CHAPTER XXVIII

tbedoingsowhenshewenttoherafterthetwofirstdances,andsaid,withasignificantlook,“Perhapsyoucantellmewhymybrothergoestotownto-morrow?Hesayshehasbusinessthere,butwillnottellmewhat.Thefirsttimeheeverdeniedmehisconfidence!Butthisiswhatweallcometo.Allaresupplantedsoonerorlater.Now,Imustapplytoyouforinformation.Pray,whatisHenrygoingfor?” Fannyprotestedherignoranceassteadilyasherembarrassmentallowed. “Well,then,”repliedMissCrawford,laughing,“Imustsupposeittobepurelyforthepleasureofconveyingyourbrother,andoftalkingofyoubytheway.” Fannywasconfused,butitwastheconfusionofdiscontentwhileMissCrawfordwonderedshedidnotsmile,andthoughtherover-anxious,orthoughtherodd,orthoughtheranythingratherthaninsensibleofpleasureinHenry’sattentions.FannyhadagooddealofenjoymentinthecourseoftheeveningbutHenry’sattentionshadverylittletodowithit.Shewouldmuchrathernothavebeenaskedbyhimagainsoverysoon,andshewishedshehadnotbeenobligedtosuspectthathispreviousinquiriesofMrs.Norris,aboutthesupperhour,wereallforthesakeofsecuringheratthatpartoftheevening.Butitwasnottobeavoided:hemadeherfeelthatshewastheobjectofallthoughshecouldnotsaythatitwasunpleasantlydone,thattherewasindelicacyorostentationinhismannerandsometimes,whenhetalkedofWilliam,hewasreallynotunagreeable,andshewedevenawarmthofheartwhichdidhimcredit.Butstillhisattentionsmadenopartofhersatisfaction.ShewashappywhenevershelookedatWilliam,andsawhowperfectlyhewasenjoyinghimself,ineveryfiveminutesthatshecouldwalkaboutwithhimandhearhisaccountofhispartnersshewashappyinknowingherselfadmiredandshewashappyinhavingthetwodanceswithEdmundstilltolookforwardto,duringthegreatestpartoftheevening,herhandbeingsoeagerlysoughtafterthatherindefiniteengagementwithhimwasincontinualperspective.Shewashappyevenwhentheydidtakeplacebutnotfromanyflowofspiritsonhisside,oranysuchexpressionsoftendergallantryashadblessedthemorning.Hismindwasfagged,andherhappinesssprungfrombeingthefriendwithwhomitcouldfindrepose.“Iamwornoutwithcivility,”saidhe.“Ihavebeentalkingincessantlyallnight,andwithnothingtosay.Butwithyou,Fanny,theremaybepeace.Youwillnotwanttobetalkedto.Letushavetheluxuryofsilence.”Fannywouldhardlyevenspeakheragreement.Aweariness,arisingprobably,ingreatmeasure,fromthesamefeelingswhichhehadacknowledgedinthemorning,waspeculiarlytoberespected,andtheywentdowntheirtwodancestogetherwithsuchsobertranquillityasmightsatisfyanylooker-onthatSirThomashadbeenbringingupnowifeforhisyoungerson. TheeveninghadaffordedEdmundlittlepleasure.MissCrawfordhadbeeningayspiritswhentheyfirstdancedtogether,butitwasnothergaietythatcoulddohimgood:itrathersankthanraisedhiscomfortandafterwards,forhefoundhimselfstillimpelledtoseekheragain,shehadabsolutelypainedhimbyhermannerofspeakingoftheprofessiontowhichhewasnowonthepointofbelonging.Theyhadtalked,andtheyhadbeensilenthehadreasoned,shehadridiculedandtheyhadpartedatlastwithmutualvexation.Fanny,notabletorefrainentirelyfromobservingthem,hadseenenoughtobetolerablysatisfied.ItwasbarbaroustobehappywhenEdmundwassuffering.Yetsomehappinessmustandwouldarisefromtheveryconvicti