Jane Austen 6 страница

I lived in perpetual fright at that time, and had all manner of

imaginary complaints from not knowing what to do with myself,

or when I should hear from him next; but as long as we could be together,

nothing ever ailed me, and I never met with the smallest inconvenience."

 

"Aye, to be sure. Yes, indeed, oh yes! I am quite of your opinion,

Mrs Croft," was Mrs Musgrove`s hearty answer. "There is nothing so bad

as a separation. I am quite of your opinion. I know what it is,

for Mr Musgrove always attends the assizes, and I am so glad when

they are over, and he is safe back again."

 

The evening ended with dancing. On its being proposed,

Anne offered her services, as usual; and though her eyes would sometimes

fill with tears as she sat at the instrument, she was extremely glad

to be employed, and desired nothing in return but to be unobserved.

 

It was a merry, joyous party, and no one seemed in higher spirits

than Captain Wentworth. She felt that he had every thing to elevate

him which general attention and deference, and especially the attention

of all the young women, could do. The Miss Hayters, the females

of the family of cousins already mentioned, were apparently admitted

to the honour of being in love with him; and as for Henrietta and Louisa,

they both seemed so entirely occupied by him, that nothing but

the continued appearance of the most perfect good-will between themselves

could have made it credible that they were not decided rivals.

If he were a little spoilt by such universal, such eager admiration,

who could wonder?

 

These were some of the thoughts which occupied Anne, while her fingers

were mechanically at work, proceeding for half an hour together,

equally without error, and without consciousness. Once she felt

that he was looking at herself, observing her altered features,

perhaps, trying to trace in them the ruins of the face which had once

charmed him; and once she knew that he must have spoken of her;

she was hardly aware of it, till she heard the answer; but then she was

sure of his having asked his partner whether Miss Elliot never danced?

The answer was, "Oh, no; never; she has quite given up dancing.

She had rather play. She is never tired of playing." Once, too,

he spoke to her. She had left the instrument on the dancing being over,

and he had sat down to try to make out an air which he wished

to give the Miss Musgroves an idea of. Unintentionally she returned

to that part of the room; he saw her, and, instantly rising,

said, with studied politeness--

 

"I beg your pardon, madam, this is your seat;" and though she immediately

drew back with a decided negative, he was not to be induced

to sit down again.

 

Anne did not wish for more of such looks and speeches.

His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything.

 

Chapter 9

 

 

Captain Wentworth was come to Kellynch as to a home, to stay

as long as he liked, being as thoroughly the object of

the Admiral`s fraternal kindness as of his wife`s. He had intended,

on first arriving, to proceed very soon into Shropshire,

and visit the brother settled in that country, but the attractions

of Uppercross induced him to put this off. There was so much

of friendliness, and of flattery, and of everything most bewitching

in his reception there; the old were so hospitable, the young so agreeable,

that he could not but resolve to remain where he was, and take all

the charms and perfections of Edward`s wife upon credit a little longer.

 

It was soon Uppercross with him almost every day. The Musgroves

could hardly be more ready to invite than he to come, particularly

in the morning, when he had no companion at home, for the Admiral

and Mrs Croft were generally out of doors together, interesting themselves

in their new possessions, their grass, and their sheep, and dawdling about

in a way not endurable to a third person, or driving out in a gig,

lately added to their establishment.

 

Hitherto there had been but one opinion of Captain Wentworth

among the Musgroves and their dependencies. It was unvarying,

warm admiration everywhere; but this intimate footing was not more

than established, when a certain Charles Hayter returned among them,

to be a good deal disturbed by it, and to think Captain Wentworth

very much in the way.

 

Charles Hayter was the eldest of all the cousins, and a very amiable,

pleasing young man, between whom and Henrietta there had been

a considerable appearance of attachment previous to Captain Wentworth`s

introduction. He was in orders; and having a curacy in the neighbourhood,

where residence was not required, lived at his father`s house,

only two miles from Uppercross. A short absence from home

had left his fair one unguarded by his attentions at this critical period,

and when he came back he had the pain of finding very altered manners,

and of seeing Captain Wentworth.

