CHAPTER II

now.Comewithmeintothebreakfast-room,weshallfindeverythingthere,andbesureofhavingtheroomtoourselves.” “But,cousin,willitgotothepost?” “Yes,dependuponmeitshall:itshallgowiththeotherlettersand,asyourunclewillfrankit,itwillcostWilliamnothing.” “Myuncle!”repeatedFanny,withafrightenedlook. “Yes,whenyouhavewrittentheletter,Iwilltakeittomyfathertofrank.” Fannythoughtitaboldmeasure,butofferednofurtherresistanceandtheywenttogetherintothebreakfast-room,whereEdmundpreparedherpaper,andruledherlineswithallthegoodwillthatherbrothercouldhimselfhavefelt,andprobablywithsomewhatmoreexactness.Hecontinuedwithherthewholetimeofherwriting,toassistherwithhispenknifeorhisorthography,aseitherwerewantedandaddedtotheseattentions,whichshefeltverymuch,akindnesstoherbrotherwhichdelightedherbeyondalltherest.HewrotewithhisownhandhislovetohiscousinWilliam,andsenthimhalfaguineaundertheseal.Fanny’sfeelingsontheoccasionweresuchasshebelievedherselfincapableofexpressingbuthercountenanceandafewartlesswordsfullyconveyedalltheirgratitudeanddelight,andhercousinbegantofindheraninterestingobject.Hetalkedtohermore,and,fromallthatshesaid,wasconvincedofherhavinganaffectionateheart,andastrongdesireofdoingrightandhecouldperceivehertobefartherentitledtoattentionbygreatsensibilityofhersituation,andgreattimidity.Hehadneverknowinglygivenherpain,buthenowfeltthatsherequiredmorepositivekindnessandwiththatviewendeavoured,inthefirstplace,tolessenherfearsofthemall,andgaveherespeciallyagreatdealofgoodadviceastoplayingwithMariaandJulia,andbeingasmerryaspossible. FromthisdayFannygrewmorecomfortable.Shefeltthatshehadafriend,andthekindnessofhercousinEdmundgaveherbetterspiritswitheverybodyelse.Theplacebecamelessstrange,andthepeoplelessformidableandifthereweresomeamongstthemwhomshecouldnotceasetofear,shebeganatleasttoknowtheirways,andtocatchthebestmannerofconformingtothem.Thelittlerusticitiesandawkwardnesseswhichhadatfirstmadegrievousinroadsonthetranquillityofall,andnotleastofherself,necessarilyworeaway,andshewasnolongermateriallyafraidtoappearbeforeheruncle,nordidherauntNorris’svoicemakeherstartverymuch.Tohercousinsshebecameoccasionallyanacceptablecompanion.Thoughunworthy,frominferiorityofageandstrength,tobetheirconstantassociate,theirpleasuresandschemesweresometimesofanaturetomakeathirdveryuseful,especiallywhenthatthirdwasofanobliging,yieldingtemperandtheycouldnotbutown,whentheirauntinquiredintoherfaults,ortheirbrotherEdmundurgedherclaimstotheirkindness,that“Fannywasgood-naturedenough.” EdmundwasuniformlykindhimselfandshehadnothingworsetoendureonthepartofTomthanthatsortofmerrimentwhichayoungmanofseventeenwillalwaysthinkfairwithachildoften.Hewasjustenteringintolife,fullofspirits,andwithalltheliberaldispositionsofaneldestson,whofeelsbornonlyforexpenseandenjoyment.Hiskindnesstohislittlecousinwasconsistentwithhissituationandrights:hemadehersomeveryprettypresents,andlaughedather. Asherappearanceandspiritsimproved,SirThomasandMrs.Norristhoughtwithgreatersatisfactionoftheirbenevolentplananditwasprettysoondecidedbetweenthemthat,thoughfarfromclever,sheshowedatractabledisposition,andseemedlikelytogivethemlittletrouble.Ameanopinionofherabilitieswasnotconfinedtothem.Fannycouldread,work,andwrite,butshehadbeentaughtnothingmoreandashercousinsfoundherignorantofmanythingswithwhichtheyhadbeenlongfamiliar,theythoughtherprodigiouslystupid,andforthefirsttwoorthreeweekswerecontinuallybringingsomefreshreportofitintoth