Hello.
Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,
Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.
Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.
But before we begin,
Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.
Happy listening.
Persuasion by Jane Austen Volume 2,
Chapter 11,
Further continued.
Anne thought carefully about what she had just read.
Such a letter was not soon to be recovered from.
Half an hour's solitude and reflection might have tranquilised her,
But the ten minutes only which now passed before she was interrupted,
With all the restraints of her situation,
Could do nothing towards tranquillity.
Every moment rather brought fresh agitation.
This was overpowering happiness.
And before she was beyond the first stage of full sensation,
Charles,
Mary and Henrietta all came in.
The absolute necessity of seeming like herself produced then an immediate struggle,
But after a while she could do no more.
She began not to understand a word they said and was obliged to plead indisposition and excuse herself.
They could then see that she looked very ill,
Were shocked and concerned and would not stir without her for the world.
This was dreadful.
Would they only have gone away and left her in the quiet possession of that room,
It would have been her cure.
But to have them all standing or waiting around her was distracting and in desperation Anne said she would go home.
By all means,
My dear,
Cried Mrs Musgrove,
Go home directly and take care of yourself that you may be fit for the evening.
I wish Sarah was here to doctor you,
But I am no doctor myself.
Charles,
Bring an order a chair,
She must not walk.
But the chair would never do.
Worse than all of it,
To lose the possibility of speaking two words to Captain Wentworth in the course of her quiet solitary progress up the town,
And she felt almost certain of meeting him,
Could not be borne.
The chair was earnestly protested against and Mrs Musgrove,
Who thought only of one sort of illness,
Having assured herself with some anxiety that there had been no fall in the case,
That Anne had not at any time lately slipped down and got a blow on her head,
That she was perfectly convinced of having had no fall,
Could part with her cheerfully and depend on finding her better in the evening.
Anxious to omit no possible precaution,
Anne struggled and said,
I'm afraid,
Mum,
That it's not perfectly understood.
Pray be so good as to mention to the other gentlemen that we hope to see your whole party this evening.
I am afraid there had been some mistake,
And I wish you particularly to assure Captain Harville and Captain Wentworth that we hope to see them both.
Oh,
My dear,
It's quite understood.
I give you my word.
Captain Harville has no thought but of going.
Do you think so?
But I am afraid,
And I shall be so very sorry.
Will you promise me to mention it,
And when you see them again,
Will you see them both this morning,
I dare say?
Do you promise me?
To be sure I will,
If you wish it.
Charles,
If you see Captain Harville anywhere,
Remember to give Miss Anne's message.
But indeed,
My dear,
You need not be uneasy.
Captain Harville holds himself quite engaged.
I'll answer for it,
And Captain Wentworth the same,
I dare say.
Anne could do no more,
But her heart prophesied some mischance to damp the perfection of her felicity.
It could not be very lasting,
However.
Even if he did not come to Camden Place himself,
It would be in her power to send an intelligible sentence by Captain Harville.
Another momentary vexation occurred.
Charles,
In his real concern and good nature,
Would go home with her.
There was no preventing him.
This was almost cruel,
But she could not be long ungrateful.
He was sacrificing an engagement at a gunsmith's to be of use to her,
And she set off with him with no feeling but gratitude apparent.
They were on Union Street,
When a quicker step behind,
A something of familiar sound,
Gave Anne two moments' preparation for the sight of Captain Wentworth.
He joined them,
But as if irresolute whether to join or pass on,
Said nothing,
Only looked.
Anne could command herself enough to receive that look,
And not repulsively.
The cheeks which had been pale now glowed,
And the movements which had hesitated were decided.
He walked by her side.
Presently struck by sudden thought,
Charles said,
Captain Wentworth,
Which way are you going?
Only to Gay Street,
Or further up the town.
I hardly know,
Replied Captain Wentworth,
Surprised.
Are you going as high as Belmont?
Are you going near Camden Place?
Because if you are,
I shall have no scruple in asking you to take my place,
And give Anne your arm to her father's door.
She is rather done for this morning,
And must not go so far without help,
And I ought to be at that bellows in the marketplace.
He promised me the sight of a capital gun he's just going to send off.
He said he'd keep it unpacked till the last possible moment,
That I might see it.
And if I do not turn back now,
I'll have no chance.
By his description,
A good deal like the second-sized double barrel of mine,
Which you shot one day,
Round Winthrop.
There could not be an objection.
There could only be the most proper alacrity,
A most obliging compliance for public view,
And smiles reigned in,
And spirits dancing in private rapture.
In half a minute,
Charles was at the bottom of Union Street again,
And the other two proceeding together,
And soon words enough had passed between them to decide their direction towards the comparatively quiet and retired gravel walk,
Where the power of conversation would make the present hour a blessing indeed,
And prepare it for all the immortality with which the happiest recollections of their own future lives could bestow.
There they exchanged again those feelings and those promises,
Which had once before seemed to secure everything,
But which had been followed by so many,
Many years of division and estrangement.
There they returned again into the past,
More exquisitely happy perhaps in their reunion,
Than when it had first been projected,
More tender,
More tried,
More fixed in a knowledge of each other's character,
Truth and attachment,
More equal to act,
More justified in acting.
And there,
As they slowly paced the gradual ascent,
Heedless of every group around them,
Seeing neither sauntering politicians,
Bustling housekeepers,
Flirting girls,
Nor nursery maids and children,
They could indulge in those retrospections and acknowledgements,
And especially in those explanations of what had directly preceded the present moment,
Which was so poignant,
And so ceaseless in interest.
All the little variations of the last week were gone through,
And of yesterday,
And today,
There could scarcely be an end.
