Jane Austen 9 страница

collected, and eager to be doing something. "I will carry her myself.

Musgrove, take care of the others."

 

By this time the report of the accident had spread among the workmen

and boatmen about the Cobb, and many were collected near them,

to be useful if wanted, at any rate, to enjoy the sight of

a dead young lady, nay, two dead young ladies, for it proved twice as fine

as the first report. To some of the best-looking of these good people

Henrietta was consigned, for, though partially revived,

she was quite helpless; and in this manner, Anne walking by her side,

and Charles attending to his wife, they set forward, treading back

with feelings unutterable, the ground, which so lately, so very lately,

and so light of heart, they had passed along.

 

They were not off the Cobb, before the Harvilles met them.

Captain Benwick had been seen flying by their house, with a countenance

which showed something to be wrong; and they had set off immediately,

informed and directed as they passed, towards the spot.

Shocked as Captain Harville was, he brought senses and nerves

that could be instantly useful; and a look between him and his wife

decided what was to be done. She must be taken to their house;

all must go to their house; and await the surgeon`s arrival there.

They would not listen to scruples: he was obeyed; they were all

beneath his roof; and while Louisa, under Mrs Harville`s direction,

was conveyed up stairs, and given possession of her own bed,

assistance, cordials, restoratives were supplied by her husband

to all who needed them.

 

Louisa had once opened her eyes, but soon closed them again,

without apparent consciousness. This had been a proof of life,

however, of service to her sister; and Henrietta, though perfectly

incapable of being in the same room with Louisa, was kept,

by the agitation of hope and fear, from a return of her own insensibility.

Mary, too, was growing calmer.

 

The surgeon was with them almost before it had seemed possible.

They were sick with horror, while he examined; but he was not hopeless.

The head had received a severe contusion, but he had seen greater injuries

recovered from: he was by no means hopeless; he spoke cheerfully.

 

That he did not regard it as a desperate case, that he did not say

a few hours must end it, was at first felt, beyond the hope of most;

and the ecstasy of such a reprieve, the rejoicing, deep and silent,

after a few fervent ejaculations of gratitude to Heaven had been offered,

may be conceived.

 

The tone, the look, with which "Thank God!" was uttered

by Captain Wentworth, Anne was sure could never be forgotten by her;

nor the sight of him afterwards, as he sat near a table, leaning over it

with folded arms and face concealed, as if overpowered by

the various feelings of his soul, and trying by prayer and reflection

to calm them.

 

Louisa`s limbs had escaped. There was no injury but to the head.

 

It now became necessary for the party to consider what was best to be done,

as to their general situation. They were now able to speak to each other

and consult. That Louisa must remain where she was, however distressing

to her friends to be involving the Harvilles in such trouble,

did not admit a doubt. Her removal was impossible. The Harvilles

silenced all scruples; and, as much as they could, all gratitude.

They had looked forward and arranged everything before the others

began to reflect. Captain Benwick must give up his room to them,

and get another bed elsewhere; and the whole was settled.

They were only concerned that the house could accommodate no more;

and yet perhaps, by "putting the children away in the maid`s room,

or swinging a cot somewhere," they could hardly bear to think of not

finding room for two or three besides, supposing they might wish to stay;

though, with regard to any attendance on Miss Musgrove, there need not be

the least uneasiness in leaving her to Mrs Harville`s care entirely.

Mrs Harville was a very experienced nurse, and her nursery-maid,

who had lived with her long, and gone about with her everywhere,

was just such another. Between these two, she could want

no possible attendance by day or night. And all this was said

with a truth and sincerity of feeling irresistible.

 

Charles, Henrietta, and Captain Wentworth were the three in consultation,

and for a little while it was only an interchange of perplexity and terror.

"Uppercross, the necessity of some one`s going to Uppercross;

the news to be conveyed; how it could be broken to Mr and Mrs Musgrove;

the lateness of the morning; an hour already gone since they

ought to have been off; the impossibility of being in tolerable time."

At first, they were capable of nothing more to the purpose

than such exclamations; but, after a while, Captain Wentworth,

exerting himself, said--

 

"We must be decided, and without the loss of another minute.

Every minute is valuable. Some one must resolve on being off

for Uppercross instantly. Musgrove, either you or I must go."

 

Charles agreed, but declared his resolution of not going away.

