Mary interrupted him. “I declare, Charles, I never heard him mention Anne twice all the time I was there. I declare, Anne, he never talks of you at all.”
“No,” admitted Charles, “I do not know that he ever does, in a general way; but however, it is a very clear thing that he admires you exceedingly.
His head is full of some books that he is reading upon your recommendation, and he wants to talk to you about them; he has found out something or other in one of them which he thinks– oh! I cannot pretend to remember it, but it was something very fine–I overheard him telling Henrietta all about it; and then `Miss Elliot’ was spoken of in the highest terms!
Now Mary, I declare it was so, I heard it myself, and you were in the other room. Èlegance, sweetness, beauty.’ Oh! there was no end of Miss Elliot’s charms.”
“And I am sure,” cried Mary, warmly, “it was a very little to his credit, if he did. Miss Harville only died last June. Such a heart is very little worth having; is it, Lady Russell? I am sure you will agree with me.”
“I must see Captain Benwick before I decide,” said Lady Russell, smiling.
“And that you are very likely to do very soon, I can tell you, ma’am,”
said Charles. “Though he had not nerves for coming away with us, and setting off again afterwards to pay a formal visit here, he will make his way over to Kellynch one day by himself, you may depend on it. I told him the distance and the road, and I told him of the church’s being so very well worth seeing; for as he has a taste for those sort of things, I thought that would
Persuasion
77
be a good excuse, and he listened with all his understanding and soul; and I am sure from his manner that you will have him calling here soon.
So, I give you notice, Lady Russell.”
“Any acquaintance of Anne’s will always be welcome to me,”
was Lady Russell’s kind answer.
“Oh! as to being Anne’s acquaintance,” said Mary, “I think he is rather my acquaintance, for I have been seeing him every day this last fortnight.”
“Well, as your joint acquaintance, then, I shall be very happy to see Captain Benwick.”
“You will not find anything very agreeable in him, I assure you, ma’am.
He is one of the dullest young men that ever lived. He has walked with me, sometimes, from one end of the sands to the other, without saying a word.
He is not at all a well-bred young man. I am sure you will not like him.”
“There we differ, Mary,” said Anne. “I think Lady Russell would like him.
I think she would be so much pleased with his mind, that she would very soon see no deficiency in his manner.”
“So do I, Anne,” said Charles. “I am sure Lady Russell would like him.
He is just Lady Russell’s sort. Give him a book, and he will read all day long.”
“Yes, that he will!” exclaimed Mary, tauntingly. “He will sit poring over his book, and not know when a person speaks to him, or when one drop’s one’s scissors, or anything that happens. Do you think Lady Russell would like that?”
Lady Russell could not help laughing. “Upon my word,” said she,
“I should not have supposed that my opinion of any one could have admitted of such difference of conjecture, steady and matter of fact as I may call myself. I have really a curiosity to see the person who can give occasion to such directly opposite notions.
I wish he may be induced to call here. And when he does, Mary, you may depend upon hearing my opinion; but I am determined not to judge him beforehand.”
“You will not like him, I will answer for it.”
Lady Russell began talking of something else. Mary spoke with animation of their meeting with, or rather missing, Mr Elliot so extraordinarily.
“He is a man,” said Lady Russell, “whom I have no wish to see.
His declining to be on cordial terms with the head of his family, has left a very strong impression in his disfavour with me.”