They knew not each other's opinion, either its constancy or its change,

on the one leading point of Anne's conduct, for the subject was never

alluded to; but Anne, at seven-and-twenty, thought very differently

from what she had been made to think at nineteen. She did not blame

Lady Russell, she did not blame herself for having been guided by her;

but she felt that were any young person, in similar circumstances, to

apply to her for counsel, they would never receive any of such certain

immediate wretchedness, such uncertain future good. She was persuaded

that under every disadvantage of disapprobation at home, and every

anxiety attending his profession, all their probable fears, delays, and

disappointments, she should yet have been a happier woman in

maintaining the engagement, than she had been in the sacrifice of it;

and this, she fully believed, had the usual share, had even more than

the usual share of all such solicitudes and suspense been theirs,

without reference to the actual results of their case, which, as it

happened, would have bestowed earlier prosperity than could be

reasonably calculated on. All his sanguine expectations, all his

confidence had been justified. His genius and ardour had seemed to

foresee and to command his prosperous path. He had, very soon after

their engagement ceased, got employ: and all that he had told her would

follow, had taken place. He had distinguished himself, and early

gained the other step in rank, and must now, by successive captures,

have made a handsome fortune. She had only navy lists and newspapers

for her authority, but she could not doubt his being rich; and, in

favour of his constancy, she had no reason to believe him married.

How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been! how eloquent, at least, were

her wishes on the side of early warm attachment, and a cheerful

confidence in futurity, against that over-anxious caution which seems

to insult exertion and distrust Providence! She had been forced into

prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the

natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.

With all these circumstances, recollections and feelings, she could not

hear that Captain Wentworth's sister was likely to live at Kellynch

without a revival of former pain; and many a stroll, and many a sigh,

were necessary to dispel the agitation of the idea. She often told

herself it was folly, before she could harden her nerves sufficiently

to feel the continual discussion of the Crofts and their business no

evil. She was assisted, however, by that perfect indifference and

apparent unconsciousness, among the only three of her own friends in

the secret of the past, which seemed almost to deny any recollection of

it. She could do justice to the superiority of Lady Russell's motives

in this, over those of her father and Elizabeth; she could honour all

the better feelings of her calmness; but the general air of oblivion

among them was highly important from whatever it sprung; and in the

event of Admiral Croft's really taking Kellynch Hall, she rejoiced anew

over the conviction which had always been most grateful to her, of the

past being known to those three only among her connexions, by whom no

syllable, she believed, would ever be whispered, and in the trust that

among his, the brother only with whom he had been residing, had

received any information of their short-lived engagement. That brother

had been long removed from the country and being a sensible man, and,

moreover, a single man at the time, she had a fond dependence on no

human creature's having heard of it from him.




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