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fever of admiration. Tonight for snoozecasts 900th episode we shall read the next part to persuasion the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen and and published in 1817.

The story concerns Anne Elliott, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an admiral and his wife. In the last episode, we learned just how much of an eligible and desirable bachelor Captain Wentworth has become. The world of women has opened to him, even as the number of suitors seems to have dwindled for Anne with time. Meanwhile, a cousin and Henrietta the suitor named Charles Hater is dismayed to find upon returning from a trip that his sweetheart's affections appear to have shifted towards Captain Wentworth. Get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. One morning, Captain Wentworth walked into the drawing room at the cottage, where were only only and herself and the little invalid Charles who was lying on the sofa. The surprise of finding himself almost alone with Anne Elliott deprived his manners of their usual composure. He started and could only say, I thought the Miss Musgroves have been here. Mrs Musgrove told me I should find them here. Before he walked to the window to recollect himself and feel how he ought to behave. They are upstairs with my sister. They will be down in a few moments, I dare say. Had been Anne's reply in all the confusion that was natural, and if the child had not called her to calm and do something for him, she would have been out of the room the next moment and released Captain Wentworth as well as herself. She was obliged to kneel down by the sofa and remain there to satisfy her patient. And thus they continued a few minutes when, to her very great satisfaction, she heard some other person crossing the little vestibule. She hoped on turning her head to see the master of the house. But it proved to be one much less calculated for making matters easy. Charles Hater, probably not at all better pleased by the sight of of Captain Wentworth, than Captain Wentworth had been by the sight of Anne. She only attempted to say, how do you do? Will you not sit down? The others will be here presently. and went worth, however, came from his window, apparently not ill-disposed for conversation. But Charles Hater soon put an end to his attempts by seating himself near the table and taking up the newspaper. And Captain Wentworth returned to his window. Another minute brought another addition, the younger boy, a remarkable stout forward child of two years old, having got the door opened for him by someone without, made his determined appearance among them, and went straight to the sofa to see what was going on, and put in his claim to anything good that might be giving away. There being nothing to eat, he could only have some play, and his aunt would not let him tease his sick brother. He began to fasten himself upon her, as she knelt, in such a way that, busy as she was about Charles, she could not shake him off.

She spoke to him, ordered, and treated, and insisted in vain. Once she did contrive to push him away, but the boy had the great her pleasure in getting upon her back again directly. Walter said she, get down this moment.

You are extremely troublesome.

I'm very angry with you.

Walter,

cried Charles,

hey,

her.

Why do you not do as you are a bit?

Do not hear your aunt speak?

Come to me, Walter.

Come to cousin Charles.