 

Mrs Musgrove and Mrs Hayter were sisters. They had each had money,

but their marriages had made a material difference in

their degree of consequence. Mr Hayter had some property of his own,

but it was insignificant compared with Mr Musgrove`s; and while

the Musgroves were in the first class of society in the country,

the young Hayters would, from their parents` inferior, retired,

and unpolished way of living, and their own defective education,

have been hardly in any class at all, but for their connexion

with Uppercross, this eldest son of course excepted, who had chosen

to be a scholar and a gentleman, and who was very superior

in cultivation and manners to all the rest.

 

The two families had always been on excellent terms, there being no pride

on one side, and no envy on the other, and only such a consciousness

of superiority in the Miss Musgroves, as made them pleased

to improve their cousins. Charles`s attentions to Henrietta

had been observed by her father and mother without any disapprobation.

"It would not be a great match for her; but if Henrietta liked him,"--

and Henrietta did seem to like him.

 

Henrietta fully thought so herself, before Captain Wentworth came;

but from that time Cousin Charles had been very much forgotten.

 

Which of the two sisters was preferred by Captain Wentworth was

as yet quite doubtful, as far as Anne`s observation reached.

Henrietta was perhaps the prettiest, Louisa had the higher spirits;

and she knew not now, whether the more gentle or the more lively character

were most likely to attract him.

 

Mr and Mrs Musgrove, either from seeing little, or from

an entire confidence in the discretion of both their daughters,

and of all the young men who came near them, seemed to leave everything

to take its chance. There was not the smallest appearance of solicitude

or remark about them in the Mansion-house; but it was different

at the Cottage: the young couple there were more disposed

to speculate and wonder; and Captain Wentworth had not been above

four or five times in the Miss Musgroves` company, and Charles Hayter

had but just reappeared, when Anne had to listen to the opinions

of her brother and sister, as to which was the one liked best.

Charles gave it for Louisa, Mary for Henrietta, but quite agreeing

that to have him marry either could be extremely delightful.

 

Charles "had never seen a pleasanter man in his life; and from what

he had once heard Captain Wentworth himself say, was very sure that

he had not made less than twenty thousand pounds by the war.

Here was a fortune at once; besides which, there would be the chance

of what might be done in any future war; and he was sure Captain Wentworth

was as likely a man to distinguish himself as any officer in the navy.

Oh! it would be a capital match for either of his sisters."

 

"Upon my word it would," replied Mary. "Dear me! If he should

rise to any very great honours! If he should ever be made a baronet!

`Lady Wentworth` sounds very well. That would be a noble thing,

indeed, for Henrietta! She would take place of me then, and Henrietta

would not dislike that. Sir Frederick and Lady Wentworth!

It would be but a new creation, however, and I never think much

of your new creations."

 

It suited Mary best to think Henrietta the one preferred

on the very account of Charles Hayter, whose pretensions she wished

to see put an end to. She looked down very decidedly upon the Hayters,

and thought it would be quite a misfortune to have the existing connection

between the families renewed--very sad for herself and her children.

 

"You know," said she, "I cannot think him at all a fit match for Henrietta;

and considering the alliances which the Musgroves have made,

she has no right to throw herself away. I do not think any young woman

has a right to make a choice that may be disagreeable and inconvenient

to the principal part of her family, and be giving bad connections

to those who have not been used to them. And, pray, who is Charles Hayter?

Nothing but a country curate. A most improper match for Miss Musgrove

of Uppercross."

 

Her husband, however, would not agree with her here; for besides having

a regard for his cousin, Charles Hayter was an eldest son,

and he saw things as an eldest son himself.

 

"Now you are taking nonsense, Mary," was therefore his answer.

"It would not be a great match for Henrietta, but Charles has

a very fair chance, through the Spicers, of getting something from

the Bishop in the course of a year or two; and you will please to remember,

that he is the eldest son; whenever my uncle dies, he steps into very

pretty property. The estate at Winthrop is not less than

two hundred and fifty acres, besides the farm near Taunton,

which is some of the best land in the country. I grant you,

that any of them but Charles would be a very shocking match for Henrietta,

and indeed it could not be; he is the only one that could be possible;

but he is a very good-natured, good sort of a fellow; and whenever Winthrop

comes into his hands, he will make a different sort of place of it,

and live in a very different sort of way; and with that property,

he will never be a contemptible man--good, freehold property. No, no;

Henrietta might do worse than marry Charles Hayter; and if she has him,

and Louisa can get Captain Wentworth, I shall be very well satisfied."

