CHAPTER XXIV

walkingabouttogetherwithtrueenjoyment,andeverysucceedingmorrowrenewedatête-à-têtewhichSirThomascouldnotbutobservewithcomplacency,evenbeforeEdmundhadpointeditouttohim. Exceptingthemomentsofpeculiardelight,whichanymarkedorunlooked-forinstanceofEdmund’sconsiderationofherinthelastfewmonthshadexcited,Fannyhadneverknownsomuchfelicityinherlife,asinthisunchecked,equal,fearlessintercoursewiththebrotherandfriendwhowasopeningallhishearttoher,tellingherallhishopesandfears,plans,andsolicitudesrespectingthatlongthoughtof,dearlyearned,andjustlyvaluedblessingofpromotionwhocouldgiveherdirectandminuteinformationofthefatherandmother,brothersandsisters,ofwhomsheveryseldomheardwhowasinterestedinallthecomfortsandallthelittlehardshipsofherhomeatMansfieldreadytothinkofeverymemberofthathomeasshedirected,ordifferingonlybyalessscrupulousopinion,andmorenoisyabuseoftheirauntNorris,andwithwhom(perhapsthedearestindulgenceofthewhole)alltheevilandgoodoftheirearliestyearscouldbegoneoveragain,andeveryformerunitedpainandpleasureretracedwiththefondestrecollection.Anadvantagethis,astrengtheneroflove,inwhicheventheconjugaltieisbeneaththefraternal.Childrenofthesamefamily,thesameblood,withthesamefirstassociationsandhabits,havesomemeansofenjoymentintheirpower,whichnosubsequentconnexionscansupplyanditmustbebyalongandunnaturalestrangement,byadivorcewhichnosubsequentconnexioncanjustify,ifsuchpreciousremainsoftheearliestattachmentsareeverentirelyoutlived.Toooften,alas!itisso.Fraternallove,sometimesalmosteverything,isatothersworsethannothing.ButwithWilliamandFannyPriceitwasstillasentimentinallitsprimeandfreshness,woundedbynooppositionofinterest,cooledbynoseparateattachment,andfeelingtheinfluenceoftimeandabsenceonlyinitsincrease. Anaffectionsoamiablewasadvancingeachintheopinionofallwhohadheartstovalueanythinggood.HenryCrawfordwasasmuchstruckwithitasany.Hehonouredthewarm-hearted,bluntfondnessoftheyoungsailor,whichledhimtosay,withhishandsstretchedtowardsFanny’shead,“Doyouknow,Ibegintolikethatqueerfashionalready,thoughwhenIfirstheardofsuchthingsbeingdoneinEngland,IcouldnotbelieveitandwhenMrs.Brown,andtheotherwomenattheCommissioner’satGibraltar,appearedinthesametrim,IthoughttheyweremadbutFannycanreconcilemetoanything”andsaw,withlivelyadmiration,theglowofFanny’scheek,thebrightnessofhereye,thedeepinterest,theabsorbedattention,whileherbrotherwasdescribinganyoftheimminenthazards,orterrificscenes,whichsuchaperiodatseamustsupply. ItwasapicturewhichHenryCrawfordhadmoraltasteenoughtovalue.Fanny’sattractionsincreased—increasedtwofoldforthesensibilitywhichbeautifiedhercomplexionandilluminedhercountenancewasanattractioninitself.Hewasnolongerindoubtofthecapabilitiesofherheart.Shehadfeeling,genuinefeeling.Itwouldbesomethingtobelovedbysuchagirl,toexcitethefirstardoursofheryoungunsophisticatedmind!Sheinterestedhimmorethanhehadforeseen.Afortnightwasnotenough.Hisstaybecameindefinite