“Well，“sheexclaimed，withherusualenthusiasm，seizingRachelbythearm，“Icallthissplendid！Iguesseditwasgoingtohappenfromtheverybeginning！Isawyoutwoweremadeforeachother。
　　Nowyou’vejustgottotellmeallaboutit——when’sittobe，whereareyougoingtolive——areyoubothtremendouslyhappy？“
　　ButtheattentionofthegroupwasdivertedtoMrs。Elliot，whowaspassingthemwithhereagerbutuncertainmovement，carryinginherhandsaplateandanemptyhot-waterbottle。
　　Shewouldhavepassedthem，butMrs。Thornburywentupandstoppedher。
　　“Thankyou，Hughling’sbetter，“shereplied，inanswertoMrs。Thornbury’senquiry，“buthe’snotaneasypatient。Hewantstoknowwhathistemperatureis，andifItellhimhegetsanxious，andifIdon’ttellhimhesuspects。Youknowwhatmenarewhenthey’reill！
　　Andofcoursetherearenoneoftheproperappliances，and，thoughheseemsverywillingandanxioustohelp“heresheloweredhervoicemysteriously，“onecan’tfeelthatDr。Rodriguezisthesameasaproperdoctor。Ifyouwouldcomeandseehim，Mr。Hewet，“
　　sheadded，“Iknowitwouldcheerhimup——lyingthereinbedallday——
　　andtheflies——ButImustgoandfindAngelo——thefoodhere——
　　ofcourse，withaninvalid，onewantsthingsparticularlynice。“
　　Andshehurriedpasttheminsearchoftheheadwaiter。Theworryofnursingherhusbandhadfixedaplaintivefrownuponherforehead；
　　shewaspaleandlookedunhappyandmorethanusuallyinefficient，andhereyeswanderedmorevaguelythaneverfrompointtopoint。
　　“Poorthing！“Mrs。Thornburyexclaimed。ShetoldthemthatforsomedaysHughlingElliothadbeenill，andtheonlydoctoravailablewasthebrotheroftheproprietor，orsotheproprietorsaid，whoserighttothetitleofdoctorwasnotabovesuspicion。
　　“Iknowhowwretcheditistobeillinahotel，“Mrs。Thornburyremarked，oncemoreleadingthewaywithRacheltothegarden。
　　“IspentsixweeksonmyhoneymooninhavingtyphoidatVenice，“
　　shecontinued。“Butevenso，Ilookbackuponthemassomeofthehappiestweeksinmylife。Ah，yes，“shesaid，takingRachel’sarm，“youthinkyourselfhappynow，butit’snothingtothehappinessthatcomesafterwards。AndIassureyouIcouldfinditinmyhearttoenvyyouyoungpeople！You’veamuchbettertimethanwehad，Imaytellyou。WhenIlookbackuponit，Icanhardlybelievehowthingshavechanged。WhenwewereengagedIwasn’tallowedtogoforwalkswithWilliamalone——someonehadalwaystobeintheroomwithus——IreallybelieveIhadtoshowmyparentsallhisletters！——
　　thoughtheywereveryfondofhimtoo。Indeed，Imaysaytheylookeduponhimastheirownson。Itamusesme，“shecontinued，“tothinkhowstricttheyweretous，whenIseehowtheyspoiltheirgrand-children！“
　　Thetablewaslaidunderthetreeagain，andtakingherplacebeforetheteacups，Mrs。Thornburybeckonedandnoddeduntilshehadcollectedquiteanumberofpeople，SusanandArthurandMr。Pepper，whowerestrollingabout，waitingforthetournamenttobegin。
　　Amurmuringtree，ariverbrimminginthemoonlight，Terence’swordscamebacktoRachelasshesatdrinkingtheteaandlisteningtothewordswhichflowedonsolightly，sokindly，andwithsuchsilverysmoothness。Thislonglifeandallthesechildrenhadleftherverysmooth；theyseemedtohaverubbedawaythemarksofindividuality，andtohaveleftonlywhatwasoldandmaternal。
　　“Andthethingsyouyoungpeoplearegoingtosee！“
　　Mrs。Thornburycontinued。Sheincludedthemallinherforecast，sheincludedthemallinhermaternity，althoughthepartycomprisedWilliamPepperandMissAllan，bothofwhommighthavebeensupposedtohaveseenafairshareofthepanorama。
　　“WhenIseehowtheworldhaschangedinmylifetime，“shewenton，“Icansetnolimittowhatmayhappeninthenextfiftyyears。
　　Ah，no，Mr。Pepper，Idon’tagreewithyouintheleast，“shelaughed，interruptinghisgloomyremarkaboutthingsgoingsteadilyfrombadtoworse。“IknowIoughttofeelthat，butIdon’t，I’mafraid。They’regoingtobemuchbetterpeoplethanwewere。
　　Surelyeverythinggoestoprovethat。AllroundmeIseewomen，youngwomen，womenwithhouseholdcaresofeverysort，goingoutanddoingthingsthatweshouldnothavethoughtitpossibletodo。“