 

"Charles may say what he pleases," cried Mary to Anne, as soon as

he was out of the room, "but it would be shocking to have Henrietta

marry Charles Hayter; a very bad thing for her, and still worse

for me; and therefore it is very much to be wished that Captain Wentworth

may soon put him quite out of her head, and I have very little doubt

that he has. She took hardly any notice of Charles Hayter yesterday.

I wish you had been there to see her behaviour. And as to

Captain Wentworth`s liking Louisa as well as Henrietta, it is nonsense

to say so; for he certainly does like Henrietta a great deal the best.

But Charles is so positive! I wish you had been with us yesterday,

for then you might have decided between us; and I am sure you

would have thought as I did, unless you had been determined

to give it against me."

 

A dinner at Mr Musgrove`s had been the occasion when all these things

should have been seen by Anne; but she had staid at home,

under the mixed plea of a headache of her own, and some return

of indisposition in little Charles. She had thought only of avoiding

Captain Wentworth; but an escape from being appealed to as umpire

was now added to the advantages of a quiet evening.

 

As to Captain Wentworth`s views, she deemed it of more consequence

that he should know his own mind early enough not to be endangering

the happiness of either sister, or impeaching his own honour,

than that he should prefer Henrietta to Louisa, or Louisa to Henrietta.

Either of them would, in all probability, make him an affectionate,

good-humoured wife. With regard to Charles Hayter, she had delicacy

which must be pained by any lightness of conduct in a well-meaning

young woman, and a heart to sympathize in any of the sufferings

it occasioned; but if Henrietta found herself mistaken in the nature

of her feelings, the alternation could not be understood too soon.

 

Charles Hayter had met with much to disquiet and mortify him

in his cousin`s behaviour. She had too old a regard for him

to be so wholly estranged as might in two meetings extinguish

every past hope, and leave him nothing to do but to keep away

from Uppercross: but there was such a change as became very alarming,

when such a man as Captain Wentworth was to be regarded as

the probable cause. He had been absent only two Sundays,

and when they parted, had left her interested, even to the height

of his wishes, in his prospect of soon quitting his present curacy,

and obtaining that of Uppercross instead. It had then seemed the object

nearest her heart, that Dr Shirley, the rector, who for more than

forty years had been zealously discharging all the duties of his office,

but was now growing too infirm for many of them, should be quite fixed

on engaging a curate; should make his curacy quite as good

as he could afford, and should give Charles Hayter the promise of it.

The advantage of his having to come only to Uppercross, instead of going

six miles another way; of his having, in every respect, a better curacy;

of his belonging to their dear Dr Shirley, and of dear, good Dr Shirley`s

being relieved from the duty which he could no longer get through

without most injurious fatigue, had been a great deal, even to Louisa,

but had been almost everything to Henrietta. When he came back, alas!

the zeal of the business was gone by. Louisa could not listen at all

to his account of a conversation which he had just held with Dr Shirley:

she was at a window, looking out for Captain Wentworth; and even Henrietta

had at best only a divided attention to give, and seemed to have forgotten

all the former doubt and solicitude of the negotiation.

 

"Well, I am very glad indeed: but I always thought you would have it;

I always thought you sure. It did not appear to me that--in short,

you know, Dr Shirley must have a curate, and you had secured his promise.

Is he coming, Louisa?"

 

One morning, very soon after the dinner at the Musgroves,

at which Anne had not been present, Captain Wentworth walked into

the drawing-room at the Cottage, where were only herself and the little

invalid Charles, who was lying on the sofa.

 

The surprise of finding himself almost alone with Anne Elliot,

deprived his manners of their usual composure: he started,

and could only say, "I thought the Miss Musgroves had been here:

Mrs Musgrove told me I should find them here," before he walked

to the window to recollect himself, and feel how he ought to behave.

 

"They are up stairs with my sister: they will be down in a few moments,

I dare say," had been Anne`s reply, in all the confusion that was natural;

and if the child had not called her to come and do something for him,

she would have been out of the room the next moment, and released

Captain Wentworth as well as herself.