But not a bit did Walter stir. In another moment, however, she found herself in the state of being released from him. Someone was taking him from her. Though he had bent down her head so much that his little sturdy hands were unfastened from around her neck, and he was resolutely born away, before she knew that Captain Wentworth had done it. Her sensations on the discovery made her perfectly speechless. She could not even thank him. She could only hang over little Charles with most disordered feelings. His kindness in stepping forward to her relief, the manner, the silence in which it had passed, the little particulars of the circumstance, with the conviction soon forced on her by the noise he was studiously making with the child, that he meant to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought to testify that her conversation was the last of his produce such a confusion of varying but very painful agitation, as she could not recover from, till enabled by the entrance of Mary and the Miss Musgroves to make over her little patient to their cares and leave the room. She could not stay. It might have been an opportunity of watching the loves and jealousies of the four. They were now all together, but she could stay for none of it. It was evident that Charles Hater was not well inclined towards Captain Wentworth. She had a strong impression of his having said in a vexed tone of voice after Captain Wentworth's interference. You ought to have minded me, Walter. I told you not to tease your aunt. And could comprehend his regretting that Captain Wentworth should do what he ought to have done himself. But neither Charles hate her's feelings, nor anybody's feelings could entrust her until she had a little better arranged her own. It was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed of being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle, but so it was, and it required a long application of solitude and reflection to recover her. Chapter 10 Other opportunities of making her observations could not fail to occur. Anne had soon been in company with all the four together, often enough, to have an opinion. Though too wise to acknowledge as much at home, where she knew it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife. For while she considered Luisa to be rather the favorite, she could not but think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory and experience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either. They were more in love with him, yet there it was not love. There was a little fever of admiration, but it might, probably, must, and in love with some. Charles Hater seemed aware of being slated, and yet Henrietta had sometimes the air of being divided between them, and longed for the power of representing to them all what they were about, and of pointing out some of the evils they were exposing themselves to. She did not attribute guile to any. It was the highest satisfaction to her to believe Captain Wentworth, not in the least aware of the pain he was occassioning. There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in his manner. He had probably never heard and never thought of any claims of Charles Hater. He was only wrong in accepting the attentions, for accepting must be the word of two young women at once. After a short struggle, however, Charles Hater seemed to quit the field. Three days had passed without his coming once to Upper Cross, a most decided change. He had even refused one regular invitation to dinner, and having been found on the occasion by Mr. Musgrove with some large books before him, Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove were sure all could not be right, and talked with grave faces of his studying himself to death. It was Mary's hope and belief that he had received a positive dismissal from Henrietta, and her husband lived under the constant dependence of seeing him tomorrow, and could only feel that Charles Hater was wise. One morning, about this time, Charles Musgrove and Captain Wentworth being gone a shooting together as the sisters in the cottage were sitting quietly at work. They were visited at the window by the sisters from the mansion house. It was a very fine November day, and the Miss Musgroves came through the little grounds, and stopped for no other purpose than to say that they were going to take a long walk. And therefore, concluded Mary could not like to go with them, and when Mary immediately replied, with some jealousy at not being supposed a good walker, oh yes, I should like to join you very much. I am very fond of a long walk. Anne felt persuaded by the looks of the two girls that it was precisely what they did not wish. admired again the sort of necessity which the family habits seemed to produce, of everything being to be communicated, and everything being to be done together, however undesired and inconvenient. She tried to dissuade Mary from going, but in vain, and that being the case, thought it best to accept the mismusgroves much more cordial invitation to herself to go likewise, as she might be useful in turning back with her sister, and lessening the interference in any plan of their own. I cannot imagine why they should suppose I should not like a long walk. Said Mary as she went upstairs. Everybody is always supposing that I'm not a good walker, and yet they would not have been pleased if we had refused to join them. When people come in this manner on purpose to ask, how could one say no? Just as they were setting off, the gentleman returned. They had taken out a young dog who had spoiled their sport and sent them back early. Their time and strength and spirits were, therefore, exactly ready for this walk and they entered into it with pleasure. Could Anne have foreseen such a junction she would have stayed at home, but from some feelings of interest and curiosity, she fancied now that it was too late to retract, and the whole six set forward together in the direction chosen by the Miss Musgroves, who evidently considered the walk as under their guidance. object was not to be in the way of anybody, and where the narrow paths across the fields made many separations necessary to keep with her brother and sister. Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions, extents of autumn. That season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness. That season which had drawn from every poet worthy of being read, some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling. She occupied her mind as much as possible in such like musings and quotations, but it was not possible that when within reach of Captain Wentworth's conversation with either of the Miss Musgroves, she should not try to hear it. Yet she caught little very remarkable. It was mere lively chat, such as any young persons on an intimate footing might fall into. He was more engaged with Luisa than with Henrietta. Luisa certainly put more forward for his notice than her sister. This distinction appeared to increase, and there was one speech of Luisa's which struck her. After one of the many praises of the day, which were continually bursting forth. Captain Wentworth added, What glorious weather for the admiral and my sister. They meant to take a long drive this morning. Perhaps we may hell them from some of these hills. They talked of coming into this side of the country. I wonder whereabouts they will upset today. Oh, it does happen very often, I assure you. But my sister makes nothing of it. She would, as leave, be tossed out as not. Ah, you make the most of it, I know. Cryed Louisa. But if it were really so, I should do just the same in her place. If I loved a man, as she loves the admiral, I would always be with him. Nothing should ever separate us, and I would rather be overturned by him than driven safely by anybody else.

It was spoken with enthusiasm. Had you cried he, catching the same tone, I honor you. And there was silence between them for a little while. and could not immediately fall into a quotation again. The sweet scenes of autumn were for a while put by, unless some tender saw it, fraught with the apt analogy of the declining year, with declining happiness, and the images of youth and hope and spring all gone together blessed her memory. She roused herself to say as they struck by order into another path, it's not this one of the ways to wind winthrop, but nobody heard or at least nobody answered her. Winthrop, however, or its environs, for young men are sometimes to be met with, strolling about near home, was their destination.

