CHAPTER XII

Ifancy.Ifyoulookatthemyoumayseetheyaresomanycoupleoflovers—allbutYatesandMrs.Grant—and,betweenourselves,she,poorwoman,mustwantaloverasmuchasanyoneofthem.Adesperatedulllifehersmustbewiththedoctor,”makingaslyfaceashespoketowardsthechairofthelatter,whoproving,however,tobecloseathiselbow,madesoinstantaneousachangeofexpressionandsubjectnecessary,asFanny,inspiteofeverything,couldhardlyhelplaughingat.“AstrangebusinessthisinAmerica,Dr.Grant!Whatisyouropinion?IalwayscometoyoutoknowwhatIamtothinkofpublicmatters.” “MydearTom,”criedhisauntsoonafterwards,“asyouarenotdancing,Idaresayyouwillhavenoobjectiontojoinusinarubbershallyou?”Thenleavingherseat,andcomingtohimtoenforcetheproposal,addedinawhisper,“WewanttomakeatableforMrs.Rushworth,youknow.Yourmotherisquiteanxiousaboutit,butcannotverywellsparetimetositdownherself,becauseofherfringe.Now,youandIandDr.Grantwilljustdoandthoughweplaybuthalf-crowns,youknow,youmaybethalf-guineaswithhim.” “Ishouldbemosthappy,”repliedhealoud,andjumpingupwithalacrity,“itwouldgivemethegreatestpleasurebutthatIamthismomentgoingtodance.Come,Fanny,”takingherhand,“donotbedawdlinganylonger,orthedancewillbeover.” Fannywasledoffverywillingly,thoughitwasimpossibleforhertofeelmuchgratitudetowardshercousin,ordistinguish,ashecertainlydid,betweentheselfishnessofanotherpersonandhisown. “Aprettymodestrequestuponmyword,”heindignantlyexclaimedastheywalkedaway.“Towanttonailmetoacard-tableforthenexttwohourswithherselfandDr.Grant,whoarealwaysquarrelling,andthatpokingoldwoman,whoknowsnomoreofwhistthanofalgebra.Iwishmygoodauntwouldbealittlelessbusy!Andtoaskmeinsuchawaytoo!withoutceremony,beforethemall,soastoleavemenopossibilityofrefusing.ThatiswhatIdislikemostparticularly.Itraisesmyspleenmorethananything,tohavethepretenceofbeingasked,ofbeinggivenachoice,andatthesametimeaddressedinsuchawayastoobligeonetodotheverything,whateveritbe!IfIhadnotluckilythoughtofstandingupwithyouIcouldnothavegotoutofit.Itisagreatdealtoobad.Butwhenmyaunthasgotafancyinherhead,nothingcanstopher.”