He would be as little incumbrance as possible to Captain and Mrs Harville;

but as to leaving his sister in such a state, he neither ought, nor would.

So far it was decided; and Henrietta at first declared the same.

She, however, was soon persuaded to think differently. The usefulness

of her staying! She who had not been able to remain in Louisa`s room,

or to look at her, without sufferings which made her worse than helpless!

She was forced to acknowledge that she could do no good,

yet was still unwilling to be away, till, touched by the thought

of her father and mother, she gave it up; she consented,

she was anxious to be at home.

 

The plan had reached this point, when Anne, coming quietly

down from Louisa`s room, could not but hear what followed,

for the parlour door was open.

 

"Then it is settled, Musgrove," cried Captain Wentworth,

"that you stay, and that I take care of your sister home.

But as to the rest, as to the others, if one stays to assist Mrs Harville,

I think it need be only one. Mrs Charles Musgrove will, of course,

wish to get back to her children; but if Anne will stay, no one so proper,

so capable as Anne."

 

She paused a moment to recover from the emotion of hearing herself

so spoken of. The other two warmly agreed with what he said,

and she then appeared.

 

"You will stay, I am sure; you will stay and nurse her;" cried he,

turning to her and speaking with a glow, and yet a gentleness,

which seemed almost restoring the past. She coloured deeply,

and he recollected himself and moved away. She expressed herself

most willing, ready, happy to remain. "It was what she had been

thinking of, and wishing to be allowed to do. A bed on the floor

in Louisa`s room would be sufficient for her, if Mrs Harville

would but think so."

 

One thing more, and all seemed arranged. Though it was rather desirable

that Mr and Mrs Musgrove should be previously alarmed by some

share of delay; yet the time required by the Uppercross horses

to take them back, would be a dreadful extension of suspense;

and Captain Wentworth proposed, and Charles Musgrove agreed,

that it would be much better for him to take a chaise from the inn,

and leave Mr Musgrove`s carriage and horses to be sent home

the next morning early, when there would be the farther advantage

of sending an account of Louisa`s night.

 

Captain Wentworth now hurried off to get everything ready on his part,

and to be soon followed by the two ladies. When the plan was

made known to Mary, however, there was an end of all peace in it.

She was so wretched and so vehement, complained so much of injustice

in being expected to go away instead of Anne; Anne, who was

nothing to Louisa, while she was her sister, and had the best right

to stay in Henrietta`s stead! Why was not she to be as useful as Anne?

And to go home without Charles, too, without her husband!

No, it was too unkind. And in short, she said more than her husband

could long withstand, and as none of the others could oppose

when he gave way, there was no help for it; the change of Mary for Anne

was inevitable.

 

Anne had never submitted more reluctantly to the jealous

and ill-judging claims of Mary; but so it must be, and they set off

for the town, Charles taking care of his sister, and Captain Benwick

attending to her. She gave a moment`s recollection, as they hurried along,

to the little circumstances which the same spots had witnessed

earlier in the morning. There she had listened to Henrietta`s schemes

for Dr Shirley`s leaving Uppercross; farther on, she had

first seen Mr Elliot; a moment seemed all that could now be given

to any one but Louisa, or those who were wrapt up in her welfare.

 

Captain Benwick was most considerately attentive to her; and,

united as they all seemed by the distress of the day, she felt

an increasing degree of good-will towards him, and a pleasure even

in thinking that it might, perhaps, be the occasion of continuing

their acquaintance.

 

Captain Wentworth was on the watch for them, and a chaise and four in waiting,

stationed for their convenience in the lowest part of the street;

but his evident surprise and vexation at the substitution of one sister

for the other, the change in his countenance, the astonishment,

the expressions begun and suppressed, with which Charles was listened to,

made but a mortifying reception of Anne; or must at least convince her

that she was valued only as she could be useful to Louisa.

 

She endeavoured to be composed, and to be just. Without emulating

the feelings of an Emma towards her Henry, she would have

attended on Louisa with a zeal above the common claims of regard,

for his sake; and she hoped he would not long be so unjust

as to suppose she would shrink unnecessarily from the office of a friend.

 

In the mean while she was in the carriage. He had handed them both in,

and placed himself between them; and in this manner, under these

circumstances, full of astonishment and emotion to Anne, she quitted Lyme.

