One thing more, and all seemed arranged. Though it was rather

desirable that Mr and Mrs Musgrove should be previously alarmed by some

share of delay; yet the time required by the Uppercross horses to take

them back, would be a dreadful extension of suspense; and Captain

Wentworth proposed, and Charles Musgrove agreed, that it would be much

better for him to take a chaise from the inn, and leave Mr Musgrove's

carriage and horses to be sent home the next morning early, when there

would be the farther advantage of sending an account of Louisa's night.

Captain Wentworth now hurried off to get everything ready on his part,

and to be soon followed by the two ladies. When the plan was made

known to Mary, however, there was an end of all peace in it. She was

so wretched and so vehement, complained so much of injustice in being

expected to go away instead of Anne; Anne, who was nothing to Louisa,

while she was her sister, and had the best right to stay in Henrietta's

stead! Why was not she to be as useful as Anne? And to go home

without Charles, too, without her husband! No, it was too unkind. And

in short, she said more than her husband could long withstand, and as

none of the others could oppose when he gave way, there was no help for

it; the change of Mary for Anne was inevitable.

Anne had never submitted more reluctantly to the jealous and

ill-judging claims of Mary; but so it must be, and they set off for the

town, Charles taking care of his sister, and Captain Benwick attending

to her. She gave a moment's recollection, as they hurried along, to

the little circumstances which the same spots had witnessed earlier in

the morning. There she had listened to Henrietta's schemes for Dr

Shirley's leaving Uppercross; farther on, she had first seen Mr Elliot;

a moment seemed all that could now be given to any one but Louisa, or

those who were wrapt up in her welfare.

Captain Benwick was most considerately attentive to her; and, united as

they all seemed by the distress of the day, she felt an increasing

degree of good-will towards him, and a pleasure even in thinking that

it might, perhaps, be the occasion of continuing their acquaintance.

Captain Wentworth was on the watch for them, and a chaise and four in

waiting, stationed for their convenience in the lowest part of the

street; but his evident surprise and vexation at the substitution of

one sister for the other, the change in his countenance, the

astonishment, the expressions begun and suppressed, with which Charles

was listened to, made but a mortifying reception of Anne; or must at

least convince her that she was valued only as she could be useful to

Louisa.




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