Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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to be happy, however oddly constructed such happiness might seem; as for herself, she was left with as many sensations of comfort, as were, perhaps, ever likely to be hers.
what was it to her if Frederick Wentworth were only half a mile distant, making himself agreeable to others?
Perhaps indifferent, if indifference could exist under such circumstances. He must be either indifferent or unwilling. Had he wished ever to see her again, he need not have waited till this time; he would have done what she could not but believe that in his place she should have done long ago, when events had been early giving him the independence which alone had been wanting.
He wished to avoid seeing her.
He had inquired after her,
slightly, as might suit a former slight acquaintance, seeming to acknowledge such as she had acknowledged, actuated, perhaps, by the same view of escaping introduction when they were to meet.
it would soon be over.
She had seen him. They had met. They had been once more in the same room.
Eight years, almost eight years had passed, since all had been given up. How absurd to be resuming the agitation which such an interval had banished into distance and indistinctness! What might not eight years do? Events of every description, changes, alienations, removals -- all, all must be comprised in it, and oblivion of the past -- how natural, how certain too! It included nearly a third part of her own life.
Now, how were his sentiments to be read? Was this like wishing to avoid her?
Doubtless it was so, and she could take no revenge, for he was not altered, or not for the worse. She had already acknowledged it to herself, and she could not think differently, let him think of her as he would. No: the years which had destroyed her youth and bloom had only given him a more glowing, manly, open look, in no respect lessening his personal advantages. She had seen the same Frederick Wentworth.
They were of sobering tendency; they allayed agitation; they composed, and consequently must make her happier.
the utter impossibility, from her knowledge of his mind,
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.
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, perhaps, of Admiral and Mrs Croft, who seemed particularly attached and happy,
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.
of finding out the ships that Captain Wentworth had commanded.
"My brother,"
"mamma is thinking of poor Richard."
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;
They were actually on the same sofa, for Mrs Musgrove had most readily made room for him; they were divided only by Mrs Musgrove.
"Oh! Frederick! But I cannot believe it of you. -- All idle refinement! -- Women may be as comfortable on board, as in the best house in England. I believe I have lived as much on board as most women, and I know nothing superior to the accommodations of a man-of-war. I declare I have not a comfort or an indulgence about me, even at Kellynch Hall,"
"beyond what I always had in most of the ships I have lived in; and they have been five altogether."
"But you, yourself, brought Mrs Harville, her sister, her cousin, and three children, round from Portsmouth to Plymouth. Where was this superfine, extraordinary sort of gallantry of yours then?"
"Depend upon it, they were all perfectly comfortable."
"My dear Frederick, you are talking quite idly. Pray, what would become of us poor sailors' wives, who often want to be conveyed to one port or another, after our husbands, if everybody had your feelings?"
"But I hate to hear you talking so like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days."
"Ay, that we shall."
"Pretty well, ma'am in the fifteen years of my marriage; though many women have done more. I have crossed the Atlantic four times, and have been once to the East Indies, and back again, and only once; besides being in different places about home: Cork, and Lisbon, and Gibraltar. But I never went beyond the Streights, and never was in the West Indies. We do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the West Indies."
"And I do assure you, ma'am,"
"that nothing can exceed the accommodations of a man-of-war; I speak, you know, of the higher rates. When you come to a frigate, of course, you are more confined; though any reasonable woman may be perfectly happy in one of them; and I can safely say, that the happiest part of my life has been spent on board a ship. While we were together, you know, there was nothing to be feared. Thank God! I have always been blessed with excellent health, and no climate disagrees with me. A little disordered always the first twenty-four hours of going to sea, but never knew what sickness was afterwards. The only time I ever really suffered in body or mind, the only time that I ever fancied myself unwell, or had any ideas of danger, was the winter that I passed by myself at Deal, when the Admiral (Captain Croft then) was in the North Seas. I lived in perpetual fright at that time, and had all manner of imaginary complaints from not knowing what to do with myself, or when I should hear from him next; but as long as we could be together, nothing ever ailed me, and I never met with the smallest inconvenience."
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."
  • Novel: Persuasion
  • Character: Speaking together Miss Louisa Musgrove and MissHenriettaMusgrove
  • Link to text in chapter 8
  • Text ID: 00826
His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything.
"It would not be a great match for her; but if Henrietta liked him,"
  • Novel: Persuasion
  • Character: Speaking together Miss Louisa Musgrove and MissHenriettaMusgrove
  • Link to text in chapter 9
  • Text ID: 00844
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.
"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?"
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.
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.