How the long stage would pass; how it was to affect their manners;

what was to be their sort of intercourse, she could not foresee.

It was all quite natural, however. He was devoted to Henrietta;

always turning towards her; and when he spoke at all, always with the view

of supporting her hopes and raising her spirits. In general,

his voice and manner were studiously calm. To spare Henrietta

from agitation seemed the governing principle. Once only,

when she had been grieving over the last ill-judged, ill-fated

walk to the Cobb, bitterly lamenting that it ever had been thought of,

he burst forth, as if wholly overcome--

 

"Don`t talk of it, don`t talk of it," he cried. "Oh God! that I had

not given way to her at the fatal moment! Had I done as I ought!

But so eager and so resolute! Dear, sweet Louisa!"

 

Anne wondered whether it ever occurred to him now, to question the justness

of his own previous opinion as to the universal felicity and advantage

of firmness of character; and whether it might not strike him that,

like all other qualities of the mind, it should have its proportions

and limits. She thought it could scarcely escape him to feel

that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour of happiness

as a very resolute character.

 

They got on fast. Anne was astonished to recognise the same hills

and the same objects so soon. Their actual speed, heightened by

some dread of the conclusion, made the road appear but half as long

as on the day before. It was growing quite dusk, however,

before they were in the neighbourhood of Uppercross, and there had been

total silence among them for some time, Henrietta leaning back

in the corner, with a shawl over her face, giving the hope of her

having cried herself to sleep; when, as they were going up their last hill,

Anne found herself all at once addressed by Captain Wentworth.

In a low, cautious voice, he said: --

 

"I have been considering what we had best do. She must not

appear at first. She could not stand it. I have been thinking whether

you had not better remain in the carriage with her, while I go in

and break it to Mr and Mrs Musgrove. Do you think this is a good plan?"

 

She did: he was satisfied, and said no more. But the remembrance

of the appeal remained a pleasure to her, as a proof of friendship,

and of deference for her judgement, a great pleasure; and when it became

a sort of parting proof, its value did not lessen.

 

When the distressing communication at Uppercross was over,

and he had seen the father and mother quite as composed as could be hoped,

and the daughter all the better for being with them, he announced

his intention of returning in the same carriage to Lyme;

and when the horses were baited, he was off.

 

(End of volume one.)

 

Chapter 13

 

 

The remainder of Anne`s time at Uppercross, comprehending only two days,

was spent entirely at the Mansion House; and she had the satisfaction

of knowing herself extremely useful there, both as an immediate companion,

and as assisting in all those arrangements for the future, which,

in Mr and Mrs Musgrove`s distressed state of spirits, would have

been difficulties.

 

They had an early account from Lyme the next morning. Louisa was

much the same. No symptoms worse than before had appeared.

Charles came a few hours afterwards, to bring a later and

more particular account. He was tolerably cheerful. A speedy cure

must not be hoped, but everything was going on as well

as the nature of the case admitted. In speaking of the Harvilles,

he seemed unable to satisfy his own sense of their kindness,

especially of Mrs Harville`s exertions as a nurse. "She really left

nothing for Mary to do. He and Mary had been persuaded to go early

to their inn last night. Mary had been hysterical again this morning.

When he came away, she was going to walk out with Captain Benwick,

which, he hoped, would do her good. He almost wished she had been

prevailed on to come home the day before; but the truth was,

that Mrs Harville left nothing for anybody to do."

 

Charles was to return to Lyme the same afternoon, and his father

had at first half a mind to go with him, but the ladies could not consent.

It would be going only to multiply trouble to the others,

and increase his own distress; and a much better scheme followed

and was acted upon. A chaise was sent for from Crewkherne,

and Charles conveyed back a far more useful person in the old nursery-maid

of the family, one who having brought up all the children,

and seen the very last, the lingering and long-petted Master Harry,

sent to school after his brothers, was now living in her deserted nursery

to mend stockings and dress all the blains and bruises she could

get near her, and who, consequently, was only too happy in being

allowed to go and help nurse dear Miss Louisa. Vague wishes of

getting Sarah thither, had occurred before to Mrs Musgrove and Henrietta;

but without Anne, it would hardly have been resolved on,

and found practicable so soon.