And after another half mile of gradual ascent through large enclosures, where the plows at work and the fresh-made path spoke the farmer counteracting the suites of poetical respondents and meaning to have spring again, they gained the summit of the most considerable hill, which parted up across and windthrop, and soon commanded a full view of the latter at the foot of the hill on the other side. Windthrup without beauty and without dignity was stretched before them and in different house, standing low and hemmed in by the barns and buildings of a farm yard. Mary exclaimed, bless me, here is Winthrop. I declare I had no idea. Well now, I think we had better turn back. I am excessively tired." Henrietta, conscious and ashamed, and seeing no cousin Charles walking along any path, or leaning against any gate, was ready to do as Mary wished. But no said Charles must grove, and no, no, cried Louisa more eagerly, and taking her sister aside seemed to be arguing the matter warmly. Charles, in the meanwhile, was very decidedly declaring his resolution of calling on his aunt, now that he was so near, and very evidently, though more fearfully, trying to induce his wife to go to. But this was one of the points on which the lady showed her strength. And when he recommended the advantage of resting herself,, a quarter of an hour at Winthrop, as she felt so tired, she resolutely answered, Oh, no indeed, walking up that hill again would do her more harm than any sitting down could do her good and And, in short, her look and manner declared that go she would not. After a little succession of these sort of debates and consultations, it was settled between Charles and his two sisters, that he and Henrietta should just run down for a few minutes to see their aunt and cousins, while the rest of the party waited for them at the top of the hill. Luisa seemed the principal arranger of the plan, and as she went a little way with them down the hill, still talking to Henrietta, Mary took the opportunity of looking scornfully around her, and saying to Captain Wentworth, it is very unpleasant having such connections, but I assure you I I have never been in the house above twice in my life. She received no other answer than an artificial, ascending smile, followed by a contemptuous glance as he turned away, which Anne perfectly knew the meaning of. The brow of the hill, where they remained, was a cheerful spot. Luisa returned, Anne Mary, finding a comfortable seat for herself on the step of a style, was very well satisfied

so long as the others all stood about her. But when Luisa drew Captain Wentworth away, to try for a gleaming of nuts and an adjoining hedgerow, and they were gone by degrees quite out of sight and sound. Mary was happy no longer. She quarreled with her own seat, was sure Louisa had got a much better somewhere, and nothing could prevent her from going to look for a better also. She turned through the same gate, but could not see them, and found a nice seat for her on a dry, sunny bank under the headdrow, in which she had no doubt of their still being in some spot or other. Mary sat down for a moment, but it would not do. She was sure Louisa had found a better seat somewhere else, and she would go on until she overtook her. Anne really tired herself, was glad to sit down, and she very soon heard Captain Wentworth and Luisa in the hedgerow behind her, as if making their way back along the rough wild sort of channel down the center. They were speaking as they drew near. Luisa's voice was the first distinguished. She seemed to be in the middle of some eager speech. What Anne first heard was, and so I made her go. I could not bear that she should be frightened from the visit by such nonsense. What would I be turned back from doing a thing that I had determined to do,

and that I knew to be right by the airs and interference of such a person, or of any person, I may say? No. I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I have made up my mind, I have made it. and Henrietta seemed entirely to have made up hers to call at Winthrop today, and yet she was as near giving it up out of nonsensical complacence. She would have turned back then, but for you, she would indeed, I am almost ashamed to it." Happy for her to have such a mind as yours at hand. After the hints you gave just now, which did but confirm my own observations, the last time I was in company with him, I need not affect to have no comprehension of what is going on. I see that more than a mere, dutiful morning visit to your aunt was in question, and will batide him and her too when it comes to things of consequence, when they are placed in circumstances, requiring fortitude and strength of mind if she have not resolution enough to resist idol

interference in such a trifle as this. Your sister is an amiable creature, but yours is the character of decision and firmness I see. If you value her conduct or happiness, infuse as much of your own spirit into her as you can.

But this, no doubt, you have been always doing. It is the worst evil of two yielding and indecisive a character that no influence over it can be dependent on. You are never sure of a good impression being durable. Everybody may sway it. Let those who would be happy be firm. Here is a nut," said he, catching one down from an upper bow. To exemplify a beautiful glossy nut, which, blessed with original strength, has outlived all the storms of autumn. Not a puncture, not a weak spot anywhere. This nut, he continued, with playful solemnity. While so many of his brethren have fallen and been trot in underfoot, is still in possession of all the happiness that a hazel nut can be supposed capable of, then returning to his former earnest tone.

My first wish for all whom I am interested in is that they should be firm. If Louisa Musgrove would be beautiful and happy in her November of life, she will cherish all her present powers of mind. He had done and was unanswered. It would have surprised Anne if Luisa could have readily answered such a speech. Words of such interest spoken with such serious warmth. She could imagine what Louisa was feeling. For herself, she feared to move, lest she should be seen. While she remained, a bush of low, rambling,

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