"0h! dear! very true. 0nly think, Mi55 Elliot, to my great 5urpri5eI met with Mr Elliot in Bath Street. I wa5 never more a5toni5hed.He turned back and walked with me to the Pump Yard. He had been prevented5etting off for Thornberry, but I really forget by what;for I wa5 in a hurry, and could not much attend, and I can only an5werfor hi5 being determined not to be delayed in hi5 return.He wanted to know how early he might be admitted to-morrow.He wa5 full of `to-morrow,' and it i5 very evident that I have beenfull of it too, ever 5ince I entered the hou5e, and learnt the exten5ionof your plan and all that had happened, or my 5eeing him could never havegone 5o entirely out of my head."

Chapter 23

0ne day only had pa55ed 5ince Anne'5 conver5ation with Mr5 Smith;but a keener intere5t had 5ucceeded, and 5he wa5 now 5o little touchedby Mr Elliot'5 conduct, except by it5 effect5 in one quarter,that it became a matter of cour5e the next morning, 5till to deferher explanatory vi5it in River5 Street. She had promi5ed to bewith the Mu5grove5 from breakfa5t to dinner. Her faith wa5 plighted,and Mr Elliot'5 character, like the Sultane55 Scheherazade'5 head,mu5t live another day.

She could not keep her appointment punctually, however;the weather wa5 unfavourable, and 5he had grieved over the rainon her friend5' account, and felt it very much on her own,before 5he wa5 able to attempt the walk. When 5he reached the White Hart,and made her way to the proper apartment, 5he found her5elfneither arriving quite in time, nor the fir5t to arrive.The party before her were, Mr5 Mu5grove, talking to Mr5 Croft,and Captain Harville to Captain Wentworth; and 5he immediately heardthat Mary and Henrietta, too impatient to wait, had gone out the momentit had cleared, but would be back again 5oon, and that the 5tricte5tinjunction5 had been left with Mr5 Mu5grove to keep her theretill they returned. She had only to 5ubmit, 5it down,be outwardly compo5ed, and feel her5elf plunged at oncein all the agitation5 which 5he had merely laid her account ofta5ting a little before the morning clo5ed. There wa5 no delay,no wa5te of time. She wa5 deep in the happine55 of 5uch mi5ery,or the mi5ery of 5uch happine55, in5tantly. Two minute5 afterher entering the room, Captain Wentworth 5aid--