CHAPTER XXIV

. Williamwasoftencalledonbyhisuncletobethetalker.HisrecitalswereamusinginthemselvestoSirThomas,butthechiefobjectinseekingthemwastounderstandthereciter,toknowtheyoungmanbyhishistoriesandhelistenedtohisclear,simple,spiriteddetailswithfullsatisfaction,seeinginthemtheproofofgoodprinciples,professionalknowledge,energy,courage,andcheerfulness,everythingthatcoulddeserveorpromisewell.Youngashewas,Williamhadalreadyseenagreatdeal.HehadbeenintheMediterraneanintheWestIndiesintheMediterraneanagainhadbeenoftentakenonshorebythefavourofhiscaptain,andinthecourseofsevenyearshadknowneveryvarietyofdangerwhichseaandwartogethercouldoffer.WithsuchmeansinhispowerhehadarighttobelistenedtoandthoughMrs.Norriscouldfidgetabouttheroom,anddisturbeverybodyinquestoftwoneedlefulsofthreadorasecond-handshirtbutton,inthemidstofhernephew’saccountofashipwreckoranengagement,everybodyelsewasattentiveandevenLadyBertramcouldnothearofsuchhorrorsunmoved,orwithoutsometimesliftinghereyesfromherworktosay,“Dearme!howdisagreeable!Iwonderanybodycanevergotosea.” ToHenryCrawfordtheygaveadifferentfeeling.Helongedtohavebeenatsea,andseenanddoneandsufferedasmuch.Hisheartwaswarmed,hisfancyfired,andhefeltthehighestrespectforaladwho,beforehewastwenty,hadgonethroughsuchbodilyhardshipsandgivensuchproofsofmind.Thegloryofheroism,ofusefulness,ofexertion,ofendurance,madehisownhabitsofselfishindulgenceappearinshamefulcontrastandhewishedhehadbeenaWilliamPrice,distinguishinghimselfandworkinghiswaytofortuneandconsequencewithsomuchself-respectandhappyardour,insteadofwhathewas! Thewishwasrathereagerthanlasting.Hewasrousedfromthereverieofretrospectionandregretproducedbyit,bysomeinquiryfromEdmundastohisplansforthenextday’shuntingandhefounditwasaswelltobeamanoffortuneatoncewithhorsesandgroomsathiscommand.Inonerespectitwasbetter,asitgavehimthemeansofconferringakindnesswherehewishedtooblige.Withspirits,courage,andcuriosityuptoanything,WilliamexpressedaninclinationtohuntandCrawfordcouldmounthimwithouttheslightestinconveniencetohimself,andwithonlysomescruplestoobviateinSirThomas,whoknewbetterthanhisnephewthevalueofsuchaloan,andsomealarmstoreasonawayinFanny.ShefearedforWilliambynomeansconvincedbyallthathecouldrelateofhisownhorsemanshipinvariouscountries,ofthescramblingpartiesinwhichhehadbeenengaged,theroughhorsesandmuleshehadridden,orhismanynarrowescapesfromdreadfulfalls,thathewasatallequaltothemanagementofahigh-fedhunterinanEnglishfox-chasenortillhereturnedsafeandwell,withoutaccidentordiscredit,couldshebereconciledtotherisk,orfeelanyofthatobligationtoMr.Crawfordforlendingthehorsewhichhehadfullyintendeditshouldproduce.Whenitwasproved,however,tohavedoneWilliamnoharm,shecouldallowittobeakindness,andevenrewardtheownerwithasmilewhentheanimalwasoneminutetenderedtohisuseagainandthenext,withthegreatestcordiality,andinamannernottoberesisted,madeovertohisuseentirelysolongasheremainedinNorthamptonshire.