CHAPTER XXV

aitingthefinalbreak-up.WilliamandFannywerethemostdetached.Theyremainedtogetherattheotherwisedesertedcard-table,talkingverycomfortably,andnotthinkingoftherest,tillsomeoftherestbegantothinkofthem.HenryCrawford’schairwasthefirsttobegivenadirectiontowardsthem,andhesatsilentlyobservingthemforafewminuteshimself,inthemeanwhile,observedbySirThomas,whowasstandinginchatwithDr.Grant. “Thisistheassemblynight,”saidWilliam.“IfIwereatPortsmouthIshouldbeatit,perhaps.” “ButyoudonotwishyourselfatPortsmouth,William?” “No,Fanny,thatIdonot.IshallhaveenoughofPortsmouthandofdancingtoo,whenIcannothaveyou.AndIdonotknowthattherewouldbeanygoodingoingtotheassembly,forImightnotgetapartner.ThePortsmouthgirlsturnuptheirnosesatanybodywhohasnotacommission.Onemightaswellbenothingasamidshipman.Oneisnothing,indeed.YouremembertheGregorystheyaregrownupamazingfinegirls,buttheywillhardlyspeaktome,becauseLucyiscourtedbyalieutenant.” “Oh!shame,shame!Butnevermindit,William”(herowncheeksinaglowofindignationasshespoke).“Itisnotworthminding.Itisnoreflectiononyouitisnomorethanwhatthegreatestadmiralshaveallexperienced,moreorless,intheirtime.Youmustthinkofthat,youmusttrytomakeupyourmindtoitasoneofthehardshipswhichfalltoeverysailor’sshare,likebadweatherandhardliving,onlywiththisadvantage,thattherewillbeanendtoit,thattherewillcomeatimewhenyouwillhavenothingofthatsorttoendure.Whenyouarealieutenant!onlythink,William,whenyouarealieutenant,howlittleyouwillcareforanynonsenseofthiskind.” “IbegintothinkIshallneverbealieutenant,Fanny.Everybodygetsmadebutme.” “Oh!mydearWilliam,donottalksodonotbesodesponding.Myunclesaysnothing,butIamsurehewilldoeverythinginhispowertogetyoumade.Heknows,aswellasyoudo,ofwhatconsequenceitis.” Shewascheckedbythesightofherunclemuchnearertothemthanshehadanysuspicionof,andeachfounditnecessarytotalkofsomethingelse. “Areyoufondofdancing,Fanny?” “Yes,veryonlyIamsoontired.” “Ishouldliketogotoaballwithyouandseeyoudance.HaveyouneveranyballsatNorthampton?Ishouldliketoseeyoudance,andI’ddancewithyouifyouwould,fornobodywouldknowwhoIwashere,andIshouldliketobeyourpartneroncemore.Weusedtojumpabouttogethermanyatime,didnotwe?whenthehand-organwasinthestreet?Iamaprettygooddancerinmyway,butIdaresayyouareabetter.”Andturningtohisuncle,whowasnowclosetothem,“IsnotFannyaverygooddancer,sir?” Fanny,indismayatsuchanunprecedentedquestion,didnotknowwhichwaytolook,orhowtobepreparedfortheanswer.Someverygravereproof,oratleastthecoldestexpressionofindifference,mustbecomingtodistressherbrother,andsinkhertotheground.But,onthecontrary,itwasnoworsethan,“IamsorrytosaythatIamunabletoansweryourquestion.IhaveneverseenFannydancesinceshewasalittlegirlbutItrustweshallboththinksheacquitsherselflikeagentlewomanwhenwedoseeher,which,perhaps,wemayhaveanopportunityofdoingerelong.” “Ihavehadthepleasureofseeingyoursisterdance,Mr.Price,”saidHenryCrawford,leaningforward,“andwillengagetoanswereveryinquirywhichyoucanmakeonthesubject,toyourentiresatisfaction.ButIbelieve”(seeingFannylookeddistressed)“itmustbeatsomeothertime.ThereisonepersonincompanywhodoesnotliketohaveMissPricespokenof.” Trueenough,hehadonceseenFannydanceanditwasequallytruethathewouldnowhaveansweredforherglidingaboutwithquiet,lightelegance,andinadmirabletimebut,infact,hecouldnotforthelifeofhimrecallwhatherdancinghadbeen,andrathertookitforgrantedthatshehadbeenpresentthanrememberedanythingabouther. Hepassed,however,foranadmirerofherdancingandSirThomas,bynomeansdispleased,prolongedtheconversationondancingingeneral,andwassowellengagedindescribingtheballsofAntigua,andlisteningtowhathisnephewcouldrelateofthedifferentmodesofdancingwhichhadfallenwithinhisobservation,thathehadnotheardhiscarriageannounced,andwasfirstcalledtotheknowledgeofitbythebustleofMrs.Norris. “Come,Fanny,Fanny,whatareyouabout?Wearegoing.Donotyouseeyourauntisgoing?Quick,quick!IcannotbeartokeepgoodoldWilcoxwaiting.Youshouldalwaysrememberthecoachmanandhorses.MydearSirThomas,wehavesettleditthatthecarriageshouldcomebackforyou,andEdmundandWilliam.” SirThomascouldnotdissent,asithadbeenhisownarrangement,previouslycommunicatedtohiswifeandsisterbutthatseemedforgottenbyMrs.Norris,whomustfancythatshesettleditallherself. Fanny’slastfeelinginthevisitwasdisappointment:fortheshawlwhichEdmundwasquietlytakingfromtheservanttobringandputroundhershoulderswasseizedbyMr.Crawford’squickerhand,andshewasobligedtobeindebtedtohismoreprominentattention.