CHAPTER XVI

thereneverbeingafireinitonFanny’saccount,wastolerablyresignedtoherhavingtheuseofwhatnobodyelsewanted,thoughthetermsinwhichshesometimesspokeoftheindulgenceseemedtoimplythatitwasthebestroominthehouse. TheaspectwassofavourablethatevenwithoutafireitwashabitableinmanyanearlyspringandlateautumnmorningtosuchawillingmindasFanny’sandwhiletherewasagleamofsunshineshehopednottobedrivenfromitentirely,evenwhenwintercame.Thecomfortofitinherhoursofleisurewasextreme.Shecouldgothereafteranythingunpleasantbelow,andfindimmediateconsolationinsomepursuit,orsometrainofthoughtathand.Herplants,herbooks—ofwhichshehadbeenacollectorfromthefirsthourofhercommandingashilling—herwriting-desk,andherworksofcharityandingenuity,wereallwithinherreachorifindisposedforemployment,ifnothingbutmusingwoulddo,shecouldscarcelyseeanobjectinthatroomwhichhadnotaninterestingremembranceconnectedwithit.Everythingwasafriend,orboreherthoughtstoafriendandthoughtherehadbeensometimesmuchofsufferingtoherthoughhermotiveshadoftenbeenmisunderstood,herfeelingsdisregarded,andhercomprehensionundervaluedthoughshehadknownthepainsoftyranny,ofridicule,andneglect,yetalmosteveryrecurrenceofeitherhadledtosomethingconsolatory:herauntBertramhadspokenforher,orMissLeehadbeenencouraging,or,whatwasyetmorefrequentormoredear,Edmundhadbeenherchampionandherfriend:hehadsupportedhercauseorexplainedhermeaning,hehadtoldhernottocry,orhadgivenhersomeproofofaffectionwhichmadehertearsdelightfulandthewholewasnowsoblendedtogether,soharmonisedbydistance,thateveryformerafflictionhaditscharm.Theroomwasmostdeartoher,andshewouldnothavechangeditsfurnitureforthehandsomestinthehouse,thoughwhathadbeenoriginallyplainhadsufferedalltheill-usageofchildrenanditsgreatesteleganciesandornamentswereafadedfootstoolofJulia’swork,tooilldoneforthedrawing-room,threetransparencies,madeinaragefortransparencies,forthethreelowerpanesofonewindow,whereTinternAbbeyhelditsstationbetweenacaveinItalyandamoonlightlakeinCumberland,acollectionoffamilyprofiles,thoughtunworthyofbeinganywhereelse,overthemantelpiece,andbytheirside,andpinnedagainstthewall,asmallsketchofashipsentfouryearsagofromtheMediterraneanbyWilliam,withH.M.S.Antwerpatthebottom,inlettersastallasthemainmast. TothisnestofcomfortsFannynowwalkeddowntotryitsinfluenceonanagitated