CHAPTER X

ps,ifyouhadbeeninmyplace,butyoualwayscontrivetokeepoutofthesescrapes.” Thiswasamostunjustreflection,butFannycouldallowforit,andletitpass:Juliawasvexed,andhertemperwashastybutshefeltthatitwouldnotlast,andtherefore,takingnonotice,onlyaskedherifshehadnotseenMr.Rushworth. “Yes,yes,wesawhim.Hewaspostingawayasifuponlifeanddeath,andcouldbutjustsparetimetotellushiserrand,andwhereyouallwere.” “Itisapityheshouldhavesomuchtroublefornothing.” “ThatisMissMaria’sconcern.Iamnotobligedtopunishmyselfforhersins.ThemotherIcouldnotavoid,aslongasmytiresomeauntwasdancingaboutwiththehousekeeper,butthesonIcangetawayfrom.” Andsheimmediatelyscrambledacrossthefence,andwalkedaway,notattendingtoFanny’slastquestionofwhethershehadseenanythingofMissCrawfordandEdmund.ThesortofdreadinwhichFannynowsatofseeingMr.Rushworthpreventedherthinkingsomuchoftheircontinuedabsence,however,asshemighthavedone.Shefeltthathehadbeenveryill-used,andwasquiteunhappyinhavingtocommunicatewhathadpassed.HejoinedherwithinfiveminutesafterJulia’sexitandthoughshemadethebestofthestory,hewasevidentlymortifiedanddispleasedinnocommondegree.Atfirsthescarcelysaidanythinghislooksonlyexpressedhisextremesurpriseandvexation,andhewalkedtothegateandstoodthere,withoutseemingtoknowwhattodo. “Theydesiredmetostay—mycousinMariachargedmetosaythatyouwouldfindthematthatknoll,orthereabouts.” “IdonotbelieveIshallgoanyfarther,”saidhesullenly“Iseenothingofthem.BythetimeIgettotheknolltheymaybegonesomewhereelse.Ihavehadwalkingenough.” AndhesatdownwithamostgloomycountenancebyFanny. “Iamverysorry,”saidshe“itisveryunlucky.”Andshelongedtobeabletosaysomethingmoretothepurpose. Afteranintervalofsilence,“Ithinktheymightaswellhavestaidforme,”saidhe. “MissBertramthoughtyouwouldfollowher.” “Ishouldnothavehadtofollowherifshehadstaid.” Thiscouldnotbedenied,andFannywassilenced.Afteranotherpause,hewenton—“Pray,MissPrice,areyousuchagreatadmirerofthisMr.Crawfordassomepeopleare?Formypart,Icanseenothinginhim.” “Idonotthinkhimatallhandsome.” “Handsome!Nobodycancallsuchanundersizedmanhandsome.Heisnotfivefootnine.Ishouldnotwonderifheisnotmorethanfivefooteight.Ithinkheisanill-lookingfellow.Inmyopinion,theseCrawfordsarenoadditionatall.Wedidverywellwithoutthem.” AsmallsighescapedFannyhere,andshedidnotknowhowtocontradicthim. “IfIhadmadeanydifficultyaboutfetchingthekey,theremighthavebeensomeexcuse,butIwenttheverymomentshesaidshewantedit.” “Nothingcouldbemoreobligingthanyourmanner,Iamsure,andIdaresayyouwalkedasfastasyoucouldbutstillitissomedistance,youknow,fromthisspottothehouse,quiteintothehouseandwhenpeoplearewaiting,theyarebadjudgesoftime,andeveryhalfminuteseemslikefive.” Hegotupandwalkedtothegateagain,and“wishedhehadhadthekeyabouthimatthetime.”Fannythoughtshediscernedinhisstandingthereanindicationofrelenting,whichencouragedhertoanotherattempt,andshesaid,therefore,“Itisapityyoushouldnotjointhem.Theyexpectedtohaveabetterviewofthehousefromthatpartofthepark,andwillbethinkinghowitmaybe