CHAPTER XVI
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nswerhim.
“ItisnotatallwhatIlike,”hecontinued.“Nomancanlikebeingdrivenintotheappearanceofsuchinconsistency.Afterbeingknowntoopposetheschemefromthebeginning,thereisabsurdityinthefaceofmyjoiningthemnow,whentheyareexceedingtheirfirstplanineveryrespectbutIcanthinkofnootheralternative.Canyou,Fanny?”
“No,”saidFannyslowly,“notimmediately,but—”
“Butwhat?Iseeyourjudgmentisnotwithme.Thinkitalittleover.PerhapsyouarenotsomuchawareasIamofthemischiefthatmay,oftheunpleasantnessthatmustarisefromayoungman’sbeingreceivedinthismanner:domesticatedamongusauthorisedtocomeatallhours,andplacedsuddenlyonafootingwhichmustdoawayallrestraints.Tothinkonlyofthelicencewhicheveryrehearsalmusttendtocreate.Itisallverybad!PutyourselfinMissCrawford’splace,Fanny.ConsiderwhatitwouldbetoactAmeliawithastranger.Shehasarighttobefeltfor,becausesheevidentlyfeelsforherself.Iheardenoughofwhatshesaidtoyoulastnighttounderstandherunwillingnesstobeactingwithastrangerandassheprobablyengagedinthepartwithdifferentexpectations—perhapswithoutconsideringthesubjectenoughtoknowwhatwaslikelytobe—itwouldbeungenerous,itwouldbereallywrongtoexposehertoit.Herfeelingsoughttoberespected.Doesitnotstrikeyouso,Fanny?Youhesitate.”
“IamsorryforMissCrawfordbutIammoresorrytoseeyoudrawnintodowhatyouhadresolvedagainst,andwhatyouareknowntothinkwillbedisagreeabletomyuncle.Itwillbesuchatriumphtotheothers!”
“TheywillnothavemuchcauseoftriumphwhentheyseehowinfamouslyIact.But,however,triumphtherecertainlywillbe,andImustbraveit.ButifIcanbethemeansofrestrainingthepublicityofthebusiness,oflimitingtheexhibition,ofconcentratingourfolly,Ishallbewellrepaid.AsIamnow,Ihavenoinfluence,Icandonothing:Ihaveoffendedthem,andtheywillnothearmebutwhenIhaveputthemingood-humourbythisconcession,Iamnotwithouthopesofpersuadingthemtoconfinetherepresentationwithinamuchsmallercirclethantheyarenowinthehighroadfor.Thiswillbeamaterialgain.MyobjectistoconfineittoMrs.RushworthandtheGrants.Willnotthisbeworthgaining?”
“Yes,itwillbeagreatpoint.”
“Butstillithasnotyourapprobation.CanyoumentionanyothermeasurebywhichIhaveachanceofdoingequalgood?”
“No,Icannotthinkofanythingelse.”
“Givemeyourapprobation,then,Fanny.Iamnotcomfortablewithoutit.”
“Oh,cousin!”
“Ifyouareagainstme,Iought
