persuasion(劝导)-第15章
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mind； that he could be unvisited by remembrance any more than
herself。 There must be the same immediate association of thought；
though she was very far from conceiving it to be of equal pain。
They had no conversation together； no intercourse but what the
commonest civility required。 Once so much to each other！ Now
nothing！ There had been a time； when of all the large party now
filling the drawing…room at Uppercross； they would have found it
most difficult to cease to speak to one another。 With the exception；
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perhaps； of Admiral and Mrs。 Croft； who seemed particularly
attached and happy； （Anne could allow no other exceptions even
among the married couples） there could have been no two hearts
so open； no tastes so similar； no feelings so in unison； no
countenances so beloved。 Now they were as strangers； nay； worse
than strangers； for they could never become acquainted。 It was a
perpetual estrangement。
When he talked； she heard the same voice； and discerned the
same mind。 There was a very general ignorance of all naval
matters throughout the party； and he was very much questioned；
and especially by the two Miss Musgroves； who seemed hardly to
have any eyes but for him； as to the manner of living on board；
daily regulations； food； hours； &c。； and their surprise at his
accounts； at learning the degree of accommodation and
arrangement which was practicable； drew from him some pleasant
ridicule； which reminded Anne of the early days when she too had
been ignorant； and she too had been accused of supposing sailors
to be living on board without anything to eat； or any cook to dress
it if there were； or any servant to wait； or any knife and fork to use。
From thus listening and thinking； she was roused by a whisper
of Mrs。 Musgrove’s who； overcome by fond regrets； could not help
saying；
“Ah！ Miss Anne； if it had pleased Heaven to spare my poor son；
I dare say he would have been just such another by this time。”
Anne suppressed a smile； and listened kindly； while Mrs。
Musgrove relieved her heart a little more； and for a few minutes；
therefore； could not keep pace with the conversation of the
others。—When she could let her attention take its natural course
again； she found the Miss Musgroves just fetching the navy…list—
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（their own navy list； the first that had ever been at Uppercross）；
and sitting down together to pore over it； with the professed view
of finding out the ships that Captain Wentworth had commanded。
“Your first was the Asp； I remember； we will look for the Asp。”
“You will not find her there。—Quite worn out and broken up。 I
was the last man who commanded her。—Hardly fit for service
then。—Reported fit for home service for a year or two； and so I
was sent off to the West Indies。”
The girls looked all amazement。
“The Admiralty；” he continued； “entertain themselves now and
then； with sending a few hundred men to sea； in a ship not fit to be
employed。 But they have a great many to provide for； and among
the thousands that may just as well go to the bottom as not； it is
impossible for them to distinguish the very set who may be least
missed。”
“Phoo！ phoo！” cried the Admiral； “what stuff these young
fellows talk！ Never was a better sloop than the Asp in her day。—
For an old built sloop； you would not see her equal。 Lucky fellow
to get her！—He knows there must have been twenty better men
than himself applying for her at the same time。 Lucky fellow to get
anything so soon； with no more interest than his。”
“I felt my luck； Admiral； I assure you；” replied Captain
Wentworth； seriously。—“I was as well satisfied with my
appointment as you can desire。 It was a great object with me at
that time to be at sea；—a very great object； I wanted to be doing
something。”
“To be sure you did。—What should a young fellow like you do
ashore for half a year together？—If a man had not a wife； he soon
wants to be afloat again。”
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“But； Captain Wentworth；” cried Louisa； “how vexed you must
have been when you came to the Asp； to see what an old thing
they had given you。”
“I knew pretty well what she was before that day；” said he；
smiling。 “I had no more discoveries to make than you would have
as to the fashion and strength of any old pelisse； which you had
seen lent about among half your acquaintance ever since you
could remember； and which at last； on some very wet day； is lent
to yourself。—Ah！ she was a dear old Asp to me。 She did all that I
wanted。 I knew she would。—I knew that we should either go to the
bottom together； or that she would be the making of me； and I
never had two days of foul weather all the time I was at sea in her；
and after taking privateers enough to be very entertaining； I had
the good luck in my passage home the next autumn； to fall in with
the very French frigate I wanted。—I brought her into Plymouth；
and here another instance of luck。 We had not been six hours in
the Sound； when a gale came on； which lasted four days and
nights； and which would have done for poor old Asp in half the
time； our touch with the Great Nation not having much improved
our condition。 Four…and…twenty hours later； and I should only
have been a gallant Captain Wentworth； in a small paragraph at
one corner of the newspapers； and being lost in only a sloop；
nobody would have thought about me。” Anne’s shudderings were
to herself alone； but the Miss Musgroves could be as open as they
were sincere； in their exclamations of pity and horror。
“And so then； I suppose；” said Mrs。 Musgrove； in a low voice； as
if thinking aloud； “so then he went away to the Laconia； and there
he met with our poor boy。—Charles； my dear；” （beckoning him to
her）； “do ask Captain Wentworth where it was he first met with
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your poor brother。 I always forgot。”
“It was at Gibraltar； mother； I know。 Dick had been left ill at
Gibraltar； with a recommendation from his former captain to
Captain Wentworth。”
“Oh！—but； Charles； tell Captain Wentworth； he need not be
afraid of mentioning poor Dick before me； for it would be rather a
pleasure to hear him talked of by such a good friend。”
Charles； being somewhat more mindful of the probabilities of
the case； only nodded in reply； and walked away。
The girls were now hunting for the Laconia； and Captain
Wentworth could not deny himself the pleasure of taking the
precious volume into his own hands to save them the trouble； and
once more read aloud the little statement of her name and rate；
and present non…commissioned class； observing over it that she
too had been one of the best friends man ever had。
“Ah！ those were pleasant days when I had the Laconia！ How
fast I made money in her。—A friend of mine and I had such a
lovely cruise together off the Western Islands。 Poor Harville；
sister！ You know how much he wanted money—worse than
myself。 He had a wife。—Excellent fellow。 I shall never forget his
happiness。 He felt it all； so much for her sake。—I wished for him
again the next summer； when I had still the same luck in the
Mediterranean。”
“And I am sure； Sir。” said Mrs。 Musgrove； “it was a lucky day
for us； when you were put captain into that ship。 We shall never
forget what you did。”
Her feelings made her speak low； and Captain Wentworth；
hearing only in part； and probably not having Dick Musgrove at all
near his thoughts； looked rather in suspense； and as if waiting for
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more。
“My brother；” whispered one of the girls； “mamma is thinking
of poor Richard。”
“Poor dear fellow！” continued Mrs。 Musgrove； “he was grown
so steady； and such an excellent correspondent； while he was
under your care！ Ah！ it would have been a happy thing； if he had
never left you。 I assure you； Captain Wentworth； we are very sorry
he ever left you。”
There was a momentary expression in Captain Wentworth’s
face at this speech； a certain glance of his bright eye； and curl of
his handsome mouth； which convinced Anne； that instead of
sharing in Mrs。 Musgrove’s kind wishes； as to her son； he had
probably been at some pains to get rid of him； but it was too
transient an indulgence of self…amusement to be detected by any
who understood him less than herself； in another moment he was
perfectly collected and serious； and almost instantly afterwards
coming up to the sofa； on which she and Mrs。 Musgrove were
sitting； took a place by the latter； and entered into conversation
with her； in a low voice； about her son；