 

They were indebted, the next day, to Charles Hayter, for all

the minute knowledge of Louisa, which it was so essential to obtain

every twenty-four hours. He made it his business to go to Lyme,

and his account was still encouraging. The intervals of sense

and consciousness were believed to be stronger. Every report agreed

in Captain Wentworth`s appearing fixed in Lyme.

 

Anne was to leave them on the morrow, an event which they all dreaded.

"What should they do without her? They were wretched comforters

for one another." And so much was said in this way, that Anne thought

she could not do better than impart among them the general inclination

to which she was privy, and persuaded them all to go to Lyme at once.

She had little difficulty; it was soon determined that they would go;

go to-morrow, fix themselves at the inn, or get into lodgings,

as it suited, and there remain till dear Louisa could be moved.

They must be taking off some trouble from the good people she was with;

they might at least relieve Mrs Harville from the care of her own children;

and in short, they were so happy in the decision, that Anne was delighted

with what she had done, and felt that she could not spend her

last morning at Uppercross better than in assisting their preparations,

and sending them off at an early hour, though her being left

to the solitary range of the house was the consequence.

 

She was the last, excepting the little boys at the cottage,

she was the very last, the only remaining one of all that had filled

and animated both houses, of all that had given Uppercross

its cheerful character. A few days had made a change indeed!

 

If Louisa recovered, it would all be well again. More than

former happiness would be restored. There could not be a doubt,

to her mind there was none, of what would follow her recovery.

A few months hence, and the room now so deserted, occupied but by

her silent, pensive self, might be filled again with all that was happy

and gay, all that was glowing and bright in prosperous love,

all that was most unlike Anne Elliot!

 

An hour`s complete leisure for such reflections as these,

on a dark November day, a small thick rain almost blotting out

the very few objects ever to be discerned from the windows, was enough

to make the sound of Lady Russell`s carriage exceedingly welcome;

and yet, though desirous to be gone, she could not quit the Mansion House,

or look an adieu to the Cottage, with its black, dripping and

comfortless veranda, or even notice through the misty glasses

the last humble tenements of the village, without a saddened heart.

Scenes had passed in Uppercross which made it precious.

It stood the record of many sensations of pain, once severe,

but now softened; and of some instances of relenting feeling,

some breathings of friendship and reconciliation, which could

never be looked for again, and which could never cease to be dear.

She left it all behind her, all but the recollection that

such things had been.

 

Anne had never entered Kellynch since her quitting Lady Russell`s house

in September. It had not been necessary, and the few occasions of

its being possible for her to go to the Hall she had contrived to evade

and escape from. Her first return was to resume her place in the modern

and elegant apartments of the Lodge, and to gladden the eyes

of its mistress.

 

There was some anxiety mixed with Lady Russell`s joy in meeting her.

She knew who had been frequenting Uppercross. But happily,

either Anne was improved in plumpness and looks, or Lady Russell

fancied her so; and Anne, in receiving her compliments on the occasion,

had the amusement of connecting them with the silent admiration

of her cousin, and of hoping that she was to be blessed with

a second spring of youth and beauty.

 

When they came to converse, she was soon sensible of some mental change.

The subjects of which her heart had been full on leaving Kellynch,

and which she had felt slighted, and been compelled to smother

among the Musgroves, were now become but of secondary interest.

She had lately lost sight even of her father and sister and Bath.

Their concerns had been sunk under those of Uppercross;

and when Lady Russell reverted to their former hopes and fears,

and spoke her satisfaction in the house in Camden Place,

which had been taken, and her regret that Mrs Clay should still

be with them, Anne would have been ashamed to have it known

how much more she was thinking of Lyme and Louisa Musgrove,

and all her acquaintance there; how much more interesting to her

was the home and the friendship of the Harvilles and Captain Benwick,

than her own father`s house in Camden Place, or her own sister`s intimacy

with Mrs Clay. She was actually forced to exert herself

to meet Lady Russell with anything like the appearance of equal solicitude,

on topics which had by nature the first claim on her.

 

There was a little awkwardness at first in their discourse

on another subject. They must speak of the accident at Lyme.

Lady Russell had not been arrived five minutes the day before,

when a full account of the whole had burst on her; but still it must

be talked of, she must make enquiries, she must regret the imprudence,

lament the result, and Captain Wentworth`s name must be mentioned by both.

Anne was conscious of not doing it so well as Lady Russell.

