CHAPTER XVIII

hole,shewasinclinedtobelievetheirperformancewould,indeed,havesuchnatureandfeelinginitasmustensuretheircredit,andmakeitaverysufferingexhibitiontoherself.Whatevermightbeitseffect,however,shemuststandthebruntofitagainthatveryday. Thefirstregularrehearsalofthethreefirstactswascertainlytotakeplaceintheevening:Mrs.GrantandtheCrawfordswereengagedtoreturnforthatpurposeassoonastheycouldafterdinnerandeveryoneconcernedwaslookingforwardwitheagerness.Thereseemedageneraldiffusionofcheerfulnessontheoccasion.TomwasenjoyingsuchanadvancetowardstheendEdmundwasinspiritsfromthemorning’srehearsal,andlittlevexationsseemedeverywheresmoothedaway.Allwerealertandimpatienttheladiesmovedsoon,thegentlemensoonfollowedthem,andwiththeexceptionofLadyBertram,Mrs.Norris,andJulia,everybodywasinthetheatreatanearlyhourandhavinglighteditupaswellasitsunfinishedstateadmitted,werewaitingonlythearrivalofMrs.GrantandtheCrawfordstobegin. TheydidnotwaitlongfortheCrawfords,buttherewasnoMrs.Grant.Shecouldnotcome.Dr.Grant,professinganindisposition,forwhichhehadlittlecreditwithhisfairsister-in-law,couldnotsparehiswife. “Dr.Grantisill,”saidshe,withmocksolemnity.“Hehasbeenilleversincehedidnoteatanyofthepheasanttoday.Hefanciedittough,sentawayhisplate,andhasbeensufferingeversince”. Herewasdisappointment!Mrs.Grant’snon-attendancewassadindeed.Herpleasantmannersandcheerfulconformitymadeheralwaysvaluableamongstthembutnowshewasabsolutelynecessary.Theycouldnotact,theycouldnotrehearsewithanysatisfactionwithouther.Thecomfortofthewholeeveningwasdestroyed.Whatwastobedone?Tom,asCottager,wasindespair.Afterapauseofperplexity,someeyesbegantobeturnedtowardsFanny,andavoiceortwotosay,“IfMissPricewouldbesogoodastoreadthepart.”ShewasimmediatelysurroundedbysupplicationseverybodyaskeditevenEdmundsaid,“Do,Fanny,ifitisnotverydisagreeabletoyou.” ButFannystillhungback.Shecouldnotenduretheideaofit.WhywasnotMissCrawfordtobeappliedtoaswell?Orwhyhadnotsherathergonetoherownroom,asshehadfelttobesafest,insteadofattendingtherehearsalatall?Shehadknownitwouldirritateanddistresshershehadknownitherdutytokeepaway.Shewasproperlypunished. “Youhaveonlytoreadthepart,”saidHenryCrawford,withrenewedentreaty. “AndIdobelieveshecansayeverywordofit,”addedMaria,“forshecouldputMrs.Grantrighttheotherdayintwentyplaces.Fanny,Iamsureyouknowthepart.” Fannycouldnotsayshedidnotandastheyallpersevered,asEdmundrepeatedhiswish,andwithalookofevenfonddependenceonhergood-nature,shemustyield.Shewoulddoherbest.Everybodywassatisfiedandshewaslefttothetremorsofamostpalpitatingheart,whiletheotherspreparedtobegin. Theydidbeginandbeingtoomuchengagedintheirownnoisetobestruckbyanunusualnoiseintheotherpartofthehouse,hadproceededsomewaywhenthedooroftheroomwasthrownopen,andJulia,appearingatit,withafaceallaghast,exclaimed,“Myfatheriscome!Heisinthehallatthismoment.”