She stopped, regretting with a deep blush that she had implied so much; but less would hardly have been sufficient.  Mrs Smith would hardly have believed so soon in Mr Elliot’s failure, but from the perception of there being a somebody else.  As it was, she instantly submitted, and with all the semblance of seeing nothing beyond; and Anne, eager to escape farther notice, was impatient to know why Mrs Smith should have fancied she was to marry Mr Elliot; where she could have received the idea, or from whom she could have heard it.

“Do tell me how it first came into your head.”

“It first came into my head,” replied Mrs Smith, “upon finding how much you were together, and feeling it to be the most probable thing in the world to be wished for by everybody belonging to either of you; and you may depend upon it that all your acquaintance have disposed of you in the same way.  But I never heard it spoken of till two days ago.”

“And has it indeed been spoken of?”

“Did you observe the woman who opened the door to you when you called yesterday?”

“No.  Was not it Mrs Speed, as usual, or the maid?  I observed no one in particular.”

“It was my friend Mrs Rooke; Nurse Rooke; who, by-the-bye, had a great curiosity to see you, and was delighted to be in the way to let you in.  She came away from Marlborough Buildings only on Sunday; and she it was who told me you were to marry Mr Elliot.  She had had it from Mrs Wallis herself, which did not seem bad authority.  She sat an hour with me on Monday evening, and gave me the whole history.”  “The whole history,” repeated Anne, laughing.  “She could not make a very long history, I think, of one such little article of unfounded news.”

Mrs Smith said nothing.

“But,” continued Anne, presently, “though there is no truth in my having this claim on Mr Elliot, I should be extremely happy to be of use to you in any way that I could.  Shall I mention to him your being in Bath?  Shall I take any message?”

“No, I thank you:  no, certainly not.  In the warmth of the moment, and under a mistaken impression, I might, perhaps, have endeavoured to interest you in some circumstances; but not now.  No, I thank you, I have nothing to trouble you with.”

“I think you spoke of having known Mr Elliot many years?”

“I did.”

“Not before he was married, I suppose?”

“Yes; he was not married when I knew him first.”

“And—­were you much acquainted?”

“Intimately.”

“Indeed!  Then do tell me what he was at that time of life. 
I have a great curiosity to know what Mr Elliot was as a very young man. 
Was he at all such as he appears now?”

“I have not seen Mr Elliot these three years,” was Mrs Smith’s answer, given so gravely that it was impossible to pursue the subject farther; and Anne felt that she had gained nothing but an increase of curiosity.  They were both silent:  Mrs Smith very thoughtful.  At last—­