CHAPTER XV
關燈
小
中
大
foundthattohaveendeavouredtosetthemrightmustbehisonlysatisfaction.
Dinnerpassedheavily.Mrs.NorrisrelatedagainhertriumphoverDickJackson,butneitherplaynorpreparationwereotherwisemuchtalkedof,forEdmund’sdisapprobationwasfeltevenbyhisbrother,thoughhewouldnothaveownedit.Maria,wantingHenryCrawford’sanimatingsupport,thoughtthesubjectbetteravoided.Mr.Yates,whowastryingtomakehimselfagreeabletoJulia,foundhergloomlessimpenetrableonanytopicthanthatofhisregretathersecessionfromtheircompanyandMr.Rushworth,havingonlyhisownpartandhisowndressinhishead,hadsoontalkedawayallthatcouldbesaidofeither.
Buttheconcernsofthetheatreweresuspendedonlyforanhourortwo:therewasstillagreatdealtobesettledandthespiritsofeveninggivingfreshcourage,Tom,Maria,andMr.Yates,soonaftertheirbeingreassembledinthedrawing-room,seatedthemselvesincommitteeataseparatetable,withtheplayopenbeforethem,andwerejustgettingdeepinthesubjectwhenamostwelcomeinterruptionwasgivenbytheentranceofMr.andMissCrawford,who,lateanddarkanddirtyasitwas,couldnothelpcoming,andwerereceivedwiththemostgratefuljoy.
“Well,howdoyougoon?”and“Whathaveyousettled?”and“Oh!wecandonothingwithoutyou,”followedthefirstsalutationsandHenryCrawfordwassoonseatedwiththeotherthreeatthetable,whilehissistermadeherwaytoLadyBertram,andwithpleasantattentionwascomplimentingher.“Imustreallycongratulateyourladyship,”saidshe,“ontheplaybeingchosenforthoughyouhaveborneitwithexemplarypatience,Iamsureyoumustbesickofallournoiseanddifficulties.Theactorsmaybeglad,butthebystandersmustbeinfinitelymorethankfulforadecisionandIdosincerelygiveyoujoy,madam,aswellasMrs.Norris,andeverybodyelsewhoisinthesamepredicament,”glancinghalffearfully,halfslyly,beyondFannytoEdmund.
ShewasverycivillyansweredbyLadyBertram,butEdmundsaidnothing.Hisbeingonlyabystanderwasnotdisclaimed.Aftercontinuinginchatwiththepartyroundthefireafewminutes,MissCrawfordreturnedtothepartyroundthetableandstandingbythem,seemedtointerestherselfintheirarrangementstill,asifstruckbyasuddenrecollection,sheexclaimed,“Mygoodfriends,youaremostcomposedlyatworkuponthesecottagesandalehouses,insideandoutbutprayletmeknowmyfateinthemeanwhile.WhoistobeAnhalt?WhatgentlemanamongyouamItohavethepleasureofmakingloveto?”
Foramomentnoonespokeandthenmanyspoketogethertotellthesamemelancholytruth,thattheyhadnotyetgotanyAnhalt.“Mr.RushworthwastobeCountCassel,butnoonehadyetundertakenAnhalt.”
“Ihadmychoiceoftheparts,”saidMr.Rushworth“butIthoughtIshouldliketheCountbest,thoughIdonotmuchrelishthefineryIamtohave.”
“Youchoseverywisely,Iamsure,”repliedMissCrawford,withabrightenedlook“Anhaltisaheavypart.”
“TheCounthastwo-and-fortyspeeches,”returnedMr.Rushworth,“whichisnotrifle.”
“Iamnotatallsurprised,”saidMissCrawford,afterashortpause,“atthiswantofanAnhalt.Ameliadeservesnobetter.Suchaforwardyoungladymaywellfrightenthemen.”
“Ishouldbebuttoohappyintakingthepart,ifitwerepossible,”criedTom“but,unluckily,theButlerandAnhaltareintogether.Iwillnotentirelygiveitup,howeverIwilltrywhatcanbedone—Iwilllookitoveragain.”
“Yourbrothershouldtakethepart,”saidMr.Yates,inalowvoice.“Donotyouthinkhewould?”
“Ishallnotaskhim,”repliedTom,inacold,determinedmanner.
MissCrawfordtalkedofsomethingelse,andsoonafterwardsrejoinedthepartyatthefire.
“Theydonotwantmeatall,”saidshe,seatingherself.“Ionlypuzzlethem,andobligethemtomakecivilspeeches.Mr.EdmundBertram,asyoudonotactyourself,youwillbeadisinterestedadviserand,therefore,Iapplytoyou.WhatshallwedoforanAnhalt?Isitpracticableforanyoftheotherstodoubleit?Whatisyouradvice?”
“Mya
