CHAPTER VII

agooddealinloveandtothecreditoftheladyitmaybeaddedthat,withouthisbeingamanoftheworldoranelderbrother,withoutanyoftheartsofflatteryorthegaietiesofsmalltalk,hebegantobeagreeabletoher.Shefeltittobeso,thoughshehadnotforeseen,andcouldhardlyunderstanditforhewasnotpleasantbyanycommonrule:hetalkednononsensehepaidnocomplimentshisopinionswereunbending,hisattentionstranquilandsimple.Therewasacharm,perhaps,inhissincerity,hissteadiness,hisintegrity,whichMissCrawfordmightbeequaltofeel,thoughnotequaltodiscusswithherself.Shedidnotthinkverymuchaboutit,however:hepleasedherforthepresentshelikedtohavehimnearheritwasenough. FannycouldnotwonderthatEdmundwasattheParsonageeverymorningshewouldgladlyhavebeentheretoo,mightshehavegoneinuninvitedandunnoticed,toheartheharpneithercouldshewonderthat,whentheeveningstrollwasover,andthetwofamiliespartedagain,heshouldthinkitrighttoattendMrs.Grantandhersistertotheirhome,whileMr.CrawfordwasdevotedtotheladiesoftheParkbutshethoughtitaverybadexchangeandifEdmundwerenottheretomixthewineandwaterforher,wouldrathergowithoutitthannot.ShewasalittlesurprisedthathecouldspendsomanyhourswithMissCrawford,andnotseemoreofthesortoffaultwhichhehadalreadyobserved,andofwhichshewasalmostalwaysremindedbyasomethingofthesamenaturewhenevershewasinhercompanybutsoitwas.EdmundwasfondofspeakingtoherofMissCrawford,butheseemedtothinkitenoughthattheAdmiralhadsincebeensparedandshescrupledtopointoutherownremarkstohim,lestitshouldappearlikeill-nature.ThefirstactualpainwhichMissCrawfordoccasionedherwastheconsequenceofaninclinationtolearntoride,whichtheformercaught,soonafterherbeingsettledatMansfield,fromtheexampleoftheyoungladiesatthePark,andwhich,whenEdmund’sacquaintancewithherincreased,ledtohisencouragingthewish,andtheofferofhisownquietmareforthepurposeofherfirstattempts,asthebestfittedforabeginnerthateitherstablecouldfurnish.Nopain,noinjury,however,wasdesignedbyhimtohiscousininthisoffer:shewasnottoloseaday’sexercisebyit.ThemarewasonlytobetakendowntotheParsonagehalfanhourbeforeherrideweretobeginandFanny,onitsbeingfirstproposed,sofarfromfeelingslighted,wasalmostover-poweredwithgratitudethatheshouldbeaskingherleaveforit. MissCrawfordmadeherfirstessaywithgreatcredittoherself,andnoinconveniencetoFanny.Edmund,whohadtakendownthemareandpresidedatthewhole,returnedwithitinexcellenttime,beforeeitherFannyorthesteadyoldcoachman,whoalwaysattendedherwhensherodewithouthercousins,werereadytosetforward.Thesecondday’strialwasnotsoguiltless.MissCrawford’senjoymentofridingwassuchthatshedidnotknowhowtoleaveoff.Activeandfearless,andthoughrathersmall,stronglymade,sheseemedformedforahorsewomanandtothepuregenuinepleasureoftheexercise,somethingwasprobablyaddedinEdmund’sattendanceandinstructions,andsomethingmoreintheconvictionofverymuchsurpassinghersexingeneralbyherearlyprogress,tomakeherunwillingtodismount.Fannywasreadyandwaiting,andMrs.Norriswasbeginningtoscoldherfornotbeinggone,andstillnohorsewasannounced,noEdmundappeared.Toavoidheraunt,andlookforhim,shewentout. Thehouses,thoughscarcelyhalfamileapart,werenotwithinsightofeachotherbut,bywalkingfiftyyardsfromthehalldoor,shecouldlookdownthepark,andcommandaviewoftheParsonageandallitsdemesnes,gentlyrisingbeyondthevillageroadandinDr.Grant’smeadowsheimmediatelysawthegroup—EdmundandMissCrawfordbothonhorse-back,ridingsidebyside,Dr.andMrs.Grant,andMr.Crawford,withtwoorthreegrooms,standingaboutandlookingon.Ahappypartyitappearedtoher,allinterestedinoneobject:cheerfulbeyondadoubt,forthesoundofmerrimentascendedeventoher.ItwasasoundwhichdidnotmakehercheerfulshewonderedthatEdmundshouldforgether,andfeltapang.Shecouldnotturnhereyesfromthemeadowshecouldnothelpwatchingallthatpassed.AtfirstMissCrawfordandhercompanionmadethecircuitofthefield,whichwasnotsmall,atafoot’spacethen,atherapparentsuggestion,theyros