Anne found Captain Benwick again drawing near her. Lord Byron's "dark

blue seas" could not fail of being brought forward by their present

view, and she gladly gave him all her attention as long as attention

was possible. It was soon drawn, perforce another way.

There was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasant

for the ladies, and they agreed to get down the steps to the lower, and

all were contented to pass quietly and carefully down the steep flight,

excepting Louisa; she must be jumped down them by Captain Wentworth.

In all their walks, he had had to jump her from the stiles; the

sensation was delightful to her. The hardness of the pavement for her

feet, made him less willing upon the present occasion; he did it,

however. She was safely down, and instantly, to show her enjoyment,

ran up the steps to be jumped down again. He advised her against it,

thought the jar too great; but no, he reasoned and talked in vain, she

smiled and said, "I am determined I will:" he put out his hands; she

was too precipitate by half a second, she fell on the pavement on the

Lower Cobb, and was taken up lifeless! There was no wound, no blood,

no visible bruise; but her eyes were closed, she breathed not, her face

was like death. The horror of the moment to all who stood around!

Captain Wentworth, who had caught her up, knelt with her in his arms,

looking on her with a face as pallid as her own, in an agony of

silence. "She is dead! she is dead!" screamed Mary, catching hold of

her husband, and contributing with his own horror to make him

immoveable; and in another moment, Henrietta, sinking under the

conviction, lost her senses too, and would have fallen on the steps,

but for Captain Benwick and Anne, who caught and supported her between

them.

"Is there no one to help me?" were the first words which burst from

Captain Wentworth, in a tone of despair, and as if all his own strength

were gone.

"Go to him, go to him," cried Anne, "for heaven's sake go to him. I

can support her myself. Leave me, and go to him. Rub her hands, rub

her temples; here are salts; take them, take them."

Captain Benwick obeyed, and Charles at the same moment, disengaging

himself from his wife, they were both with him; and Louisa was raised

up and supported more firmly between them, and everything was done that

Anne had prompted, but in vain; while Captain Wentworth, staggering

against the wall for his support, exclaimed in the bitterest agony-"Oh God! her father and mother!"




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