CHAPTER VII

Shefoundithotenoughbuttheyweresofull-blownthatonecouldnotwait.” “Therewasnohelpforit,certainly,”rejoinedMrs.Norris,inarathersoftenedvoice“butIquestionwhetherherheadachemightnotbecaughtthen,sister.ThereisnothingsolikelytogiveitasstandingandstoopinginahotsunbutIdaresayitwillbewellto-morrow.SupposeyouletherhaveyouraromaticvinegarIalwaysforgettohaveminefilled.” “Shehasgotit,”saidLadyBertram“shehashaditeversinceshecamebackfromyourhousethesecondtime.” “What!”criedEdmund“hasshebeenwalkingaswellascuttingroseswalkingacrossthehotparktoyourhouse,anddoingittwice,ma’am?Nowonderherheadaches.” Mrs.NorriswastalkingtoJulia,anddidnothear. “Iwasafraiditwouldbetoomuchforher,”saidLadyBertram“butwhentherosesweregathered,yourauntwishedtohavethem,andthenyouknowtheymustbetakenhome.” “Butwerethererosesenoughtoobligehertogotwice?” “Nobuttheyweretobeputintothespareroomtodryand,unluckily,Fannyforgottolockthedooroftheroomandbringawaythekey,soshewasobligedtogoagain.” Edmundgotupandwalkedabouttheroom,saying,“AndcouldnobodybeemployedonsuchanerrandbutFanny?Uponmyword,ma’am,ithasbeenaveryill-managedbusiness.” “IamsureIdonotknowhowitwastohavebeendonebetter,”criedMrs.Norris,unabletobelongerdeaf“unlessIhadgonemyself,indeedbutIcannotbeintwoplacesatonceandIwastalkingtoMr.Greenatthatverytimeaboutyourmother’sdairymaid,byherdesire,andhadpromisedJohnGroomtowritetoMrs.Jefferiesabouthisson,andthepoorfellowwaswaitingformehalfanhour.Ithinknobodycanjustlyaccusemeofsparingmyselfuponanyoccasion,butreallyIcannotdoeverythingatonce.AndasforFanny’sjuststeppingdowntomyhouseforme—itisnotmuchaboveaquarterofamile—IcannotthinkIwasunreasonabletoaskit.HowoftendoIpaceitthreetimesaday,earlyandlate,ay,andinallweatherstoo,andsaynothingaboutit?” “IwishFannyhadhalfyourstrength,ma’am.” “IfFannywouldbemoreregularinherexercise,shewouldnotbeknockedupsosoon.Shehasnotbeenoutonhorsebacknowthislongwhile,andIampersuadedthat,whenshedoesnotride,sheoughttowalk.Ifshehadbeenridingbefore,Ishouldnothaveaskeditofher.ButIthoughtitwouldratherdohergoodafterbeingstoopingamongtherosesforthereisnothingsorefreshingasawalkafterafatigueofthatkindandthoughthesunwasstrong,itwasnotsoveryhot.Betweenourselves,Edmund,”noddingsignificantlyathismother,“itwascuttingtheroses,anddawdlingaboutintheflower-garden,thatdidthemischief.” “Iamafraiditwas,indeed,”saidthemorecandidLadyBertram,whohadoverheardher“Iamverymuchafraidshecaughttheheadachethere,fortheheatwasenoughtokillanybody.ItwasasmuchasIcouldbearmyself.SittingandcallingtoPug,andtryingtokeephimfromtheflower-beds,wasalmosttoomuchforme.” Edmundsaidnomoretoeitherladybutgoingquietlytoanothertable,onwhichthesupper-trayyetremained,broughtaglassofMadeiratoFanny,andobligedhertodrinkthegreaterpart.Shewishedtobeabletodeclineitbutthetears,whichavarietyoffeelingscreated,madeiteasiertoswallowthantospeak. VexedasEdmundwaswithhismotherandaunt,hewasstillmoreangrywithhimself.Hisownforgetfulnessofherwasworsethananythingwhichtheyhaddone.Nothingofthiswouldhavehappenedhadshebeenproperlyconsideredbutshehadbeenleftfourdaystogetherwithoutanychoiceofcompanionsorexercise,andwithoutanyexcuseforavoidingwhateverherunreasonableauntsmightrequire.Hewasashamedtothinkthatforfourdaystogethershehadnothadthepowerofriding,andveryseriouslyresolved,howeverunwillinghemustbetocheckapleasureofMissCrawford’s,thatitshouldneverhappenagain. FannywenttobedwithherheartasfullasonthefirsteveningofherarrivalatthePark.Thestateofherspiritshadprobablyhaditsshareinherindispositionforshehadbeenfeelingneglected,andbeenstrugglingagainstdiscontentandenvyforsomedayspast.Assheleantonthesofa,towhichshehadretreatedthatshemightnotbeseen,thepainofhermindhadbeenmuchbeyondthatinherheadandthesuddenchangewhichEdmund’skindnesshadthenoccasioned,madeherhardlyknowhowtosupportherself.