She could not speak the name, and look straight forward to

Lady Russell`s eye, till she had adopted the expedient of telling her

briefly what she thought of the attachment between him and Louisa.

When this was told, his name distressed her no longer.

 

Lady Russell had only to listen composedly, and wish them happy,

but internally her heart revelled in angry pleasure, in pleased contempt,

that the man who at twenty-three had seemed to understand somewhat

of the value of an Anne Elliot, should, eight years afterwards,

be charmed by a Louisa Musgrove.

 

The first three or four days passed most quietly, with no circumstance

to mark them excepting the receipt of a note or two from Lyme,

which found their way to Anne, she could not tell how, and brought

a rather improving account of Louisa. At the end of that period,

Lady Russell`s politeness could repose no longer, and the fainter

self-threatenings of the past became in a decided tone,

"I must call on Mrs Croft; I really must call upon her soon.

Anne, have you courage to go with me, and pay a visit in that house?

It will be some trial to us both."

 

Anne did not shrink from it; on the contrary, she truly felt as she said,

in observing--

 

"I think you are very likely to suffer the most of the two;

your feelings are less reconciled to the change than mine.

By remaining in the neighbourhood, I am become inured to it."

 

She could have said more on the subject; for she had in fact

so high an opinion of the Crofts, and considered her father

so very fortunate in his tenants, felt the parish to be so sure

of a good example, and the poor of the best attention and relief,

that however sorry and ashamed for the necessity of the removal,

she could not but in conscience feel that they were gone

who deserved not to stay, and that Kellynch Hall had passed

into better hands than its owners`. These convictions must unquestionably

have their own pain, and severe was its kind; but they precluded

that pain which Lady Russell would suffer in entering the house again,

and returning through the well-known apartments.

 

In such moments Anne had no power of saying to herself,

"These rooms ought to belong only to us. Oh, how fallen

in their destination! How unworthily occupied! An ancient family

to be so driven away! Strangers filling their place!"

No, except when she thought of her mother, and remembered where

she had been used to sit and preside, she had no sigh of that description

to heave.

 

Mrs Croft always met her with a kindness which gave her the pleasure

of fancying herself a favourite, and on the present occasion,

receiving her in that house, there was particular attention.

 

The sad accident at Lyme was soon the prevailing topic,

and on comparing their latest accounts of the invalid, it appeared

that each lady dated her intelligence from the same hour of yestermorn;

that Captain Wentworth had been in Kellynch yesterday (the first time

since the accident), had brought Anne the last note, which she had

not been able to trace the exact steps of; had staid a few hours

and then returned again to Lyme, and without any present intention

of quitting it any more. He had enquired after her, she found,

particularly; had expressed his hope of Miss Elliot`s not being

the worse for her exertions, and had spoken of those exertions as great.

This was handsome, and gave her more pleasure than almost anything else

could have done.

 

As to the sad catastrophe itself, it could be canvassed only in one style

by a couple of steady, sensible women, whose judgements had to work

on ascertained events; and it was perfectly decided that it had been

the consequence of much thoughtlessness and much imprudence;

that its effects were most alarming, and that it was frightful to think,

how long Miss Musgrove`s recovery might yet be doubtful, and how liable

she would still remain to suffer from the concussion hereafter!

The Admiral wound it up summarily by exclaiming--

 

"Ay, a very bad business indeed. A new sort of way this,

for a young fellow to be making love, by breaking his mistress`s head,

is not it, Miss Elliot? This is breaking a head and giving a plaster,

truly!"

 

Admiral Croft`s manners were not quite of the tone to suit Lady Russell,

but they delighted Anne. His goodness of heart and simplicity

of character were irresistible.

 

"Now, this must be very bad for you," said he, suddenly rousing from

a little reverie, "to be coming and finding us here. I had not

recollected it before, I declare, but it must be very bad.

But now, do not stand upon ceremony. Get up and go over all the rooms

in the house if you like it."

 

"Another time, Sir, I thank you, not now."

 

"Well, whenever it suits you. You can slip in from the shrubbery

at any time; and there you will find we keep our umbrellas hanging up

by that door. A good place is not it? But," (checking himself),

"you will not think it a good place, for yours were always kept

in the butler`s room. Ay, so it always is, I believe.

One man`s ways may be as good as another`s, but we all like our own best.