Austen Said:

"Should I? I am glad I was not a week later then."

he would never willingly admit any ladies on board a ship of his, excepting for a ball, or a visit, which a few hours might comprehend.

"But, if I know myself,"

"this is from no want of gallantry towards them. It is rather from feeling how impossible it is, with all one's efforts, and all one's sacrifices, to make the accommodations on board such as women ought to have. There can be no want of gallantry, Admiral, in rating the claims of women to every personal comfort high, and this is what I do. I hate to hear of women on board, or to see them on board; and no ship under my command shall ever convey a family of ladies anywhere, if I can help it."

"Nothing to the purpose,"

"You were living with your husband, and were the only woman on board."

"All merged in my friendship, Sophia. I would assist any brother officer's wife that I could, and I would bring anything of Harville's from the world's end, if he wanted it. But do not imagine that I did not feel it an evil in itself."

"I might not like them the better for that perhaps. Such a number of women and children have no right to be comfortable on board."

"My feelings, you see, did not prevent my taking Mrs Harville and all her family to Plymouth."

"Now I have done,"

"When once married people begin to attack me with --

I can only say, 'No, I shall not;' and then they say again,

and there is an end of it."

he had every thing to elevate him which general attention and deference, and especially the attention of all the young women, could do. The Miss Hayters, the females of the family of cousins already mentioned, were apparently admitted to the honour of being in love with him; and as for Henrietta and Louisa, they both seemed so entirely occupied by him, that nothing but the continued appearance of the most perfect good-will between themselves could have made it credible that they were not decided rivals.

If he were a little spoilt by such universal, such eager admiration, who could wonder?

perhaps, trying to trace in them the ruins of the face which had once charmed him;

"Oh, no; never; she has quite given up dancing. She had rather play. She is never tired of playing."

"I beg your pardon, madam, this is your seat;"

His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything.

resolve to remain where he was, and take all the charms and perfections of Edward's wife upon credit a little longer.

Captain Wentworth very much in the way.

"It would not be a great match for her; but if Henrietta liked him,"

Henrietta was perhaps the prettiest, Louisa had the higher spirits;

she knew not now, whether the more gentle or the more lively character were most likely to attract him.

As to Captain Wentworth's views, she deemed it of more consequence that he should know his own mind early enough not to be endangering the happiness of either sister, or impeaching his own honour, than that he should prefer Henrietta to Louisa, or Louisa to Henrietta. Either of them would, in all probability, make him an affectionate, good-humoured wife.

With regard to Charles Hayter, she had delicacy which must be pained by any lightness of conduct in a well-meaning young woman, and a heart to sympathize in any of the sufferings it occasioned; but if Henrietta found herself mistaken in the nature of her feelings, the alternation could not be understood too soon.

She had too old a regard for him to be so wholly estranged as might in two meetings extinguish every past hope, and leave him nothing to do but to keep away from Uppercross:

when such a man as Captain Wentworth was to be regarded as the probable cause. He had been absent only two Sundays, and when they parted, had left her interested, even to the height of his wishes, in his prospect of soon quitting his present curacy, and obtaining that of Uppercross instead. It had then seemed the object nearest her heart, that Dr Shirley, the rector,

should be quite fixed on engaging a curate; should make his curacy quite as good as he could afford, and should give Charles Hayter the promise of it. The advantage of his having to come only to Uppercross, instead of going six miles another way; of his having, in every respect, a better curacy; of his belonging to their dear Dr Shirley, and of dear, good Dr Shirley's being relieved from the duty which he could no longer get through without most injurious fatigue,

"Well, I am very glad indeed: but I always thought you would have it; I always thought you sure. It did not appear to me that -- in short, you know, Dr Shirley must have a curate, and you had secured his promise. Is he coming, Louisa?"

"I thought the Miss Musgroves had been here: Mrs Musgrove told me I should find them here,"

"They are up stairs with my sister: they will be down in a few moments, I dare say,"

"I hope the little boy is better,"

"How do you do? Will you not sit down? The others will be here presently."

"Walter,"

"get down this moment. You are extremely troublesome. I am very angry with you."

"Walter,"

"why do you not do as you are bid? Do not you hear your aunt speak? Come to me, Walter, come to cousin Charles."

His kindness in stepping forward to her relief, the manner, the silence in which it had passed, the little particulars of the circumstance,

that he meant to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought to testify that her conversation was the last of his wants,

It was evident that Charles Hayter was not well inclined towards Captain Wentworth.

"You ought to have minded me, Walter; I told you not to teaze your aunt;"

She was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed of being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle;

it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife; for while she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite, she could not but think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory and experience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either.

They were more in love with him; yet there it was not love. It was a little fever of admiration; but it might, probably must, end in love with some. Charles Hayter seemed aware of being slighted, and yet Henrietta had sometimes the air of being divided between them.

There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in his manner. He had, probably, never heard, and never thought of any claims of Charles Hayter. He was only wrong in accepting the attentions (for accepting must be the word) of two young women at once.

Charles Hayter was wise.

they were going to take a long walk,

Mary could not like to go with them;

the sort of necessity which the family habits seemed to produce, of everything being to be communicated, and everything being to be done together, however undesired and inconvenient.