CHAPTER VII

ongifshedid.Sheridesonlyforpleasureyouforhealth.” “Ishallnotrideto-morrow,certainly,”saidFanny“Ihavebeenoutveryoftenlately,andwouldratherstayathome.YouknowIamstrongenoughnowtowalkverywell.” Edmundlookedpleased,whichmustbeFanny’scomfort,andtheridetoMansfieldCommontookplacethenextmorning:thepartyincludedalltheyoungpeoplebutherself,andwasmuchenjoyedatthetime,anddoublyenjoyedagainintheeveningdiscussion.AsuccessfulschemeofthissortgenerallybringsonanotherandthehavingbeentoMansfieldCommondisposedthemallforgoingsomewhereelsethedayafter.Thereweremanyotherviewstobeshewnandthoughtheweatherwashot,therewereshadylaneswherevertheywantedtogo.Ayoungpartyisalwaysprovidedwithashadylane.Fourfinemorningssuccessivelywerespentinthismanner,inshewingtheCrawfordsthecountry,anddoingthehonoursofitsfinestspots.Everythinganswereditwasallgaietyandgood-humour,theheatonlysupplyinginconvenienceenoughtobetalkedofwithpleasure—tillthefourthday,whenthehappinessofoneofthepartywasexceedinglyclouded.MissBertramwastheone.EdmundandJuliawereinvitedtodineattheParsonage,andshewasexcluded.ItwasmeantanddonebyMrs.Grant,withperfectgood-humour,onMr.Rushworth’saccount,whowaspartlyexpectedattheParkthatdaybutitwasfeltasaverygrievousinjury,andhergoodmannerswereseverelytaxedtoconcealhervexationandangertillshereachedhome.AsMr.Rushworthdidnotcome,theinjurywasincreased,andshehadnoteventhereliefofshewingherpoweroverhimshecouldonlybesullentohermother,aunt,andcousin,andthrowasgreatagloomaspossibleovertheirdinneranddessert. BetweentenandelevenEdmundandJuliawalkedintothedrawing-room,freshwiththeeveningair,glowingandcheerful,theveryreverseofwhattheyfoundinthethreeladiessittingthere,forMariawouldscarcelyraisehereyesfromherbook,andLadyBertramwashalf-asleepandevenMrs.Norris,discomposedbyherniece’sill-humour,andhavingaskedoneortwoquestionsaboutthedinner,whichwerenotimmediatelyattendedto,seemedalmostdeterminedtosaynomore.Forafewminutesthebrotherandsisterweretooeagerintheirpraiseofthenightandtheirremarksonthestars,tothinkbeyondthemselvesbutwhenthefirstpausecame,Edmund,lookingaround,said,“ButwhereisFanny?Isshegonetobed?” “No,notthatIknowof,”repliedMrs.Norris“shewashereamomentago.” Herowngentlevoicespeakingfromtheotherendoftheroom,whichwasaverylongone,toldthemthatshewasonthesofa.Mrs.Norrisbeganscolding. “Thatisaveryfoolishtrick,Fanny,tobeidlingawayalltheeveninguponasofa.Whycannotyoucomeandsithere,andemployyourselfaswedo?Ifyouhavenoworkofyourown,Icansupplyyoufromthepoorbasket.Thereisallthenewcalico,thatwasboughtlastweek,nottouchedyet.IamsureIalmostbrokemybackbycuttingitout.Youshouldlearntothinkofotherpeopleand,takemywordforit,itisashockingtrickforayoungpersontobealwayslollinguponasofa.” Beforehalfthiswassaid,Fannywasreturnedtoherseatatthetable,andhadtakenupherworkagainandJulia,whowasinhighgood-humour,fromthepleasuresoftheday,didherthejusticeofexclaiming,“Imustsay,ma’am,thatFannyisaslittleuponthesofaasanybodyinthehouse.” “Fanny,”saidEdmund,afterlookingatherattentively,“Iamsureyouhavetheheadache.” Shecouldnotdenyit,butsaiditwasnotverybad. “Icanhardlybelieveyou,”hereplied“Iknowyourlookstoowell.Howlonghaveyouhadit?” “Sincealittlebeforedinner.Itisnothingbuttheheat.” “Didyougooutintheheat?” “Goout!tobesureshedid,”saidMrs.Norris:“wouldyouhaveherstaywithinsuchafinedayasthis?Werenotweallout?Evenyourmotherwasoutto-dayforaboveanhour.” “Yes,indeed,Edmund,”addedherladyship,whohadbeenthoroughlyawakenedbyMrs.Norris’ssharpreprimandtoFanny“Iwasoutaboveanhour.Isatthree-quartersofanhourintheflower-garden,whileFannycuttherosesandverypleasantitwas,Iassureyou,butveryhot.Itwasshadyenoughinthealcove,butIdeclareIquitedreadedthecominghomeagain.” “Fannyhasbeencuttingroses,hasshe?” “Yes,andIamafraidtheywillbethelastthisyear.Poorthing!