第 52 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9264
  his   half averted   eyes   and   more   than   half   expressive   glance;—all;
  all   declared   that   he   had   a   heart   returning   to   her   at   least;   that
  anger; resentment; avoidance;   were   no  more; and  that  they  were
  succeeded;       not    merely     by   friendship     and    regard;    but    by   the
  tenderness   of  the   past。   Yes;   some   share   of   the   tenderness   of   the
  past。 She could not contemplate the change as implying less。—He
  must love her。
  These      were    thoughts;      with    their   attendant      visions;    which
  occupied   and   flurried   her   too   much   to   leave   her   any   power   of
  observation;       and   she   passed     along    the   room    without     having    a
  glimpse   of   him;   without   even   trying   to   discern   him。   When   their
  places were determined on; and they were all properly arranged;
  she looked round to see if he should happen to be in the same part
  of the room; but he was not; her eye could not reach him; and the
  concert   being   just   opening;       she   must   consent   for   a    time    to   be
  happy in a humbler way。
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  The    party    was   divided    and    disposed     of  on   two   contiguous
  benches: Anne   was  among  those  on   the   foremost;   and   Mr。   Elliot
  had manoeuvred so well; with the assistance of his friend Colonel
  Wallis;   as   to   have   a   seat   by   her。   Miss   Elliot;   surrounded   by   her
  cousins; and the principal object of Colonel Wallis’s gallantry; was
  quite contented。
  Anne’s      mind     was     in   a   most     favourable      state    for   the
  entertainment of the evening; it was just  occupation   enough:   she
  had   feelings   for   the   tender;   spirits   for   the   gay;   attention   for   the
  scientific; and patience for the wearisome; and had never  liked   a
  concert better; at least during the first act。 Towards the close of it;
  in the interval succeeding an Italian song; she explained the words
  of the song to Mr。 Elliot。—They had a concert bill between them。
  “This;” said she; “is nearly the sense; or rather the meaning of
  the words; for certainly the sense of an Italian love…song must not
  be talked of;—but it is as nearly the meaning as I can give; for I do
  not pretend to understand the language。 I am a very poor Italian
  scholar。”
  “Yes; yes; I see you are。 I see you know nothing of the matter。
  You have   only  knowledge   enough  of  the   language   to  translate   at
  sight these inverted; transposed; curtailed Italian lines; into clear;
  comprehensible; elegant English。 You need not say anything more
  of your ignorance。—Here is complete proof。”
  “I will not oppose such kind politeness; but I should be sorry to
  be examined by a real proficient。”
  “I   have   not   had   the   pleasure   of   visiting   in   Camden…place   so
  long;”    replied    he;   “without     knowing     something      of  Miss    Anne
  Elliot; and I do regard her as one who is too modest for the world
  in general to be aware of half her accomplishments; and too highly
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  accomplished for modesty to be natural in any other woman。”
  “For shame! for shame! this is too much flattery。 I forget what
  we are to have next;” turning to the bill。
  “Perhaps;” said Mr。   Elliot;   speaking  low;   “I   have   had a   longer
  acquaintance with your character than you are aware of。”
  “Indeed!—How so? You can have been acquainted with it only
  since I came to Bath; excepting as you might hear me previously
  spoken of in my own family。”
  “I   knew   you   by   report   long   before   you   came   to   Bath。   I   had
  heard   you   described   by   those   who   knew   you   intimately。   I   have
  been acquainted with you by character many years。 Your person;
  your disposition; accomplishments; manner—they were all present
  to me。”
  Mr。    Elliot   was   not   disappointed     in  the  interest   he   hoped    to
  raise。 No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery。 To have
  been   described   long   ago   to   a   recent   acquaintance;   by   nameless
  people; is irresistible; and   Anne   was all   curiosity。   She   wondered;
  and   questioned   him   eagerly—but   in   vain。   He   delighted   in   being
  asked; but he would not tell。
  “No; no—some time or other; perhaps; but not now。 He would
  mention no names now; but such; he could assure her;   had been
  the   fact。   He   had   many   years   ago   received   such   a   description   of
  Miss Anne Elliot as had inspired him with the highest idea of her
  merit; and excited the warmest curiosity to know her。”
  Anne     could    think   of  no   one   so  likely   to  have   spoken     with
  partiality     of  her   many      years   ago    as   the   Mr。   Wentworth        of
  Monkford;   Captain   Wentworth’s   brother。   He   might   have   been   in
  Mr。 Elliot’s company; but she had not courage to ask the question。
  “The     name     of   Anne     Elliot;”   said   he;   “has    long    had    an
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  interesting sound to me。 Very long has it possessed a charm over
  my fancy; and; if I dared; I would breathe my wishes that the name
  might never change。”
  Such;     she   believed;    were    his   words;    but   scarcely    had    she
  received     their   sound;    than    her   attention    was   caught    by   other
  sounds immediately behind her; which rendered every thing else
  trivial。 Her father and Lady Dalrymple were speaking。
  “A    well…looking     man;”    said   Sir  Walter;    “a  very   well…looking
  man。”
  “A very fine young man indeed!” said Lady  Dalrymple。 “More
  air than one often sees in Bath。—Irish; I dare say。”
  “No;     I   just   know      his    name。     A    bowing      acquaintance。
  Wentworth—Captain   Wentworth   of   the   navy。   His   sister   married
  my tenant in Somersetshire;—the Croft; who rents Kellynch。”
  Before     Sir  Walter    had    reached    this   point;   Anne’s    eyes   had
  caught the   right  direction;   and distinguished  Captain   Wentworth
  standing among  a   cluster  of  men   at a   little   distance。 As   her  eyes
  fell   on   him;   his   seemed   to   be   withdrawn   from   her。   It   had   that
  appearance。   It   seemed   as   if   she   had   been   one   moment   too   late;
  and as  long  as she   dared   observe;   he   did  not  look  again: but  the
  performance   was   recommencing;   and   she   was   forced   to   seem   to
  restore her attention to the orchestra and look straight forward。
  When   she could   give  another  glance;  he   had   moved   away。   He
  could     not   have   come     nearer    to  her   if  he  would;    she    was   so
  surrounded and shut in: but she would rather have caught his eye。
  Mr。 Elliot’s speech; too; distressed her。 She had no longer  any
  inclination to talk to him。 She wished him not so near her。
  The    first  act  was   over。   Now     she   hoped    for  some     beneficial
  change; and;   after  a  period   of  nothing…saying   amongst   the   party;
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  some of them did decide on going in quest of tea。 Anne was one of
  the few who did not choose to move。 She remained in her seat; and
  so did Lady Russell; but she had the pleasure of getting rid of Mr。
  Elliot;   and   she   did   not   mean;   whatever   she   might   feel   on   Lady
  Russell’s      account;     to  shrink     from    conversation       with    Captain
  Wentworth; if he gave her the opportunity。 She was persuaded by
  Lady Russell’s countenance that she had seen him。
  He     did   not    come     however。      Anne     sometimes        fancied    she
  discerned       him   at  a  distance;     but   he  never     came。    The    anxious
  interval wore away unproductively。 The others returned; the room
  filled again; benches were reclaimed and repossessed; and another
  hour of pleasure or of penance was to be sat out; another hour of
  music was to give delight or the gapes; as real or affected taste for
  it   prevailed。   To   Anne;   it