CHAPTER XXIX

body.HowmanyMissOwensarethere?” “Threegrownup.” “Aretheymusical?” “Idonotatallknow.Ineverheard.” “Thatisthefirstquestion,youknow,”saidMissCrawford,tryingtoappeargayandunconcerned,“whicheverywomanwhoplaysherselfissuretoaskaboutanother.Butitisveryfoolishtoaskquestionsaboutanyyoungladies—aboutanythreesistersjustgrownupforoneknows,withoutbeingtold,exactlywhattheyare:allveryaccomplishedandpleasing,andoneverypretty.Thereisabeautyineveryfamilyitisaregularthing.Twoplayonthepianoforte,andoneontheharpandallsing,orwouldsingiftheyweretaught,orsingallthebetterfornotbeingtaughtorsomethinglikeit.” “IknownothingoftheMissOwens,”saidFannycalmly. “Youknownothingandyoucareless,aspeoplesay.Neverdidtoneexpressindifferenceplainer.Indeed,howcanonecareforthoseonehasneverseen?Well,whenyourcousincomesback,hewillfindMansfieldveryquietallthenoisyonesgone,yourbrotherandmineandmyself.IdonotliketheideaofleavingMrs.Grantnowthetimedrawsnear.Shedoesnotlikemygoing.” Fannyfeltobligedtospeak.“Youcannotdoubtyourbeingmissedbymany,”saidshe.“Youwillbeverymuchmissed.” MissCrawfordturnedhereyeonher,asifwantingtohearorseemore,andthenlaughinglysaid,“Ohyes!missedaseverynoisyevilismissedwhenitistakenawaythatis,thereisagreatdifferencefelt.ButIamnotfishingdon’tcomplimentme.IfIammissed,itwillappear.Imaybediscoveredbythosewhowanttoseeme.Ishallnotbeinanydoubtful,ordistant,orunapproachableregion.” NowFannycouldnotbringherselftospeak,andMissCrawfordwasdisappointedforshehadhopedtohearsomepleasantassuranceofherpowerfromonewhoshethoughtmustknow,andherspiritswerecloudedagain. “TheMissOwens,”saidshe,soonafterwards“supposeyouweretohaveoneoftheMissOwenssettledatThorntonLaceyhowshouldyoulikeit?Strangerthingshavehappened.Idaresaytheyaretryingforit.Andtheyarequiteintheright,foritwouldbeaveryprettyestablishmentforthem.Idonotatallwonderorblamethem.Itiseverybody’sdutytodoaswellforthemselvesastheycan.SirThomasBertram’ssonissomebodyandnowheisintheirownline.Theirfatherisaclergyman,andtheirbrotherisaclergyman,andtheyareallclergymentogether.Heistheirlawfulpropertyhefairlybelongstothem.Youdon’tspeak,FannyMissPrice,youdon’tspeak.Buthonestlynow,donotyouratherexpectitthanotherwise?” “No,”saidFannystoutly,“Idonotexpectitatall.” “Notatall!”criedMissCrawfordwithalacrity.“Iwonderatthat.ButIdaresayyouknowexactly—Ialwaysimagineyouare—perhapsyoudonotthinkhimlikelytomarryatall—ornotatpresent.” “No,Idonot,”saidFannysoftly,hopingshedidnoterreitherinthebeliefortheacknowledgmentofit. Hercompanionlookedatherkeenlyandgatheringgreaterspiritfromtheblushsoonproducedfromsuchalook,onlysaid,“Heisbestoffasheis,”andturnedthesubject.