 

He continued at the window; and after calmly and politely saying,

"I hope the little boy is better," was silent.

 

She was obliged to kneel down by the sofa, and remain there

to satisfy her patient; and thus they continued a few minutes,

when, to her very great satisfaction, she heard some other person

crossing the little vestibule. She hoped, on turning her head,

to see the master of the house; but it proved to be one

much less calculated for making matters easy--Charles Hayter,

probably not at all better pleased by the sight of Captain Wentworth

than Captain Wentworth had been by the sight of Anne.

 

She only attempted to say, "How do you do? Will you not sit down?

The others will be here presently."

 

Captain Wentworth, however, came from his window, apparently

not ill-disposed for conversation; but Charles Hayter soon put an end

to his attempts by seating himself near the table, and taking up

the newspaper; and Captain Wentworth returned to his window.

 

Another minute brought another addition. The younger boy,

a remarkable stout, forward child, of two years old, having got the door

opened for him by some one without, made his determined appearance

among them, and went straight to the sofa to see what was going on,

and put in his claim to anything good that might be giving away.

 

There being nothing to eat, he could only have some play;

and as his aunt would not let him tease his sick brother,

he began to fasten himself upon her, as she knelt, in such a way that,

busy as she was about Charles, she could not shake him off.

She spoke to him, ordered, entreated, and insisted in vain.

Once she did contrive to push him away, but the boy had

the greater pleasure in getting upon her back again directly.

 

"Walter," said she, "get down this moment. You are extremely troublesome.

I am very angry with you."

 

"Walter," cried Charles Hayter, "why do you not do as you are bid?

Do not you hear your aunt speak? Come to me, Walter, come to

cousin Charles."

 

But not a bit did Walter stir.

 

In another moment, however, she found herself in the state of

being released from him; some one was taking him from her,

though he had bent down her head so much, that his little sturdy hands

were unfastened from around her neck, and he was resolutely borne away,

before she knew that Captain Wentworth had done it.

 

Her sensations on the discovery made her perfectly speechless.

She could not even thank him. She could only hang over little Charles,

with most disordered feelings. His kindness in stepping forward

to her relief, the manner, the silence in which it had passed,

the little particulars of the circumstance, with the conviction soon

forced on her by the noise he was studiously making with the child,

that he meant to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought

to testify that her conversation was the last of his wants,

produced such a confusion of varying, but very painful agitation,

as she could not recover from, till enabled by the entrance of Mary

and the Miss Musgroves to make over her little patient to their cares,

and leave the room. She could not stay. It might have been

an opportunity of watching the loves and jealousies of the four--

they were now altogether; but she could stay for none of it.

It was evident that Charles Hayter was not well inclined towards

Captain Wentworth. She had a strong impression of his having said,

in a vext tone of voice, after Captain Wentworth`s interference,

"You ought to have minded me, Walter; I told you not to teaze your aunt;"

and could comprehend his regretting that Captain Wentworth should do

what he ought to have done himself. But neither Charles Hayter`s feelings,

nor anybody`s feelings, could interest her, till she had a little better

arranged her own. She was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed

of being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle; but so it was,

and it required a long application of solitude and reflection

to recover her.

 

Chapter 10

 

 

Other opportunities of making her observations could not fail to occur.

Anne had soon been in company with all the four together often enough

to have an opinion, though too wise to acknowledge as much at home,

where she knew it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife;

for while she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite,

she could not but think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory

and experience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either.

They were more in love with him; yet there it was not love.

It was a little fever of admiration; but it might, probably must,

end in love with some. Charles Hayter seemed aware of being slighted,

and yet Henrietta had sometimes the air of being divided between them.

Anne longed for the power of representing to them all what they were about,

and of pointing out some of the evils they were exposing themselves to.

She did not attribute guile to any. It was the highest satisfaction

to her to believe Captain Wentworth not in the least aware

of the pain he was occasioning. There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph

in his manner. He had, probably, never heard, and never thought of

any claims of Charles Hayter. He was only wrong in accepting

the attentions (for accepting must be the word) of two young women at once.

