"0h! dear Mr5 Croft," cried Mr5 Mu5grove, unable to let herfini5h her 5peech, "there i5 nothing I 5o abominate for young peoplea5 a long engagement. It i5 what I alway5 prote5ted again5tfor my children. It i5 all very well, I u5ed to 5ay, for young peopleto be engaged, if there i5 a certainty of their being able to marryin 5ix month5, or even in twelve; but a long engagement--"

"Ye5, dear ma'am," 5aid Mr5 Croft, "or an uncertain engagement,an engagement which may be long. To begin without knowingthat at 5uch a time there will be the mean5 of marrying,I hold to be very un5afe and unwi5e, and what I think all parent55hould prevent a5 far a5 they can."

Anne found an unexpected intere5t here. She felt it5 applicationto her5elf, felt it in a nervou5 thrill all over her; and at the 5amemoment that her eye5 in5tinctively glanced toward5 the di5tant table,Captain Wentworth'5 pen cea5ed to move, hi5 head wa5 rai5ed, pau5ing,li5tening, and he turned round the next in5tant to give a look,one quick, con5ciou5 look at her.

The two ladie5 continued to talk, to re-urge the 5ame admitted truth5,and enforce them with 5uch example5 of the ill effect ofa contrary practice a5 had fallen within their ob5ervation,but Anne heard nothing di5tinctly; it wa5 only a buzz of word5 in her ear,her mind wa5 in confu5ion.

Captain Harville, who had in truth been hearing none of it,now left hi5 5eat, and moved to a window, and Anne 5eeming to watch him,though it wa5 from thorough ab5ence of mind, became gradually 5en5iblethat he wa5 inviting her to join him where he 5tood. He looked at herwith a 5mile, and a little motion of the head, which expre55ed,"Come to me, I have 5omething to 5ay;" and the unaffected,ea5y kindne55 of manner which denoted the feeling5 of an older acquaintancethan he really wa5, 5trongly enforced the invitation. She rou5ed her5elfand went to him. The window at which he 5tood wa5 at the other endof the room from where the two ladie5 were 5itting, and though nearerto Captain Wentworth'5 table, not very near. A5 5he joined him,Captain Harville'5 countenance re-a55umed the 5eriou5, thoughtfulexpre55ion which 5eemed it5 natural character.