CHAPTER XXI

SirThomas’sreturnmadeastrikingchangeinthewaysofthefamily,independentofLovers’Vows.Underhisgovernment,Mansfieldwasanalteredplace.Somemembersoftheirsocietysentaway,andthespiritsofmanyotherssaddened—itwasallsamenessandgloomcomparedwiththepast—asombrefamilypartyrarelyenlivened.TherewaslittleintercoursewiththeParsonage.SirThomas,drawingbackfromintimaciesingeneral,wasparticularlydisinclined,atthistime,foranyengagementsbutinonequarter.TheRushworthsweretheonlyadditiontohisowndomesticcirclewhichhecouldsolicit. Edmunddidnotwonderthatsuchshouldbehisfather’sfeelings,norcouldheregretanythingbuttheexclusionoftheGrants.“Butthey,”heobservedtoFanny,“haveaclaim.Theyseemtobelongtoustheyseemtobepartofourselves.Icouldwishmyfatherweremoresensibleoftheirverygreatattentiontomymotherandsisterswhilehewasaway.Iamafraidtheymayfeelthemselvesneglected.Butthetruthis,thatmyfatherhardlyknowsthem.TheyhadnotbeenhereatwelvemonthwhenheleftEngland.Ifheknewthembetter,hewouldvaluetheirsocietyasitdeservesfortheyareinfactexactlythesortofpeoplehewouldlike.Wearesometimesalittleinwantofanimationamongourselves:mysistersseemoutofspirits,andTomiscertainlynotathisease.Dr.andMrs.Grantwouldenlivenus,andmakeoureveningspassawaywithmoreenjoymenteventomyfather.” “Doyouthinkso?”saidFanny:“inmyopinion,myunclewouldnotlikeanyaddition.Ithinkhevaluestheveryquietnessyouspeakof,andthatthereposeofhisownfamilycircleisallhewants.Anditdoesnotappeartomethatwearemoreseriousthanweusedtobe—Imeanbeforemyunclewentabroad.AswellasIcanrecollect,itwasalwaysmuchthesame.Therewasnevermuchlaughinginhispresenceor,ifthereisanydifference,itisnotmore,Ithink,thansuchanabsencehasatendencytoproduceatfirst.TheremustbeasortofshynessbutIcannotrecollectthatoureveningsformerlywereevermerry,exceptwhenmyunclewasintown.Noyoungpeople’sare,Isuppose,whenthosetheylookuptoareathome”. “Ibelieveyouareright,Fanny,”washisreply,afterashortconsideration.“Ibelieveoureveningsareratherreturnedtowhattheywere,thanassuminganewcharacter.Thenoveltywasintheirbeinglively.Yet,howstrongtheimpressionthatonlyafewweekswillgive!Ihavebeenfeelingasifwehadneverlivedsobefore.” “IsupposeIamgraverthanotherpeople,”saidFanny.“Theeveningsdonotappearlongtome.IlovetohearmyuncletalkoftheWestIndies.Icouldlistentohimforanhourtogether.ItentertainsmemorethanmanyotherthingshavedonebutthenIamunlikeotherpeople,Idaresay.” “Whyshouldyoudaresaythat?”(smiling).“Doyouwanttobetoldthatyouareonlyunlikeotherpeopleinbeingmorewiseanddiscreet?Butwhendidyou,oranybody,evergetacomplimentfromme,Fanny?Gotomyfatherifyouwanttobecomplimented.Hewillsatisfyyou.Askyourunclewhathethinks,andyouwillhearcomplimentsenough:andthoughtheymaybechieflyonyourperson,youmustputupwithit,andtrusttohisseeingasmuchbeautyofmindintime.” SuchlanguagewassonewtoFannythatit