 

After a short struggle, however, Charles Hayter seemed to quit the field.

Three days had passed without his coming once to Uppercross;

a most decided change. He had even refused one regular invitation to dinner;

and having been found on the occasion by Mr Musgrove with some large books

before him, Mr and Mrs Musgrove were sure all could not be right,

and talked, with grave faces, of his studying himself to death.

It was Mary`s hope and belief that he had received a positive dismissal

from Henrietta, and her husband lived under the constant dependence

of seeing him to-morrow. Anne could only feel that Charles Hayter

was wise.

 

One morning, about this time Charles Musgrove and Captain Wentworth

being gone a-shooting together, as the sisters in the Cottage

were sitting quietly at work, they were visited at the window

by the sisters from the Mansion-house.

 

It was a very fine November day, and the Miss Musgroves came

through the little grounds, and stopped for no other purpose than to say,

that they were going to take a long walk, and therefore concluded

Mary could not like to go with them; and when Mary immediately replied,

with some jealousy at not being supposed a good walker, "Oh, yes,

I should like to join you very much, I am very fond of a long walk;"

Anne felt persuaded, by the looks of the two girls, that it was precisely

what they did not wish, and admired again the sort of necessity

which the family habits seemed to produce, of everything being

to be communicated, and everything being to be done together,

however undesired and inconvenient. She tried to dissuade Mary from going,

but in vain; and that being the case, thought it best to accept

the Miss Musgroves` much more cordial invitation to herself to go likewise,

as she might be useful in turning back with her sister, and lessening

the interference in any plan of their own.

 

"I cannot imagine why they should suppose I should not like a long walk,"

said Mary, as she went up stairs. "Everybody is always supposing

that I am not a good walker; and yet they would not have been pleased,

if we had refused to join them. When people come in this manner

on purpose to ask us, how can one say no?"

 

Just as they were setting off, the gentlemen returned. They had taken out

a young dog, who had spoilt their sport, and sent them back early.

Their time and strength, and spirits, were, therefore, exactly ready

for this walk, and they entered into it with pleasure. Could Anne

have foreseen such a junction, she would have staid at home; but,

from some feelings of interest and curiosity, she fancied now that it was

too late to retract, and the whole six set forward together

in the direction chosen by the Miss Musgroves, who evidently

considered the walk as under their guidance.

 

Anne`s object was, not to be in the way of anybody; and where

the narrow paths across the fields made many separations necessary,

to keep with her brother and sister. Her pleasure in the walk

must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of

the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves, and withered hedges,

and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical

descriptions extant of autumn, that season of peculiar and

inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness,

that season which had drawn from every poet, worthy of being read,

some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.

She occupied her mind as much as possible in such like musings

and quotations; but it was not possible, that when within reach

of Captain Wentworth`s conversation with either of the Miss Musgroves,

she should not try to hear it; yet she caught little very remarkable.

It was mere lively chat, such as any young persons, on an intimate footing,

might fall into. He was more engaged with Louisa than with Henrietta.

Louisa certainly put more forward for his notice than her sister.

This distinction appeared to increase, and there was one speech

of Louisa`s which struck her. After one of the many praises of the day,

which were continually bursting forth, Captain Wentworth added: --

 

"What glorious weather for the Admiral and my sister! They meant to take

a long drive this morning; perhaps we may hail them from

some of these hills. They talked of coming into this side of the country.

I wonder whereabouts they will upset to-day. Oh! it does happen

very often, I assure you; but my sister makes nothing of it;

she would as lieve be tossed out as not."

 

"Ah! You make the most of it, I know," cried Louisa, "but if it were

really so, I should do just the same in her place. If I loved a man,

as she loves the Admiral, I would always be with him, nothing should ever

separate us, and I would rather be overturned by him, than driven safely

by anybody else."

 

It was spoken with enthusiasm.

 

"Had you?" cried he, catching the same tone; "I honour you!"

And there was silence between them for a little while.

 

Anne could not immediately fall into a quotation again. The sweet scenes

of autumn were for a while put by, unless some tender sonnet,

fraught with the apt analogy of the declining year, with declining

happiness, and the images of youth and hope, and spring, all gone together,