CHAPTER XXV

osearespectableoldcountryfamilyhadlivedinfromgenerationtogeneration,throughtwocenturiesatleast,andwerenowspendingfromtwotothreethousandayearin.”MissCrawfordlistened,andEdmundagreedtothis.“Theairofagentleman’sresidence,therefore,youcannotbutgiveit,ifyoudoanything.Butitiscapableofmuchmore.(Letmesee,MaryLadyBertrambidsadozenforthatqueenno,no,adozenismorethanitisworth.LadyBertramdoesnotbidadozen.Shewillhavenothingtosaytoit.Goon,goon.)BysomesuchimprovementsasIhavesuggested(Idonotreallyrequireyoutoproceeduponmyplan,though,bythebye,Idoubtanybody’sstrikingoutabetter)youmaygiveitahighercharacter.Youmayraiseitintoaplace.Frombeingthemeregentleman’sresidence,itbecomes,byjudiciousimprovement,theresidenceofamanofeducation,taste,modernmanners,goodconnexions.Allthismaybestampedonitandthathousereceivesuchanairastomakeitsownerbesetdownasthegreatlandholderoftheparishbyeverycreaturetravellingtheroadespeciallyasthereisnorealsquire’shousetodisputethepoint—acircumstance,betweenourselves,toenhancethevalueofsuchasituationinpointofprivilegeandindependencebeyondallcalculation.Youthinkwithme,Ihope”(turningwithasoftenedvoicetoFanny).“Haveyoueverseentheplace?” Fannygaveaquicknegative,andtriedtohideherinterestinthesubjectbyaneagerattentiontoherbrother,whowasdrivingashardabargain,andimposingonherasmuchashecouldbutCrawfordpursuedwith“No,no,youmustnotpartwiththequeen.Youhaveboughthertoodearly,andyourbrotherdoesnotofferhalfhervalue.No,no,sir,handsoff,handsoff.Yoursisterdoesnotpartwiththequeen.Sheisquitedetermined.Thegamewillbeyours,”turningtoheragain“itwillcertainlybeyours.” “AndFannyhadmuchratheritwereWilliam’s,”saidEdmund,smilingather.“PoorFanny!notallowedtocheatherselfasshewishes!” “Mr.Bertram,”saidMissCrawford,afewminutesafterwards,“youknowHenrytobesuchacapitalimprover,thatyoucannotpossiblyengageinanythingofthesortatThorntonLaceywithoutacceptinghishelp.OnlythinkhowusefulhewasatSotherton!OnlythinkwhatgrandthingswereproducedtherebyourallgoingwithhimonehotdayinAugusttodriveaboutthegrounds,andseehisgeniustakefire.Therewewent,andtherewecamehomeagainandwhatwasdonethereisnottobetold!” Fanny’seyeswereturnedonCrawfordforamomentwithanexpressionmorethangrave—evenreproachfulbutoncatchinghis,wereinstantlywithdrawn.Withsomethingofconsciousnessheshookhisheadathissister,andlaughinglyreplied,“IcannotsaytherewasmuchdoneatSothertonbutitwasahotday,andwewereallwalkingaftereachother,andbewildered.”Assoonasageneralbuzzgavehimshelter,headded,inalowvoice,directedsolelyatFanny,“IshouldbesorrytohavemypowersofplanningjudgedofbythedayatSotherton.Iseethingsverydifferentlynow.DonotthinkofmeasIappearedthen.” SothertonwasawordtocatchMrs.Norris,andbeingjusttheninthehappyleisurewhichfollowedsecuringtheoddtrickbySirThomas’scapitalplayandherownagainstDr.andMrs.Grant’sgreathands,shecalledout,inhighgood-humour,“Sotherton!Yes,thatisaplace,indeed,andwehadacharmingdaythere.William,youarequiteoutofluckbutthenexttimeyoucome,IhopedearMr.andMrs.Rushworthwillbeathome,andIamsureIcananswerforyourbeingkindlyreceivedbyboth.Yourcousinsarenotofasorttoforgettheirrelations,andMr.Rushworthisamostamiableman.TheyareatBrightonnow,youknowinoneofthebesthousesthere,asMr.Rushworth’sfinefortunegivesthemarighttobe.Idonotexactlyknowthedistance,butwhenyougetbacktoPortsmouth,ifitisnotveryfaroff,yououghttogooverandpayyourrespectstothemandIcouldsendalittleparcelbyyouthatIwanttogetconveyedtoyourcousins.” “Ishouldbeveryhappy,auntbutBrightonisalmostbyBeacheyHeadandifIcouldgetsofar,Icouldnotexpecttobewelcomeinsuchasmartplaceasthat—poorscrubbymidshipmanasIam.” Mrs.Norriswasbeginninganeagerassuranceoftheaffabilityhemightdependon,whenshewasstoppedbySirThomas’ssayingwithauthority,“IdonotadviseyourgoingtoBrighton,William,asItrustyoumaysoonhavemoreconvenientopportunitiesofmeetingbutmydaughterswouldbehappytoseetheircousinsanywhereandyouwillfindMr.Rushworthmostsincerelydisposedtoregardalltheconnexionsofourfamilyashisown.” “IwouldratherfindhimprivatesecretarytotheFirstLordthananythingelse,”wasWilliam’sonlyanswer,inanundervoice,notmeanttoreachfar,andthesubjectdropped. AsyetSirThomashadseennothingtoremarkinMr.Crawford’sbehaviourbutwhenthewhist-tablebrokeupattheendofthesecondrubber,andleavingDr.GrantandMrs.Norristodisputeovertheirlastplay,hebecamealooker-onattheother,hefoundhisniecetheobjectofattentions,orratherofprofessions,ofasomewhatpointedcharacter. HenryCrawfordwasinthefirstglowofanotherschemeaboutThorntonLaceyandnotbe