CHAPTER XXII

ny,inreply.“Myuncle’sgardeneralwayssaysthesoilhereisbetterthanhisown,andsoitappearsfromthegrowthofthelaurelsandevergreensingeneral.Theevergreen!Howbeautiful,howwelcome,howwonderfultheevergreen!Whenonethinksofit,howastonishingavarietyofnature!Insomecountriesweknowthetreethatshedsitsleafisthevariety,butthatdoesnotmakeitlessamazingthatthesamesoilandthesamesunshouldnurtureplantsdifferinginthefirstruleandlawoftheirexistence.YouwillthinkmerhapsodisingbutwhenIamoutofdoors,especiallywhenIamsittingoutofdoors,Iamveryapttogetintothissortofwonderingstrain.Onecannotfixone’seyesonthecommonestnaturalproductionwithoutfindingfoodforaramblingfancy.” “Tosaythetruth,”repliedMissCrawford,“IamsomethinglikethefamousDogeatthecourtofLewisXIV.andmaydeclarethatIseenowonderinthisshrubberyequaltoseeingmyselfinit.Ifanybodyhadtoldmeayearagothatthisplacewouldbemyhome,thatIshouldbespendingmonthaftermonthhere,asIhavedone,Icertainlyshouldnothavebelievedthem.Ihavenowbeenherenearlyfivemonthsand,moreover,thequietestfivemonthsIeverpassed.” “Tooquietforyou,Ibelieve.” “Ishouldhavethoughtsotheoreticallymyself,but,”andhereyesbrightenedasshespoke,“takeitallandall,Ineverspentsohappyasummer.Butthen,”withamorethoughtfulairandloweredvoice,“thereisnosayingwhatitmayleadto.” Fanny’sheartbeatquick,andshefeltquiteunequaltosurmisingorsolicitinganythingmore.MissCrawford,however,withrenewedanimation,soonwenton— “IamconsciousofbeingfarbetterreconciledtoacountryresidencethanIhadeverexpectedtobe.Icanevensupposeitpleasanttospendhalftheyearinthecountry,undercertaincircumstances,verypleasant.Anelegant,moderate-sizedhouseinthecentreoffamilyconnexionscontinualengagementsamongthemcommandingthefirstsocietyintheneighbourhoodlookedupto,perhaps,asleadingitevenmorethanthoseoflargerfortune,andturningfromthecheerfulroundofsuchamusementstonothingworsethanatête-à-têtewiththepersononefeelsmostagreeableintheworld.Thereisnothingfrightfulinsuchapicture,isthere,MissPrice?OneneednotenvythenewMrs.Rushworthwithsuchahomeasthat.” “EnvyMrs.Rushworth!”wasallthatFannyattemptedtosay.“Come,come,itwouldbeveryun-handsomeinustobesevereonMrs.Rushworth,forIlookforwardtoourowingheragreatmanygay,brilliant,happyhours.IexpectweshallbeallverymuchatSothertonanotheryear.SuchamatchasMissBertramhasmadeisapublicblessingforthefirstpleasuresofMr.Rushworth’swifemustbetofillherhouse,andgivethebestballsinthecountry.” Fannywassilent,andMissCrawfordrelapsedintothoughtfulness,tillsuddenlylookingupattheendofafewminutes,sheexclaimed,“Ah!hereheis.”ItwasnotMr.Rushworth,however,butEdmund,whothenappearedwalkingtowardsthemwithMrs.Grant.“MysisterandMr.Bertram.Iamsogladyoureldestcousinisgone,thathemaybeMr.Bertramagain.ThereissomethinginthesoundofMr.EdmundBertramsoformal,sopitiful,soyounger-brother-like,thatIdetestit.” “Howdifferentlywefeel!”criedFanny.“Tome,thesoundofMr.Bertramissocoldandnothing-meaning,soentirelywithoutwarmthorcharacter!Itjuststandsforagentleman,andthat’sall.ButthereisnoblenessinthenameofEdmund.Itisanameofheroismandrenownofkings,princes,andknightsandseemstobreathethespiritofchivalryandwarmaffections.” “Igrantyouthenameisgoodinitself,andLordEdmundorSirEdmundsounddelightfullybutsinkitunderthechill,theannihilationofaMr.,andMr.EdmundisnomorethanMr.JohnorMr.Thomas.Well,shallwejoinanddisappointthemofhalftheirlectureuponsittingdownoutofdoorsatthistimeofyear,bybeingupbeforetheycanbegin?” Edmundmetthemwithparticularpleasure.Itwasthefirsttimeofhisseeingthemtogethersincethebeginningofthatbetteracquaintancewhichhehadbeenhearingofwithgreatsatisfaction.Afriendshipbetweentwosoverydeartohimwasexactlywhathecouldhavewished:andtothecreditofthelover’sunderstanding,be