CHAPTER XIX

fouracting,”saidTom,afteramoment’sthought.“MyfriendYatesbroughttheinfectionfromEcclesford,anditspread—asthosethingsalwaysspread,youknow,sir—thefaster,probably,fromyourhavingsooftenencouragedthesortofthinginusformerly.Itwasliketreadingoldgroundagain.” Mr.Yatestookthesubjectfromhisfriendassoonaspossible,andimmediatelygaveSirThomasanaccountofwhattheyhaddoneandweredoing:toldhimofthegradualincreaseoftheirviews,thehappyconclusionoftheirfirstdifficulties,andpresentpromisingstateofaffairsrelatingeverythingwithsoblindaninterestasmadehimnotonlytotallyunconsciousoftheuneasymovementsofmanyofhisfriendsastheysat,thechangeofcountenance,thefidget,thehem!ofunquietness,butpreventedhimevenfromseeingtheexpressionofthefaceonwhichhisowneyeswerefixed—fromseeingSirThomas’sdarkbrowcontractashelookedwithinquiringearnestnessathisdaughtersandEdmund,dwellingparticularlyonthelatter,andspeakingalanguage,aremonstrance,areproof,whichhefeltathisheart.NotlessacutelywasitfeltbyFanny,whohadedgedbackherchairbehindheraunt’sendofthesofa,and,screenedfromnoticeherself,sawallthatwaspassingbeforeher.SuchalookofreproachatEdmundfromhisfathershecouldneverhaveexpectedtowitnessandtofeelthatitwasinanydegreedeservedwasanaggravationindeed.SirThomas’slookimplied,“Onyourjudgment,Edmund,Idependedwhathaveyoubeenabout?”Shekneltinspirittoheruncle,andherbosomswelledtoutter,“Oh,nottohim!Looksotoalltheothers,butnottohim!” Mr.Yateswasstilltalking.“Toownthetruth,SirThomas,wewereinthemiddleofarehearsalwhenyouarrivedthisevening.Weweregoingthroughthethreefirstacts,andnotunsuccessfullyuponthewhole.Ourcompanyisnowsodispersed,fromtheCrawfordsbeinggonehome,thatnothingmorecanbedoneto-nightbutifyouwillgiveusthehonourofyourcompanyto-morrowevening,Ishouldnotbeafraidoftheresult.Webespeakyourindulgence,youunderstand,asyoungperformerswebespeakyourindulgence.” “Myindulgenceshallbegiven,sir,”repliedSirThomasgravely,“butwithoutanyotherrehearsal.”Andwitharelentingsmile,headded,“Icomehometobehappyandindulgent.”Thenturningawaytowardsanyoralloftherest,hetranquillysaid,“Mr.andMissCrawfordwerementionedinmylastlettersfromMansfield.Doyoufindthemagreeableacquaintance?” Tomwastheonlyoneatallreadywithananswer,buthebeingentirelywithoutparticularregardforeither,withoutjealousyeitherinloveoracting,couldspeakveryhandsomelyofboth.“Mr.Crawfordwasamostpleasant,gentleman-likemanhissisterasweet,pretty,elegant,livelygirl.” Mr.Rushworthcouldbesilentnolonger.“Idonotsayheisnotgentleman-like,consideringbutyoushouldtellyourfatherheisnotabovefivefeeteight,orhewillbeexpectingawell-lookingman.” SirThomasdidnotquiteunderstandthis,andlookedwithsomesurpriseatthespeaker. “IfImustsaywhatIthink,”continuedMr.Rushworth,“inmyopinionitisverydisagreeabletobealwaysrehearsing.Itishavingtoomuchofagoodthing.IamnotsofondofactingasIwasatfirst.Ithinkweareagreatdealbetteremployed,sittingcomfortablyhereamongourselves,anddoingnothing.” SirThomaslookedagain,andthenrepliedwithanapprovingsmile,“Iamhappytofindoursentimentsonthissubjectsomuchthesame.Itgivesmesinceresatisfaction.ThatIshouldbecautiousandquick-sighted,andfeelmanyscrupleswhichmychildrendonotfeel,isperfectlynaturalandequallysothatmyvaluefordomestictranquillity,forahomewhichshutsoutnoisypleasures,shouldmuchexceedtheirs.Butatyourtimeoflifetofeelallthis,isamostfavourablecircumstanceforyourself,andforeverybodyconnectedwithyouandIamsensibleoftheimportanceofhavinganallyofsuchweight.” SirThomasmeanttobegivingMr.Rushworth’sopinioninbetterwordsthanhecouldfindhimself.HewasawarethathemustnotexpectageniusinMr.Rushworthbutasawell-judging,steadyyoungman,withbetternotionsthanhiselocutionwoulddojusticeto,heintendedtovaluehimveryhighly.Itwasimpossibleformanyoftheothersnottosmile.Mr.Rushworthhardlyknewwhattodowithsomuchmeaningbutbylooking,ashereallyfelt,mostexceedinglypleasedwithSirThomas’sgoodopinion,andsayingscarcelyanything,hedidhisbesttowardspreservingthatgoodopinionalittlelonger.