　　Mr。Pepperthoughthersentimentalandirrationallikealloldwomen，buthermanneroftreatinghimasifhewereacrossoldbabybaffledhimandcharmedhim，andhecouldonlyreplytoherwithacuriousgrimacewhichwasmoreasmilethanafrown。
　　“Andtheyremainwomen，“Mrs。Thornburyadded。“Theygiveagreatdealtotheirchildren。“
　　AsshesaidthisshesmiledslightlyinthedirectionofSusanandRachel。Theydidnotliketobeincludedinthesamelot，buttheybothsmiledalittleself-consciously，andArthurandTerenceglancedateachothertoo。Shemadethemfeelthattheywereallinthesameboattogether，andtheylookedatthewomentheyweregoingtomarryandcomparedthem。ItwasinexplicablehowanyonecouldwishtomarryRachel，incrediblethatanyoneshouldbereadytospendhislifewithSusan；butsingularthoughtheother’stastemustbe，theyboreeachothernoill-willonaccountofit；indeed，theylikedeachotherratherthebetterfortheeccentricityoftheirchoice。
　　“Ireallymustcongratulateyou，“Susanremarked，assheleantacrossthetableforthejam。
　　ThereseemedtobenofoundationforSt。John’sgossipaboutArthurandSusan。Sunburntandvigoroustheysatsidebyside，withtheirracquetsacrosstheirknees，notsayingmuchbutsmilingslightlyallthetime。Throughthethinwhiteclotheswhichtheywore，itwaspossibletoseethelinesoftheirbodiesandlegs，thebeautifulcurvesoftheirmuscles，hisleannessandherflesh，anditwasnaturaltothinkofthefirm-fleshedsturdychildrenthatwouldbetheirs。Theirfaceshadtoolittleshapeinthemtobebeautiful，buttheyhadcleareyesandanappearanceofgreathealthandpowerofendurance，foritseemedasifthebloodwouldneverceasetoruninhisveins，ortoliedeeplyandcalmlyinhercheeks。
　　Theireyesatthepresentmomentwerebrighterthanusual，andworethepeculiarexpressionofpleasureandself-confidencewhichisseenintheeyesofathletes，fortheyhadbeenplayingtennis，andtheywerebothfirst-rateatthegame。
　　Evelynhadnotspoken，butshehadbeenlookingfromSusantoRachel。Well——theyhadbothmadeuptheirmindsveryeasily，theyhaddoneinaveryfewweekswhatitsometimesseemedtoherthatshewouldneverbeabletodo。Althoughtheyweresodifferent，shethoughtthatshecouldseeineachthesamelookofsatisfactionandcompletion，thesamecalmnessofmanner，andthesameslownessofmovement。Itwasthatslowness，thatconfidence，thatcontentwhichshehated，shethoughttoherself。Theymovedsoslowlybecausetheywerenotsinglebutdouble，andSusanwasattachedtoArthur，andRacheltoTerence，andforthesakeofthisonemantheyhadrenouncedallothermen，andmovement，andtherealthingsoflife。Lovewasallverywell，andthosesnugdomestichouses，withthekitchenbelowandthenurseryabove，whichweresosecludedandself-contained，likelittleislandsinthetorrentsoftheworld；
　　buttherealthingsweresurelythethingsthathappened，thecauses，thewars，theideals，whichhappenedinthegreatworldoutside，andwentsoindependentlyofthesewomen，turningsoquietlyandbeautifullytowardsthemen。Shelookedatthemsharply。Ofcoursetheywerehappyandcontent，buttheremustbebetterthingsthanthat。
　　Surelyonecouldgetnearertolife，onecouldgetmoreoutoflife，onecouldenjoymoreandfeelmorethantheywouldeverdo。
　　Rachelinparticularlookedsoyoung——whatcouldsheknowoflife？
　　Shebecamerestless，andgettingup，crossedovertositbesideRachel。
　　Sheremindedherthatshehadpromisedtojoinherclub。
　　“Thebotheris，“shewenton，“thatImayn’tbeabletostartworkseriouslytillOctober。I’vejusthadaletterfromafriendofminewhosebrotherisinbusinessinMoscow。Theywantmetostaywiththem，andasthey’reinthethickofalltheconspiraciesandanarchists，I’veagoodmindtostoponmywayhome。Itsoundstoothrilling。“
　　ShewantedtomakeRachelseehowthrillingitwas。“Myfriendknowsagirloffifteenwho’sbeensenttoSiberiaforlifemerelybecausetheycaughtheraddressingalettertoananarchist。
　　Andtheletterwasn’tfromher，either。I’dgiveallIhaveintheworldtohelponarevolutionagainsttheRussiangovernment，andit’sboundtocome。“
