11 Persuasion By Stephanie Poppins

The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman of 27 years, whose family moves to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an admiral and his wife. The wife's brother, Captain Frederick Wentworth, was engaged to Anne in 1806, but the engagement was broken when Anne was persuaded by her friends and family to end their relationship. Anne and Captain Wentworth, both single and unattached, meet again after a separation lasting almost eight years, setting the scene for a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne.

In this episode, Captain Benwick is a romantically tragic figure who appears mired in mourning, yet Austen suggests that the showiest grief is not necessarily the most constant in his character. Anne is able to lift his spirits and inspire hope of new romance in a fairly short time, which testifies to how compelling and compassionate she can be.

Transcript

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.

That's it.

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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 Chapter 11 Continued On quitting the cob,

They went indoors with their new friends and found rooms so small and found rooms so small as none but those who invite from the heart could think capable of accommodating so many.

Anne had a moment's astonishment on the subject herself but it was soon lost in the pleasanter feelings which sprang from the sight of all the ingenious contrivances and nice arrangements of Captain Harville to turn the actual space to the best account.

To supply the deficiencies of lodging house furniture and defend the windows and doors against the winter storms to be expected.

The varieties in the fitting up of the rooms where the common necessaries provided by the owner in the common indifferent plight were contrasted with some few articles of rare species of wood excellently worked up and with some curious and valuable from all the distant countries Captain Harville had visited were more than amusing to Anne.

Connected as it all was with his profession the fruit of its labours the effect of its influence on his habits the picture of repose and domestic happiness it presented made it to her as something more or less than gratification.

Captain Harville was no reader but he had contrived excellent accommodations and fashioned very pretty shelves for a tolerable collection of well-bound volumes.

The property of Captain Benwick his lameness prevented him from taking much exercise but a mind of usefulness and ingenuity A mind of usefulness and ingenuity seemed to furnish him with constant employment within.

He drew,

He varnished,

He carpentered,

He glued,

He made toys for the children,

He fashioned new knitting needles and pins with improvements and if everything else was done sat down to his large fishing net at one corner of the room.

Anne thought she left great happiness behind her when they quitted the house and Louisa by whom she found herself walking burst forth into raptures of admiration and delight on the character of the navy.

Their friendliness,

Their brotherliness,

Their openness,

Their uprightness.

Protesting she was convinced of sailors having more worth and warmth than any other set of men in England.

That's they only knew how to live and they only deserved to be respected and loved.

They went back to dress and dine and so well had the scheme answered already that nothing was found amiss though it's being so entirely out of season and the no thoroughfare of lime and the no exception of company had brought many apologies from the heads of the inn.

Anne found herself by this time growing so much more hardened to being in Captain Wentworth's company than she had first imagined could ever be that the sitting down to the same table with him now and the interchange of the common civilities attending on it they never got beyond was becoming a mere nothing.

The nights were too dark for the ladies to meet again till the morrow but Captain Harville had promised them a visit in the evening and he came bringing his friend also which was more than had been expected it having been agreed that Captain Benwick had all the appearance of being oppressed by the presence of so many strangers.

He ventured among them again however though his spirit certainly did not seem fit for the mirth of the party in general.

While Captain's Wentworth and Harville led the talk on one side of the room it fell to Anne's lodge to be placed rather apart with Captain Benwick and a very good impulse of her nature obliged her to begin an acquaintance with him.

He was shy and disposed to abstraction but the engaging mildness of her countenance and gentleness of her manners soon had their effect and Anne was well repaid the first trouble of exertion.

He was evidently a young man of considerable taste in reading though principally in poetry and besides the persuasion of having given him at least an evening's indulgence in the discussion of subjects which his usual companions had probably no concern in.

Anne had the hope of being of real use to him in some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of struggling against affliction which had naturally grown out of their conversation.

For those shy he did not seem reserved.

It had rather the appearance of feelings glad to burst their usual restraints and having taught poetry the richness of the present age and gone through a brief comparison of opinion as to the first week poets he showed himself so intimately acquainted with all the tenderness songs of one poet and all the impassioned descriptions of hopeless agony of the other.

