"Yes," said he, looking not exactly forward; "but there, I think, ends

the resemblance. With all my soul I wish them happy, and rejoice over

every circumstance in favour of it. They have no difficulties to

contend with at home, no opposition, no caprice, no delays. The

Musgroves are behaving like themselves, most honourably and kindly,

only anxious with true parental hearts to promote their daughter's

comfort. All this is much, very much in favour of their happiness;

more than perhaps--"

He stopped. A sudden recollection seemed to occur, and to give him

some taste of that emotion which was reddening Anne's cheeks and fixing

her eyes on the ground. After clearing his throat, however, he

proceeded thus-"I confess that I do think there is a disparity, too great a disparity,

and in a point no less essential than mind. I regard Louisa Musgrove

as a very amiable, sweet-tempered girl, and not deficient in

understanding, but Benwick is something more. He is a clever man, a

reading man; and I confess, that I do consider his attaching himself to

her with some surprise. Had it been the effect of gratitude, had he

learnt to love her, because he believed her to be preferring him, it

would have been another thing. But I have no reason to suppose it so.

It seems, on the contrary, to have been a perfectly spontaneous,

untaught feeling on his side, and this surprises me. A man like him,

in his situation! with a heart pierced, wounded, almost broken! Fanny

Harville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her was

indeed attachment. A man does not recover from such a devotion of the

heart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not."

Either from the consciousness, however, that his friend had recovered,

or from other consciousness, he went no farther; and Anne who, in spite

of the agitated voice in which the latter part had been uttered, and in

spite of all the various noises of the room, the almost ceaseless slam

of the door, and ceaseless buzz of persons walking through, had

distinguished every word, was struck, gratified, confused, and

beginning to breathe very quick, and feel an hundred things in a

moment. It was impossible for her to enter on such a subject; and yet,

after a pause, feeling the necessity of speaking, and having not the

smallest wish for a total change, she only deviated so far as to say-"You were a good while at Lyme, I think?"

"About a fortnight. I could not leave it till Louisa's doing well was

quite ascertained. I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief to

be soon at peace. It had been my doing, solely mine. She would not

have been obstinate if I had not been weak. The country round Lyme is

very fine. I walked and rode a great deal; and the more I saw, the

more I found to admire."




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