CHAPTER XXII

ord,“andweshallseehowitwillbe.Donotrunawaythefirstmomentofitsholdingup.Thosecloudslookalarming.” “Buttheyarepassedover,”saidFanny.“Ihavebeenwatchingthem.Thisweatherisallfromthesouth.” “Southornorth,IknowablackcloudwhenIseeitandyoumustnotsetforwardwhileitissothreatening.Andbesides,Iwanttoplaysomethingmoretoyou—averyprettypiece—andyourcousinEdmund’sprimefavourite.Youmuststayandhearyourcousin’sfavourite.” FannyfeltthatshemustandthoughshehadnotwaitedforthatsentencetobethinkingofEdmund,suchamementomadeherparticularlyawaketohisidea,andshefanciedhimsittinginthatroomagainandagain,perhapsintheveryspotwhereshesatnow,listeningwithconstantdelighttothefavouriteair,played,asitappearedtoher,withsuperiortoneandexpressionandthoughpleasedwithitherself,andgladtolikewhateverwaslikedbyhim,shewasmoresincerelyimpatienttogoawayattheconclusionofitthanshehadbeenbeforeandonthisbeingevident,shewassokindlyaskedtocallagain,totaketheminherwalkwhenevershecould,tocomeandhearmoreoftheharp,thatshefeltitnecessarytobedone,ifnoobjectionaroseathome. SuchwastheoriginofthesortofintimacywhichtookplacebetweenthemwithinthefirstfortnightaftertheMissBertrams’goingaway—anintimacyresultingprincipallyfromMissCrawford’sdesireofsomethingnew,andwhichhadlittlerealityinFanny’sfeelings.Fannywenttohereverytwoorthreedays:itseemedakindoffascination:shecouldnotbeeasywithoutgoing,andyetitwaswithoutlovingher,withouteverthinkinglikeher,withoutanysenseofobligationforbeingsoughtafternowwhennobodyelsewastobehadandderivingnohigherpleasurefromherconversationthanoccasionalamusement,andthatoftenattheexpenseofherjudgment,whenitwasraisedbypleasantryonpeopleorsubjectswhichshewishedtoberespected.Shewent,however,andtheysaunteredabouttogethermanyanhalf-hourinMrs.Grant’sshrubbery,theweatherbeingunusuallymildforthetimeofyear,andventuringsometimeseventositdownononeofthebenchesnowcomparativelyunsheltered,remainingthereperhapstill,inthemidstofsometenderejaculationofFanny’sonthesweetsofsoprotractedanautumn,theywereforced,bythesuddenswellofacoldgustshakingdownthelastfewyellowleavesaboutthem,tojumpupandwalkforwarmth. “Thisispretty,verypretty,”saidFanny,lookingaroundherastheywerethussittingtogetheroneday“everytimeIcomeintothisshrubberyIammorestruckwithitsgrowthandbeauty.Threeyearsago,thiswasnothingbutaroughhedgerowalongtheuppersideofthefield,neverthoughtofasanything,orcapableofbecominganythingandnowitisconvertedintoawalk,anditwouldbedifficulttosaywhethermostvaluableasaconvenienceoranornamentandperhaps,inanotherthreeyears,wemaybeforgetting—almostforgettingwhatitwasbefore.Howwonderful,howverywonderfultheoperationsoftime,andthechangesofthehumanmind!”Andfollowingthelattertrainofthought,shesoonafterwardsadded:“Ifanyonefacultyofournaturemaybecalledmorewonderfulthantherest,Idothinkitismemory.Thereseemssomethingmorespeakinglyincomprehensibleinthepowers,thefailures,theinequalitiesofmemory,thaninanyotherofourintelligences.Thememoryissometimessoretentive,soserviceable,soobedientatothers,sobewilderedandsoweakandatothersagain,sotyrannic,sobeyondcontrol!Weare,tobesure,amiracleeverywaybutourpowersofrecollectingandofforgettingdoseempeculiarlypastfindingout.” MissCrawford,untouchedandinattentive,hadnothingtosayandFanny,perceivingit,broughtbackherownmindtowhatshethoughtmustinterest. “Itmayseemimpertinentinmetopraise,butImustadmirethetasteMrs.Granthasshewninallthis.Thereissuchaquietsimplicityintheplanofthewalk!Nottoomuchattempted!” “Yes,”repliedMissCrawfordcarelessly,“itdoesverywellforaplaceofthissort.Onedoesnotthinkofextenthereandbetweenourselves,tillIcametoMansfield,Ihadnotimaginedacountryparsoneveraspiredtoashrubbery,oranythingofthekind.” “Iamsogladtoseetheevergreensthrive!”saidFan