CHAPTER XX

expressionsorhisair?Hewasgoing,and,ifnotvoluntarilygoing,voluntarilyintendingtostayawayfor,exceptingwhatmightbeduetohisuncle,hisengagementswereallself-imposed.Hemighttalkofnecessity,butsheknewhisindependence.Thehandwhichhadsopressedherstohisheart!thehandandtheheartwerealikemotionlessandpassivenow!Herspiritsupportedher,buttheagonyofhermindwassevere.Shehadnotlongtoendurewhatarosefromlisteningtolanguagewhichhisactionscontradicted,ortoburythetumultofherfeelingsundertherestraintofsocietyforgeneralcivilitiessooncalledhisnoticefromher,andthefarewellvisit,asitthenbecameopenlyacknowledged,wasaveryshortone.Hewasgone—hehadtouchedherhandforthelasttime,hehadmadehispartingbow,andshemightseekdirectlyallthatsolitudecoulddoforher.HenryCrawfordwasgone,gonefromthehouse,andwithintwohoursafterwardsfromtheparishandsoendedallthehopeshisselfishvanityhadraisedinMariaandJuliaBertram. Juliacouldrejoicethathewasgone.HispresencewasbeginningtobeodioustoherandifMariagainedhimnot,shewasnowcoolenoughtodispensewithanyotherrevenge.Shedidnotwantexposuretobeaddedtodesertion.HenryCrawfordgone,shecouldevenpityhersister. WithapurerspiritdidFannyrejoiceintheintelligence.Shehearditatdinner,andfeltitablessing.Byalltheothersitwasmentionedwithregretandhismeritshonouredwithduegradationoffeeling—fromthesincerityofEdmund’stoopartialregard,totheunconcernofhismotherspeakingentirelybyrote.Mrs.Norrisbegantolookabouther,andwonderthathisfallinginlovewithJuliahadcometonothingandcouldalmostfearthatshehadbeenremissherselfinforwardingitbutwithsomanytocarefor,howwasitpossibleforevenheractivitytokeeppacewithherwishes? Anotherdayortwo,andMr.Yateswasgonelikewise.InhisdepartureSirThomasfeltthechiefinterest:wantingtobealonewithhisfamily,thepresenceofastrangersuperiortoMr.Yatesmusthavebeenirksomebutofhim,triflingandconfident,idleandexpensive,itwaseverywayvexatious.Inhimselfhewaswearisome,butasthefriendofTomandtheadmirerofJuliahebecameoffensive.SirThomashadbeenquiteindifferenttoMr.Crawford’sgoingorstaying:buthisgoodwishesforMr.Yates’shavingapleasantjourney,ashewalkedwithhimtothehall-door,weregivenwithgenuinesatisfaction.Mr.YateshadstaidtoseethedestructionofeverytheatricalpreparationatMansfield,theremovalofeverythingappertainingtotheplay:heleftthehouseinallthesobernessofitsgeneralcharacterandSirThomashoped,inseeinghimoutofit,toberidoftheworstobjectconnectedwiththescheme,andthelastthatmustbeinevitablyremindinghimofitsexistence. Mrs.Norriscontrivedtoremoveonearticlefromhissightthatmighthavedistressedhim.Thecurtain,overwhichshehadpresidedwithsuchtalentandsuchsuccess,wentoffwithhertohercottage,whereshehappenedtobeparticularlyinwantofgreenbaize.