CHAPTER XIV

FannyseemednearerbeingrightthanEdmundhadsupposed.Thebusinessoffindingaplaythatwouldsuiteverybodyprovedtobenotrifleandthecarpenterhadreceivedhisordersandtakenhismeasurements,hadsuggestedandremovedatleasttwosetsofdifficulties,andhavingmadethenecessityofanenlargementofplanandexpensefullyevident,wasalreadyatwork,whileaplaywasstilltoseek.Otherpreparationswerealsoinhand.AnenormousrollofgreenbaizehadarrivedfromNorthampton,andbeencutoutbyMrs.Norris(withasavingbyhergoodmanagementoffullthree-quartersofayard),andwasactuallyformingintoacurtainbythehousemaids,andstilltheplaywaswantingandastwoorthreedayspassedawayinthismanner,Edmundbeganalmosttohopethatnonemighteverbefound. Therewere,infact,somanythingstobeattendedto,somanypeopletobepleased,somanybestcharactersrequired,and,aboveall,suchaneedthattheplayshouldbeatoncebothtragedyandcomedy,thattheredidseemaslittlechanceofadecisionasanythingpursuedbyyouthandzealcouldholdout. OnthetragicsideweretheMissBertrams,HenryCrawford,andMr.Yatesonthecomic,TomBertram,notquitealone,becauseitwasevidentthatMaryCrawford’swishes,thoughpolitelykeptback,inclinedthesameway:buthisdeterminatenessandhispowerseemedtomakealliesunnecessaryand,independentofthisgreatirreconcilabledifference,theywantedapiececontainingveryfewcharactersinthewhole,buteverycharacterfirst-rate,andthreeprincipalwomen.Allthebestplayswererunoverinvain.NeitherHamlet,norMacbeth,norOthello,norDouglas,norTheGamester,presentedanythingthatcouldsatisfyeventhetragediansandTheRivals,TheSchoolforScandal,WheelofFortune,HeiratLaw,andalongetcetera,weresuccessivelydismissedwithyetwarmerobjections.Nopiececouldbeproposedthatdidnotsupplysomebodywithadifficulty,andononesideortheotheritwasacontinualrepetitionof,“Ohno,thatwillneverdo!Letushavenorantingtragedies.Toomanycharacters.Notatolerablewoman’spartintheplay.Anythingbutthat,mydearTom.Itwouldbeimpossibletofillitup.Onecouldnotexpectanybodytotakesuchapart.Nothingbutbuffooneryfrombeginningtoend.Thatmightdo,perhaps,butforthelowparts.IfImustgivemyopinion,IhavealwaysthoughtitthemostinsipidplayintheEnglishlanguage.IdonotwishtomakeobjectionsIshallbehappytobeofanyuse,butIthinkwecouldnotchuseworse.” Fannylookedonandlistened,notunamusedtoobservetheselfishnesswhich,moreorlessdisguised,seemedtogovernthemall,andwonderinghowitwouldend.Forherowngratificationshecouldhavewishedthatsomethingmightbeacted,forshehadneverseenevenhalfaplay,buteverythingofhighercon