CHAPTER III

tseethingsasyoudobutIoughttobelieveyoutoberightratherthanmyself,andIamverymuchobligedtoyoufortryingtoreconcilemetowhatmustbe.IfIcouldsupposemyauntreallytocareforme,itwouldbedelightfultofeelmyselfofconsequencetoanybody.Here,Iknow,Iamofnone,andyetIlovetheplacesowell.” “Theplace,Fanny,iswhatyouwillnotquit,thoughyouquitthehouse.Youwillhaveasfreeacommandoftheparkandgardensasever.Evenyourconstantlittleheartneednottakefrightatsuchanominalchange.Youwillhavethesamewalkstofrequent,thesamelibrarytochoosefrom,thesamepeopletolookat,thesamehorsetoride.” “Verytrue.Yes,dearoldgreypony!Ah!cousin,whenIrememberhowmuchIusedtodreadriding,whatterrorsitgavemetohearittalkedofaslikelytodomegood(oh!howIhavetrembledatmyuncle’sopeninghislipsifhorsesweretalkedof),andthenthinkofthekindpainsyoutooktoreasonandpersuademeoutofmyfears,andconvincemethatIshouldlikeitafteralittlewhile,andfeelhowrightyouprovedtobe,Iaminclinedtohopeyoumayalwaysprophesyaswell.” “AndIamquiteconvincedthatyourbeingwithMrs.Norriswillbeasgoodforyourmindasridinghasbeenforyourhealth,andasmuchforyourultimatehappinesstoo.” Soendedtheirdiscourse,which,foranyveryappropriateserviceitcouldrenderFanny,mightaswellhavebeenspared,forMrs.Norrishadnotthesmallestintentionoftakingher.Ithadneveroccurredtoher,onthepresentoccasion,butasathingtobecarefullyavoided.Topreventitsbeingexpected,shehadfixedonthesmallesthabitationwhichcouldrankasgenteelamongthebuildingsofMansfieldparish,theWhiteHousebeingonlyjustlargeenoughtoreceiveherselfandherservants,andallowaspareroomforafriend,ofwhichshemadeaveryparticularpoint.ThespareroomsattheParsonagehadneverbeenwanted,buttheabsolutenecessityofaspareroomforafriendwasnowneverforgotten.Notallherprecautions,however,couldsaveherfrombeingsuspectedofsomethingbetteror,perhaps,herverydisplayoftheimportanceofaspareroommighthavemisledSirThomastosupposeitreallyintendedforFanny.LadyBertramsoonbroughtthemattertoacertaintybycarelesslyobservingtoMrs.Norris— “Ithink,sister,weneednotkeepMissLeeanylonger,whenFannygoestolivewithyou.” Mrs.Norrisalmoststarted.“Livewithme,dearLadyBertram!whatdoyoumean?” “Isshenottolivewithyou?IthoughtyouhadsettleditwithSirThomas.” “Me!never.IneverspokeasyllableaboutittoSirThomas,norhetome.Fannylivewithme!thelastthingintheworldformetothinkof,orforanybodytowishthatreallyknowsusboth.Goodheaven!whatcouldIdowithFanny?Me!apoor,helpless,forlornwidow,unfitforanything,myspiritsquitebrokedownwhatcouldIdowithagirlathertimeoflife?Agirloffifteen!theveryageofallotherstoneedmostattentionandcare,andputthecheerfullestspiritstothetest!SureSirThomascouldnotseriouslyexpectsuchathing!SirThomasistoomuchmyfriend.Nobodythatwishesmewell,Iamsure,wouldproposeit.HowcameSirThomastospeaktoyouaboutit?” “Indeed,Idonotknow.Isupposehethoughtitbest.” “Butwhatdidhesay?HecouldnotsayhewishedmetotakeFanny.Iamsureinhishearthecouldnotwishmetodoit.” “NoheonlysaidhethoughtitverylikelyandIthoughtsotoo.Weboththoughtitwouldbeacomforttoyou.Butifyoudonotlikeit,thereisnomoretobesaid.Sheisnoencumbrancehere.” “Dearsister,ifyouconsidermyunhappystate,howcanshebeanycomforttome?HereamI,apoordesolatewidow,deprivedofthebestofhusbands,myhealthgoneinattendingandnursinghim,myspiritsstillworse,allmypeaceinthisworlddestroyed,wit