CHAPTER VI

,whenIfoundthatIhadbeenaskingthemostunreasonable,mostimpossiblethingintheworldhadoffendedallthefarmers,allthelabourers,allthehayintheparish!AsforDr.Grant’sbailiff,IbelieveIhadbetterkeepoutofhiswayandmybrother-in-lawhimself,whoisallkindnessingeneral,lookedratherblackuponmewhenhefoundwhatIhadbeenat.” “Youcouldnotbeexpectedtohavethoughtonthesubjectbeforebutwhenyoudothinkofit,youmustseetheimportanceofgettinginthegrass.Thehireofacartatanytimemightnotbesoeasyasyousuppose:ourfarmersarenotinthehabitoflettingthemoutbut,inharvest,itmustbequiteoutoftheirpowertospareahorse.” “Ishallunderstandallyourwaysintimebut,comingdownwiththetrueLondonmaxim,thateverythingistobegotwithmoney,Iwasalittleembarrassedatfirstbythesturdyindependenceofyourcountrycustoms.However,Iamtohavemyharpfetchedto-morrow.Henry,whoisgood-natureitself,hasofferedtofetchitinhisbarouche.Willitnotbehonourablyconveyed?” Edmundspokeoftheharpashisfavouriteinstrument,andhopedtobesoonallowedtohearher.Fannyhadneverheardtheharpatall,andwishedforitverymuch. “Ishallbemosthappytoplaytoyouboth,”saidMissCrawford“atleastaslongasyoucanliketolisten:probablymuchlonger,forIdearlylovemusicmyself,andwherethenaturaltasteisequaltheplayermustalwaysbebestoff,forsheisgratifiedinmorewaysthanone.Now,Mr.Bertram,ifyouwritetoyourbrother,Ientreatyoutotellhimthatmyharpiscome:heheardsomuchofmymiseryaboutit.Andyoumaysay,ifyouplease,thatIshallpreparemymostplaintiveairsagainsthisreturn,incompassiontohisfeelings,asIknowhishorsewilllose.” “IfIwrite,IwillsaywhateveryouwishmebutIdonot,atpresent,foreseeanyoccasionforwriting.” “No,Idaresay,norifheweretobegoneatwelvemonth,wouldyoueverwritetohim,norhetoyou,ifitcouldbehelped.Theoccasionwouldneverbeforeseen.Whatstrangecreaturesbrothersare!Youwouldnotwritetoeachotherbutuponthemosturgentnecessityintheworldandwhenobligedtotakeupthepentosaythatsuchahorseisill,orsucharelationdead,itisdoneinthefewestpossiblewords.Youhavebutonestyleamongyou.Iknowitperfectly.Henry,whoisineveryotherrespectexactlywhatabrothershouldbe,wholovesme,consultsme,confidesinme,andwilltalktomebythehourtogether,hasneveryetturnedthepageinaletterandveryoftenitisnothingmorethan—‘DearMary,Iamjustarrived.Bathseemsfull,andeverythingasusual.Yourssincerely.’Thatisthetruemanlystylethatisacompletebrother’sletter.” “Whentheyareatadistancefromalltheirfamily,”saidFanny,colouringforWilliam’ssake,“theycanwritelongletters.” “MissPricehasabrotheratsea,”saidEdmund,“whoseexcellenceasacorrespondentmakesherthinkyoutoosevereuponus.” “Atsea,hasshe?Intheking’sservice,ofcourse?” FannywouldratherhavehadEdmundtellthestory,buthisdeterminedsilenceobligedhertorelateherbrother’ssituation:hervoicewasanimatedinspeakingofhisprofession,andtheforeignstationshehadbeenonbutshecouldnotmentionthenumberofyearsthathehadbeenabsentwithouttearsinhereyes.MissCrawfordcivillywishedhimanearlypromotion. “Doyouknowanythingofmycousin’scaptain?”saidEdmund“CaptainMarshall?Youhavealargeacquaintanceinthenavy,Iconclude?” “Amongadmirals,largeenoughbut,”withanairofgrandeur,“weknowverylittleoftheinferiorranks.Post-captainsmaybeverygoodsortofmen,buttheydonotbelongtous.OfvariousadmiralsIcouldtellyouagreatdeal:ofthemandtheirflags,andthegradationoftheirpay,andtheirbickeringsandjealousies.But,ingeneral,Icanassureyouthattheyareallpassedover,andallveryillused.Certainly,myhomeatmyuncle’sbroughtmeacquaintedwithacircleofadmirals.OfRearsandVices