"Putting all these very extraordinary circumstances together," said

Captain Wentworth, "we must consider it to be the arrangement of

Providence, that you should not be introduced to your cousin."

When she could command Mary's attention, Anne quietly tried to convince

her that their father and Mr Elliot had not, for many years, been on

such terms as to make the power of attempting an introduction at all

desirable.

At the same time, however, it was a secret gratification to herself to

have seen her cousin, and to know that the future owner of Kellynch was

undoubtedly a gentleman, and had an air of good sense. She would not,

upon any account, mention her having met with him the second time;

luckily Mary did not much attend to their having passed close by him in

their earlier walk, but she would have felt quite ill-used by Anne's

having actually run against him in the passage, and received his very

polite excuses, while she had never been near him at all; no, that

cousinly little interview must remain a perfect secret.

"Of course," said Mary, "you will mention our seeing Mr Elliot, the

next time you write to Bath. I think my father certainly ought to hear

of it; do mention all about him."

Anne avoided a direct reply, but it was just the circumstance which she

considered as not merely unnecessary to be communicated, but as what

ought to be suppressed. The offence which had been given her father,

many years back, she knew; Elizabeth's particular share in it she

suspected; and that Mr Elliot's idea always produced irritation in both

was beyond a doubt. Mary never wrote to Bath herself; all the toil of

keeping up a slow and unsatisfactory correspondence with Elizabeth fell

on Anne.

Breakfast had not been long over, when they were joined by Captain and

Mrs Harville and Captain Benwick; with whom they had appointed to take

their last walk about Lyme. They ought to be setting off for

Uppercross by one, and in the mean while were to be all together, and

out of doors as long as they could.

Anne found Captain Benwick getting near her, as soon as they were all

fairly in the street. Their conversation the preceding evening did not

disincline him to seek her again; and they walked together some time,

talking as before of Mr Scott and Lord Byron, and still as unable as

before, and as unable as any other two readers, to think exactly alike

of the merits of either, till something occasioned an almost general

change amongst their party, and instead of Captain Benwick, she had

Captain Harville by her side.




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