CHAPTER XVIII

tlegirlstositandkicktheirfeetagainstwhentheyarelearningalesson.Whatwouldyourgovernessandyourunclesaytoseethemusedforsuchapurpose?CouldSirThomaslookinuponusjustnow,hewouldblesshimself,forwearerehearsingalloverthehouse.Yatesisstormingawayinthedining-room.IheardhimasIcameupstairs,andthetheatreisengagedofcoursebythoseindefatigablerehearsers,AgathaandFrederick.Iftheyarenotperfect,Ishallbesurprised.Bythebye,Ilookedinuponthemfiveminutesago,andithappenedtobeexactlyatoneofthetimeswhentheyweretryingnottoembrace,andMr.Rushworthwaswithme.Ithoughthebegantolookalittlequeer,soIturneditoffaswellasIcould,bywhisperingtohim,‘WeshallhaveanexcellentAgathathereissomethingsomaternalinhermanner,socompletelymaternalinhervoiceandcountenance.’Wasnotthatwelldoneofme?Hebrightenedupdirectly.Nowformysoliloquy.” Shebegan,andFannyjoinedinwithallthemodestfeelingwhichtheideaofrepresentingEdmundwassostronglycalculatedtoinspirebutwithlooksandvoicesotrulyfeminineastobenoverygoodpictureofaman.WithsuchanAnhalt,however,MissCrawfordhadcourageenoughandtheyhadgotthroughhalfthescene,whenatapatthedoorbroughtapause,andtheentranceofEdmund,thenextmoment,suspendeditall. Surprise,consciousness,andpleasureappearedineachofthethreeonthisunexpectedmeetingandasEdmundwascomeontheverysamebusinessthathadbroughtMissCrawford,consciousnessandpleasurewerelikelytobemorethanmomentaryinthem.Hetoohadhisbook,andwasseekingFanny,toaskhertorehearsewithhim,andhelphimtopreparefortheevening,withoutknowingMissCrawfordtobeinthehouseandgreatwasthejoyandanimationofbeingthusthrowntogether,ofcomparingschemes,andsympathisinginpraiseofFanny’skindoffices. Shecouldnotequalthemintheirwarmth.Herspiritssankundertheglowoftheirs,andshefeltherselfbecomingtoonearlynothingtobothtohaveanycomfortinhavingbeensoughtbyeither.Theymustnowrehearsetogether.Edmundproposed,urged,entreatedit,tillthelady,notveryunwillingatfirst,couldrefusenolonger,andFannywaswantedonlytopromptandobservethem.Shewasinvested,indeed,withtheofficeofjudgeandcritic,andearnestlydesiredtoexerciseitandtellthemalltheirfaultsbutfromdoingsoeveryfeelingwithinhershrank—shecouldnot,wouldnot,darednotattemptit:hadshebeenotherwisequalifiedforcriticism,herconsciencemusthaverestrainedherfromventuringatdisapprobation.Shebelievedherselftofeeltoomuchofitintheaggregateforhonestyorsafetyinparticulars.Topromptthemmustbeenoughforheranditwassometimesmorethanenoughforshecouldnotalwayspayattentiontothebook.Inwatchingthemsheforgotherselfand,agitatedbytheincreasingspiritofEdmund’smanner,hadonceclosedthepageandturnedawayexactlyashewantedhelp.Itwasimputedtoveryreasonableweariness,andshewasthankedandpitiedbutshedeservedtheirpitymorethanshehopedtheywouldeversurmise.Atlastthescenewasover,andFannyforcedherselftoaddherpraisetothecomplimentseachwasgivingtheotherandwhenagainaloneandabletorecallthew