CHAPTER VII

eintoacanterandtoFanny’stimidnatureitwasmostastonishingtoseehowwellshesat.Afterafewminutestheystoppedentirely.Edmundwasclosetoherhewasspeakingtoherhewasevidentlydirectinghermanagementofthebridlehehadholdofherhandshesawit,ortheimaginationsuppliedwhattheeyecouldnotreach.ShemustnotwonderatallthiswhatcouldbemorenaturalthanthatEdmundshouldbemakinghimselfuseful,andprovinghisgood-naturebyanyone?Shecouldnotbutthink,indeed,thatMr.CrawfordmightaswellhavesavedhimthetroublethatitwouldhavebeenparticularlyproperandbecominginabrothertohavedoneithimselfbutMr.Crawford,withallhisboastedgood-nature,andallhiscoachmanship,probablyknewnothingofthematter,andhadnoactivekindnessincomparisonofEdmund.Shebegantothinkitratherharduponthemaretohavesuchdoubledutyifshewereforgotten,thepoormareshouldberemembered. Herfeelingsforoneandtheotherweresoonalittletranquillisedbyseeingthepartyinthemeadowdisperse,andMissCrawfordstillonhorseback,butattendedbyEdmundonfoot,passthroughagateintothelane,andsointothepark,andmaketowardsthespotwhereshestood.Shebeganthentobeafraidofappearingrudeandimpatientandwalkedtomeetthemwithagreatanxietytoavoidthesuspicion. “MydearMissPrice,”saidMissCrawford,assoonasshewasatallwithinhearing,“IamcometomakemyownapologiesforkeepingyouwaitingbutIhavenothingintheworldtosayformyself—Iknewitwasverylate,andthatIwasbehavingextremelyillandtherefore,ifyouplease,youmustforgiveme.Selfishnessmustalwaysbeforgiven,youknow,becausethereisnohopeofacure.” Fanny’sanswerwasextremelycivil,andEdmundaddedhisconvictionthatshecouldbeinnohurry.“Forthereismorethantimeenoughformycousintoridetwiceasfarassheevergoes,”saidhe,“andyouhavebeenpromotinghercomfortbypreventingherfromsettingoffhalfanhoursooner:cloudsarenowcomingup,andshewillnotsufferfromtheheatasshewouldhavedonethen.Iwishyoumaynotbefatiguedbysomuchexercise.Iwishyouhadsavedyourselfthiswalkhome.” “Nopartofitfatiguesmebutgettingoffthishorse,Iassureyou,”saidshe,asshesprangdownwithhishelp“Iamverystrong.NothingeverfatiguesmebutdoingwhatIdonotlike.MissPrice,IgivewaytoyouwithaverybadgracebutIsincerelyhopeyouwillhaveapleasantride,andthatImayhavenothingbutgoodtohearofthisdear,delightful,beautifulanimal.” Theoldcoachman,whohadbeenwaitingaboutwithhisownhorse,nowjoiningthem,Fannywasliftedonhers,andtheysetoffacrossanotherpartoftheparkherfeelingsofdiscomfortnotlightenedbyseeing,asshelookedback,thattheotherswerewalkingdownthehilltogethertothevillagenordidherattendantdohermuchgoodbyhiscommentsonMissCrawford’sgreatclevernessasahorse-woman,whichhehadbeenwatchingwithaninterestalmostequaltoherown. “Itisapleasuretoseealadywithsuchagoodheartforriding!”saidhe.“Ineverseeonesitahorsebetter.Shedidnotseemtohaveathoughtoffear.Verydifferentfromyou,miss,whenyoufirstbegan,sixyearsagocomenextEaster.Lordblessyou!howyoudidtremblewhenSirThomasfirsthadyouputon!” Inthedrawing-roomMissCrawfordwasalsocelebrated.HermeritinbeinggiftedbyNaturewithstrengthandcouragewasfullyappreciatedbytheMissBertramsherdelightinridingwasliketheirownherearlyexcellenceinitwasliketheirown,andtheyhadgreatpleasureinpraisingit. “Iwassureshewouldridewell,”saidJulia“shehasthemakeforit.Herfigureisasneatasherbrother’s.” “Yes,”addedMaria,“andherspiritsareasgood,andshehasthesameenergyofcharacter.Icannotbutthinkthatgoodhorsemanshiphasagreatdealtodowiththemind.” WhentheypartedatnightEdmundaskedFannywhethershemeanttoridethenextday. “No,Idonotknow—notifyouwantthemare,”washeranswer. “Idonotwantheratallformyself,”saidhe“butwheneveryouarenextinclinedtostayathome,IthinkMissCrawfordwouldbegladtohaveheralongertime—forawholemorning,inshort.ShehasagreatdesiretogetasfarasMansfieldCommon:Mrs.Granthasbeentellingherofitsfineviews,andIhavenodoubtofherbeingperfectlyequaltoit.Butanymorningwilldoforthis.Shewouldbeextremelysorrytointerferewithyou.Itwouldbeverywr