prefer walking。”
  “But it rains。”
  “Oh! very little。 Nothing that I regard。”
  After    a   moment’s       pause     he   said:   “Though       I  came     only
  yesterday; I have equipped myself properly for Bath already; you
  see;” (pointing to a new umbrella) “I wish you would make use of
  it; if you are determined to walk; though; I think; it would be more
  prudent to let me get you a chair。”
  She was very much obliged to him; but declined it all; repeating
  her   conviction;   that   the   rain   would   come   to   nothing   at   present;
  and adding; “I am only waiting for Mr。 Elliot。 He will be here in a
  moment; I am sure。”
  She   had   hardly   spoken   the   words   when   Mr。   Elliot   walked   in。
  Captain      Wentworth        recollected     him    perfectly。    There     was   no
  difference between him and the man who had stood on the steps
  at Lyme; admiring Anne as she passed; except in the air and look
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  and manner of the privileged relation and friend。 He came in with
  eagerness;   appeared   to   see   and   think   only   of   her;   apologised   for
  his stay; was grieved to have kept her waiting; and anxious to get
  her    away     without     further    loss   of  time    and    before    the    rain
  increased;   and   in   another   moment   they   walked   off   together;   her
  arm   under   his;   a   gentle   and   embarrassed   glance;   and   a   “Good
  morning   to   you!”   being   all   that   she   had   time   for;   as   she   passed
  away。
  As    soon   as   they   were     out   of  sight;   the   ladies   of   Captain
  Wentworth’s party began talking of them。
  “Mr。 Elliot does not dislike his cousin; I fancy?”
  “Oh! no; that is clear enough。 One can guess what will happen
  there。   He   is   always   with   them;   half   lives   in   the   family;   I   believe。
  What a very good…looking man!”
  “Yes;    and    Miss   Atkinson;     who    dined    with   him    once    at  the
  Wallises;     says   he   is  the  most    agreeable     man    she   ever    was   in
  company with。”
  “She is pretty; I think; Anne Elliot; very pretty; when one comes
  to look at her。 It is not the fashion to say so; but I confess I admire
  her more than her sister。”
  “Oh! so do I。”
  “And   so   do   I。   No   comparison。   But   the   men   are   all   wild   after
  Miss Elliot。 Anne is too delicate for them。”
  Anne would have been particularly obliged to her cousin; if he
  would     have    walked     by   her   side  all  the   way   to   Camden…place;
  without saying a word。 She had never found it so difficult to listen
  to him; though nothing could exceed his solicitude and care; and
  though      his  subjects    were    principally    such   as   were    wont    to  be
  always      interesting—praise;        warm;     just;  and    discriminating;       of
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  Lady  Russell;  and insinuations  highly  rational against   Mrs。   Clay。
  But   just   now   she   could    think   only   of  Captain    Wentworth。      She
  could not understand his present feelings; whether he were really
  suffering   much   from   disappointment   or   not;   and   till       that   point
  were settled; she could not be quite herself。
  She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! alas! she
  must confess to herself that she was not wise yet。
  Another circumstance very essential for her to know; was how
  long he meant to be in Bath; he had not mentioned it; or she could
  not recollect it。 He might be only passing through。 But it was more
  probable that he should be come to stay。 In that case; so liable as
  every body was to meet every body in Bath; Lady Russell would in
  all likelihood see him somewhere。 Would she recollect him? How
  would it all be?
  She had already been   obliged   to  tell   Lady  Russell   that  Louisa
  Musgrove        was   to   marry     Captain     Benwick。     It   had   cost    her
  something  to   encounter   Lady   Russell’s   surprise;   and   now;   if   she
  were     by  any   chance     to  be  thrown     into  company      with   Captain
  Wentworth;       her   imperfect     knowledge      of  the  matter    might    add
  anot