and so late it was ten o clock could it be mr they knew he was to dine in it was possible that he might stop in his way home to ask them how they did they could think of no one else mrs clay decidedly thought it mr s knock mrs clay was right with all the state which a butler and could give mr was ushered into the room it was the same the very same man with no difference but of dress anne drew a little back while the others received his compliments and her sister his apologies for calling at so an hour but he could not be so near without wishing to know that she nor her friend had taken cold the day before etc etc which was all as politely done and as politely taken as possible but her part must follow then sir walter talked of his youngest daughter mr must � ive him leave to present him to his youngest daughter � there was no occasion for remembering mary � and anne smiling and blushing very showed to mr the pretty features which he had by no means forgotten and instantly with amusement at his little start of surprise that he had not been at au aware of who she was he looked completely astonished but not more astonished than pleased his eyes brightened and with the most perfect alacrity he welcomed the relationship alluded to the past and entreated to be received as an acquaintance already he was quite as good looking as he had appeared at his countenance improved by speaking and his manners were so exactly what they ought to be so polished so easy so agreeable that she could compare them in excellence to only one p son s manners they were not the same bat they were perhaps equally good he sat down with them and improved their conversation very much could be no doubt of his being a sensible man ten minutes were enough to that his tone his expressions his choice of subject his knowing where to stop � it was all the operation of a sensible mind as soon as he could he began to talk to her of wanting to compare opinions respecting the place but especially wanting to speak of the circumstance of their happening to be guests in the same inn at the same time to give his own route understand something of hers and regret that he should have lost such an opportunity of paying his respects to her she gave him a short account of her party and business at his regret increased as he listened he had spent his whole solitary evening in the room adjoining theirs had heard voices � mirth continually thought they must be a most delightful set of people � longed to be them but certainly without the smallest suspicion of his possessing tho shadow of a right to introduce himself if he had but asked who the party were the name of would have him � well it would to cure him of an i practice of never asking a question at an inn which he had adopted when quite a young man on the principle of its being very to be curious the notions of a young man of one or two and twenty said he as to what is necessary in manners to make him quit the thing are more absurd i believe than those of any other set of beings in the world the folly of the means they often employ is only to be equalled by the folly of what have in view but he must not be addressing his reflections to anne alone he knew it he was soon diffused again among the others and it was only at intervals that he could return to his however produced at length an account of the scene she had been engaged in there soon after his leaving the place having alluded to an accident he must hear the whole when he questioned sir walter and elizabeth began to question also but the difference in their m of doing it could not be she could only compare mr to lady in the wish of really what had passed and in the degree of concern for what she must have suffered in witnessing it he staid an hour with them the elegant little on the mantel piece had struck eleven with its silver sounds and the was beginning to be h rd at a distance telling the same tale before mr or any of them to feel that he had been there long anne could not have supposed it possible that h evening in place could have passed so well i chapter was one point which anne on returning to hei family would have been more thankful to ascertain even than mr s being in love with elizabeth which was her father s not being in love with mrs clay and she was very far m easy about it when she had been at home a few hours on going down to breakfast the next morning she found there had just been a decent pretence on the lady s side of me do p s i to leave them she could imagine mrs clay to have said that now miss anne was come she could not suppose herself at all wanted for elizabeth wa replying in a sort of whisper that most not be any indeed i assure you i feel it none she is nothing to me compared with you and she was in full time to hear her father say my dear madam must not be as yet you have seen nothing of bath you have been here only to be useful you must not run away from us now you must stay to be acquainted with mrs the beautiful mrs to your fine mind i well know the sight 