　　ShelookedfromRacheltoTerence。Theywerebothalittletouchedbythesightofherrememberinghowlatelytheyhadbeenlisteningtoevilwordsabouther，andTerenceaskedherwhatherschemewas，andsheexplainedthatshewasgoingtofoundaclub——aclubfordoingthings，reallydoingthem。Shebecameveryanimated，asshetalkedonandon，forsheprofessedherselfcertainthatifoncetwentypeople——no，tenwouldbeenoughiftheywerekeen——setaboutdoingthingsinsteadoftalkingaboutdoingthem，theycouldabolishalmosteveryevilthatexists。Itwasbrainsthatwereneeded。
　　Ifonlypeoplewithbrains——ofcoursetheywouldwantaroom，aniceroom，inBloomsburypreferably，wheretheycouldmeetonceaweek……
　　AsshetalkedTerencecouldseethetracesoffadingyouthinherface，thelinesthatwerebeingdrawnbytalkandexcitementroundhermouthandeyes，buthedidnotpityher；lookingintothosebright，ratherhard，andverycourageouseyes，hesawthatshedidnotpityherself，orfeelanydesiretoexchangeherownlifeforthemorerefinedandorderlylivesofpeoplelikehimselfandSt。John，although，astheyearswentby，thefightwouldbecomeharderandharder。
　　Perhaps，though，shewouldsettledown；perhaps，afterall，shewouldmarryPerrott。Whilehismindwashalfoccupiedwithwhatshewassaying，hethoughtofherprobabledestiny，thelightcloudsoftobaccosmokeservingtoobscurehisfacefromhereyes。
　　TerencesmokedandArthursmokedandEvelynsmoked，sothattheairwasfullofthemistandfragranceofgoodtobacco。Intheintervalswhennoonespoke，theyheardfaroffthelowmurmurofthesea，asthewavesquietlybrokeandspreadthebeachwithafilmofwater，andwithdrewtobreakagain。Thecoolgreenlightfellthroughtheleavesofthetree，andthereweresoftcrescentsanddiamondsofsunshineupontheplatesandthetablecloth。Mrs。Thornbury，afterwatchingthemallforatimeinsilence，begantoaskRachelkindlyquestions——Whendidtheyallgoback？Oh，theyexpectedherfather。Shemustwanttoseeherfather——therewouldbeagreatdealtotellhim，andshelookedsympatheticallyatTerence
　　hewouldbesohappy，shefeltsure。Yearsago，shecontinued，itmighthavebeentenortwentyyearsago，sherememberedmeetingMr。Vinraceataparty，and，beingsomuchstruckbyhisface，whichwassounliketheordinaryfaceoneseesataparty，thatshehadaskedwhohewas，andshewastoldthatitwasMr。Vinrace，andshehadalwaysrememberedthename，——anuncommonname，——andhehadaladywithhim，averysweet-lookingwoman，butitwasoneofthosedreadfulLondoncrushes，whereyoudon’ttalk，——youonlylookateachother，——andalthoughshehadshakenhandswithMr。Vinrace，shedidn’tthinktheyhadsaidanything。Shesighedveryslightly，rememberingthepast。
　　ThensheturnedtoMr。Pepper，whohadbecomeverydependentonher，sothathealwayschoseaseatnearher，andattendedtowhatshewassaying，althoughhedidnotoftenmakeanyremarkofhisown。
　　“Youwhoknoweverything，Mr。Pepper，“shesaid，“tellushowdidthosewonderfulFrenchladiesmanagetheirsalons？DidweeverdoanythingofthesamekindinEngland，ordoyouthinkthatthereissomereasonwhywecannotdoitinEngland？“
　　Mr。PepperwaspleasedtoexplainveryaccuratelywhytherehasneverbeenanEnglishsalon。Therewerethreereasons，andtheywereverygoodones，hesaid。Asforhimself，whenhewenttoaparty，asonewassometimesobligedto，fromawishnottogiveoffence——
　　hisniece，forexample，hadbeenmarriedtheotherday——hewalkedintothemiddleoftheroom，said“Ha！ha！“asloudaseverhecould，consideredthathehaddonehisduty，andwalkedawayagain。
　　Mrs。Thornburyprotested。Shewasgoingtogiveapartydirectlyshegotback，andtheywerealltobeinvited，andsheshouldsetpeopletowatchMr。Pepper，andifsheheardthathehadbeencaughtsaying“Ha！ha！“shewould——shewoulddosomethingverydreadfulindeedtohim。ArthurVenningsuggestedthatwhatshemustdowastorigupsomethinginthenatureofasurprise——aportrait，forexample，ofaniceoldladyinalacecap，concealingabathofcoldwater，whichatasignalcouldbesprungonPepper’shead；
　　orthey’dhaveachairwhichshothimtwentyfeethighdirectlyhesatonit。
　　Susanlaughed。Shehaddonehertea；shewasfeelingverywellcontented，partlybecauseshehadbeenplayingtennisbrilliantly，andtheneveryonewassonice；shewasbeginningtofinditsomucheasiertotalk，andtoholdherownevenwithquitecleverpeople，forsomehowcleverpeopledidnotfrightenheranymore。