He repeated with such tremulous feeling the various lines which imaged a broken heart or a mind destroyed by wretchedness and looked so entirely as if he meant to be understood that Anne ventured to hope he did not always read only poetry and to say that she thought it was the misfortune of poetry to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely and that the strong feelings which alone could estimate it truly were the very feelings which ought to taste it but sparingly.

His looks showing him not pained but pleased with this allusion to his situation she was emboldened to go on and feeling herself in the right of seniority of mind she ventured to recommend a larger allowance of prose in his daily study and on being requested to particularize mentioned such works of our best moralists such collections of the finest letters such memoirs of characters of worth and suffering has occurred to her at the moment has calculated to rouse and fortify the mind by the highest precepts and the strongest examples of moral and religious endurances.

Captain Benwick listened attentively and seemed grateful for the interest implied and though with a shake of the head and sighs which declared his little faith in the efficiency of any books on grief like this he noted down the names of those she recommended and promised to procure and read them.

When the evening was over Anne could not but be amused at the idea of her coming to line to preach patience and resignation to a young man whom she'd never met before nor could she help feeling on more serious reflection that like many other moralists and preachers she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.

Chapter 12 Anne and Henrietta finding themselves the earliest of the party the next morning agreed to stroll down to the sea before breakfast.

They went to the sands to watch the flowing of the tide which a fine south easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which so flat ashore admitted.

They praised the morning gloried in the sea sympathised in the delight of the fresh feeling breeze and were silent till Henrietta suddenly began again with oh yes I'm quite convinced that with very few exceptions the sea air always does good.

There can be no doubt of it having been of the greatest service to Dr Shirley after his illness last spring 12 month.

He declares his self that coming to line for a month did him more good than all the medicine he took and that by being by the sea always makes him feel young again.

Now I cannot help thinking it a pity he does not live entirely by the sea.

I do think he'd better leave up across entirely and fix at line do you not Anne?

Do you not agree with me that's the best thing he could do both for himself and Mrs Shirley?

She has cousins here you know and many acquaintance which would make it cheerful for her and I'm sure she would be glad to get to a place where she could have medical attendance at hand in case of his having another seizure.

Indeed I think it quite melancholy to have such excellent people as Dr and Mrs Shirley who have been doing good all their lives wearing out their last days in a place like Uppercross where accepting our family they seem shut out from all the world.

I wish his friends would propose it to him I really think they ought and as to procuring a dispensation there could be no difficulty at his time of life and with his character.

My only doubt is whether anything could persuade him to leave his parish he's so very strict and scrupulous in his notions over scrupulous I must say.

Do you not think Anne it's being over scrupulous?

Do you not think it's quite a mistaken point of conscience when a clergyman sacrifices his health for the sake of duties which may just as well be performed by another person and at line two only 17 miles off he would be near enough to hear if people thought there was anything to complain of.

Anne smiled more than once to herself during this speech and entered into the subject as ready to do good by entering into the feelings of a young lady as of a young man though here it was good of a lower standard for what could be offered but general acquiescence.

She said all that was reasonable and proper on the business felt the claims of Dr Shirley to repose as she ought saw how very desirable it was that he should have some active respectable young man as a resident curate and was even courteous enough to hint at the advantage of such resident curates being married.

I wish said Henrietta very well pleased with her companion.

I wish Lady Russell lived at Uppercross and were intimate with Dr Shirley.

I've always heard of Lady Russell as a woman of the greatest influence with everybody.

I always look upon her as able to persuade a person to anything.

I'm afraid of her as I've told you before quite afraid of her because she is so very clever but I respect her amazingly and wish we had such a neighbour at Uppercross.

Anne was amused by Henrietta's manner of being grateful and amused also that the course of events and the new interest of Henrietta's views should have placed her friend at all in favour with any of the Musgrove family.

She had only time however for a general answer and a wish that such another woman were at Uppercross before all subjects suddenly ceased on seeing Louisa and Captain Wentworth coming towards them.

