Austen Said:

"My first wish for all whom I am interested in, is that they should be firm. If Louisa Musgrove would be beautiful and happy in her November of life, she will cherish all her present powers of mind."

"Do you mean that she refused him?"

"When did that happen?"

A letter from his friend, Captain Harville, having found him out at last, had brought intelligence of Captain Harville's being settled with his family at Lyme for the winter; of their being therefore, quite unknowingly, within twenty miles of each other. Captain Harville had never been in good health since a severe wound which he received two years before, and Captain Wentworth's anxiety to see him had determined him to go immediately to Lyme. He had been there for four-and-twenty hours.

His acquittal was complete, his friendship warmly honoured,

going there again himself, it was only seventeen miles from Uppercross; though November, the weather was by no means bad;

He had been engaged to Captain Harville's sister, and was now mourning her loss. They had been a year or two waiting for fortune and promotion. Fortune came, his prize-money as lieutenant being great; promotion, too, came at last; but Fanny Harville did not live to know it. She had died the preceding summer while he was at sea.

believed it impossible for man to be more attached to woman than poor Benwick had been to Fanny Harville, or to be more deeply afflicted under the dreadful change.

his disposition as of the sort which must suffer heavily, uniting very strong feelings with quiet, serious, and retiring manners, and a decided taste for reading, and sedentary pursuits.

"That man is struck with you, and even I, at this moment, see something like Anne Elliot again."

"Ah!"

"it is the very man we passed."

"Pray,"

"can you tell us the name of the gentleman who is just gone away?"

"Putting all these very extraordinary circumstances together,"

"we must consider it to be the arrangement of Providence, that you should not be introduced to your cousin."

the jar too great;

"Is there no one to help me?"

"Oh God! her father and mother!"

"True, true, a surgeon this instant,"

"Yes, yes, to the inn,"

"I will carry her myself. Musgrove, take care of the others."

"Thank God!"

"We must be decided, and without the loss of another minute. Every minute is valuable. Some one must resolve on being off for Uppercross instantly. Musgrove, either you or I must go."

"Then it is settled, Musgrove,"

"that you stay, and that I take care of your sister home. But as to the rest, as to the others, if one stays to assist Mrs Harville, I think it need be only one. Mrs Charles Musgrove will, of course, wish to get back to her children; but if Anne will stay, no one so proper, so capable as Anne."

"You will stay, I am sure; you will stay and nurse her;"

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.

"Don't talk of it, don't talk of it,"

"Oh God! that I had not given way to her at the fatal moment! Had I done as I ought! But so eager and so resolute! Dear, sweet Louisa!"

"I have been considering what we had best do. She must not appear at first. She could not stand it. I have been thinking whether you had not better remain in the carriage with her, while I go in and break it to Mr and Mrs Musgrove. Do you think this is a good plan?"

his intention of returning in the same carriage to Lyme;

The intervals of sense and consciousness were believed to be stronger.

He had enquired after her,

particularly;

his hope of Miss Elliot's not being the worse for her exertions,

great.

was so extremely fearful of any ill consequence to her from an interview,

plan of going away for a week or ten days, till her head was stronger.

going down to Plymouth for a week, and wanted to persuade Captain Benwick to go with him;

they will be happy together;

"But it rains."

"Though I came only yesterday, I have equipped myself properly for Bath already, you see,"

"I wish you would make use of it, if you are determined to walk; though I think it would be more prudent to let me get you a chair."

"I have hardly seen you since our day at Lyme. I am afraid you must have suffered from the shock, and the more from its not overpowering you at the time."

"It was a frightful hour,"

"a frightful day!"

"The day has produced some effects however; has had some consequences which must be considered as the very reverse of frightful. When you had the presence of mind to suggest that Benwick would be the properest person to fetch a surgeon, you could have little idea of his being eventually one of those most concerned in her recovery."

"Yes,"

"but there, I think, ends the resemblance. With all my soul I wish them happy, and rejoice over every circumstance in favour of it. They have no difficulties to contend with at home, no opposition, no caprice, no delays. The Musgroves are behaving like themselves, most honourably and kindly, only anxious with true parental hearts to promote their daughter's comfort. All this is much, very much in favour of their happiness; more than perhaps --"