CHAPTER XXVII

OnreachinghomeFannywentimmediatelyupstairstodepositthisunexpectedacquisition,thisdoubtfulgoodofanecklace,insomefavouriteboxintheEastroom,whichheldallhersmallertreasuresbutonopeningthedoor,whatwashersurprisetofindhercousinEdmundtherewritingatthetable!Suchasighthavingneveroccurredbefore,wasalmostaswonderfulasitwaswelcome. “Fanny,”saidhedirectly,leavinghisseatandhispen,andmeetingherwithsomethinginhishand,“Ibegyourpardonforbeinghere.Icametolookforyou,andafterwaitingalittlewhileinhopeofyourcomingin,wasmakinguseofyourinkstandtoexplainmyerrand.YouwillfindthebeginningofanotetoyourselfbutIcannowspeakmybusiness,whichismerelytobegyouracceptanceofthislittletrifle—achainforWilliam’scross.Yououghttohavehaditaweekago,buttherehasbeenadelayfrommybrother’snotbeingintownbyseveraldayssosoonasIexpectedandIhaveonlyjustnowreceiveditatNorthampton.Ihopeyouwilllikethechainitself,Fanny.Iendeavouredtoconsultthesimplicityofyourtastebut,atanyrate,Iknowyouwillbekindtomyintentions,andconsiderit,asitreallyis,atokenoftheloveofoneofyouroldestfriends.” Andsosaying,hewashurryingaway,beforeFanny,overpoweredbyathousandfeelingsofpainandpleasure,couldattempttospeakbutquickenedbyonesovereignwish,shethencalledout,“Oh!cousin,stopamoment,praystop!” Heturnedback. “Icannotattempttothankyou,”shecontinued,inaveryagitatedmanner“thanksareoutofthequestion.IfeelmuchmorethanIcanpossiblyexpress.Yourgoodnessinthinkingofmeinsuchawayisbeyond—” “Ifthatisallyouhavetosay,Fanny”smilingandturningawayagain. “No,no,itisnot.Iwanttoconsultyou.” Almostunconsciouslyshehadnowundonetheparcelhehadjustputintoherhand,andseeingbeforeher,inallthenicenessofjewellers’packing,aplaingoldchain,perfectlysimpleandneat,shecouldnothelpburstingforthagain,“Oh,thisisbeautifulindeed!Thisistheverything,preciselywhatIwishedfor!ThisistheonlyornamentIhaveeverhadadesiretopossess.Itwillexactlysuitmycross.Theymustandshallbeworntogether.Itcomes,too,insuchanacceptablemoment.Oh,cousin,youdonotknowhowacceptableitis.” “MydearFanny,youfeelthesethingsagreatdealtoomuch.Iammosthappythatyoulikethechain,andthatitshouldbehereintimeforto-morrowbutyourthanksarefarbeyondtheoccasion.Believeme,Ihavenopleasureintheworldsuperiortothatofcontributingtoyours.No,Icansafelysay,Ihavenopleasuresocomplete,sounalloyed.Itiswithoutadrawback.” UponsuchexpressionsofaffectionFannycouldhavelivedanhourwithoutsayinganotherwordbutEdmund,afterwaitingamoment,obligedhertobringdownhermindfromitsheavenlyflightbysaying,“Butwhatisitthatyouwanttoconsultmeabout?” Itwasaboutthenecklace,whichshewasnowmostearnestlylongingtoreturn,andhopedtoobtainhisapprobationofherdoing.Shegavethehistoryofherrecentvisit,andnowherrapturesmightwellbeoverforEdmundwassostruckwiththecircumstance,sodelightedwithwhatMissCrawfordhaddone,sogratifiedbysuchacoincidenceofconductbetweenthem,thatFannycouldnotbutadmitthesuperiorpowerofonepleasureoverhisownmind,thoughitmighthaveitsdrawback.Itwassometimebeforeshecouldgethisattentiontoherplan,oranyanswertoherdemandofhisopinion:hewasinareverieoffondreflection,utteringonlynowandthenafewhalf-sentencesofpraisebutwhenhedidawakeandunderstand,hewasverydecidedinopposingwhatshewished. “Returnthenecklace!No,mydearFanny,uponnoaccount.Itwouldbemortifyingherseverely.Therecanhardlybeamoreunpleasantsensationthanthehavinganythingreturnedonourhandswhichwehavegivenwithareasonablehopeofitscontributingtothecomfortofafriend.Whyshouldsheloseapleasurewhichshehasshewnherselfsodeservingof?” “Ifithadbeengiventomeinthefirstinstance,”saidFanny,“Ishouldnothavethoughtofreturningitbutbeinghe