They came also for a stroll till breakfast was likely to be ready but Louisa recollecting immediately afterwards that she had something to procure to shop invited them all to go back with her into the town.

They were all at her disposal.

When they came to the steps leading upward from the beach a gentleman at the same moment preparing to come down politely drew back and stopped to give them way.

They ascended and passed him and as they passed Anne's face caught his eye and he looked at her with a degree of earnest admiration which she could not be insensible of.

She was looking remarkably well her very regular very pretty features having the bloom and freshness of youth restored by the fine wind which had been blowing on her complexion and by the animation of eye which it had also produced.

It was evident that the gentleman admired her exceedingly.

Captain Wentworth looked round at her instantly in a way which showed his noticing of it.

He gave her a momentary glance a glance of brightness which seemed to say that man is struck with you and even I at this moment see something like Anne Elliot again.

After attending Louisa through her business and loitering about a little longer they retired to the inn and Anne in passing afterwards quickly from her own chamber to their dining room had nearly run against the same very gentleman as he came out of an adjoining apartment.

She had before conjectured him to be a stranger like themselves and determined that a well-looking groom who was strolling about near the two inns as they came back should be his servant.

Both master and man being in mourning assisted the idea.

It was now proved that he belonged to the same inn as themselves and this second meeting short as it was also proved again by the gentleman's looks that he thought hers very lovely and by the readiness and propriety of his apologies that he was a man of exceedingly good manners.

He seemed about 30 and though not handsome had an agreeable person.

Anne felt she should like to know who he was.

They had nearly done breakfast when the sound of a carriage drew half the party to the window.

It was a gentleman's carriage a caracal but only coming round from the stable yard to the front door somebody must be going away.

It was driven by a servant in mourning.

The word caracal made Charles Musgrove jump up that he might compare it with his own.

The servant in mourning roused Anne's curiosity and the whole six were collected to look by the time the owner of the caracal was seen to be issuing from the door amidst the boughs and civilities of the household and taking his seat to drive off.

Ah said Captain Wentworth instantly and with half a glance at Anne it is the very man we passed.

The Miss Musgroves agreed to it and having all kindly watched him as far up the hill as they could they returned to the breakfast table.

The waiter came into the room soon afterwards.

Pray said Captain Wentworth immediately can you tell us the name of the gentleman who's just gone away?

Yes sir a Mr Elliot a gentleman of large fortune came in last night from Sidmouth.

Dare say you heard the carriage sir while you were at dinner and going on now for Crewhurn in his way to Bath and London.

Elliot?

Many had looked on each other and many had repeated the name before all this had been got through even by the smart rapidity of a waiter.

Bless me cried Mary it must be our cousin it must be our Mr Elliot it must indeed.

Charles Anne must it not in mourning you see just as our Mr Elliot must be how very extraordinary in the same inn with us.

Anne must not it be our Mr Elliot my father's next heir?

Pray sir turning to the waiter did you not hear did not his servants say whether he belonged to the Kellynch family?

No ma'am he did not mention no particular family but he said his master was a very rich gentleman and he would be a baronet someday.

There you see cried Mary in an ecstasy just as I said heir to Sir Walter Elliot I was sure that would come out if it was so depend upon it that is a circumstance which his servants take care to publish wherever he goes but Anne only conceive how extraordinary I wish I'd looked at him more I wish we'd been aware in time who he was that he might have introduced to us what a pity we should not have been introduced to each other do you think he had the Elliot countenance?

I hardly looked at him I was looking at the horses but I think he had something of the Elliot countenance no wonder the arms did not strike me oh the great coat was hanging over the panel and hid the arms so it did otherwise I'm sure I should have observed them and the livery too if the servant had not been in mourning one should have known him by the livery putting all those very extraordinary circumstances together said Captain Wentworth we must consider it to be the arrangement of providence that you should not be introduced to your cousin

Reviews

I got lost in the plots, but I think I'm back on on track now. Thankyou Stephanie. ☺👍🐱🐱

Another world when you could not know your cousin! Very interesting…🙏🏼❤️ thank you!