CHAPTER XXXII

FannyhadbynomeansforgottenMr.Crawfordwhensheawokethenextmorningbutsherememberedthepurportofhernote,andwasnotlesssanguineastoitseffectthanshehadbeenthenightbefore.IfMr.Crawfordwouldbutgoaway!Thatwaswhatshemostearnestlydesired:goandtakehissisterwithhim,ashewastodo,andashereturnedtoMansfieldonpurposetodo.Andwhyitwasnotdonealreadyshecouldnotdevise,forMissCrawfordcertainlywantednodelay.Fannyhadhoped,inthecourseofhisyesterday’svisit,tohearthedaynamedbuthehadonlyspokenoftheirjourneyaswhatwouldtakeplaceerelong. Havingsosatisfactorilysettledtheconvictionhernotewouldconvey,shecouldnotbutbeastonishedtoseeMr.Crawford,assheaccidentallydid,cominguptothehouseagain,andatanhourasearlyasthedaybefore.Hiscomingmighthavenothingtodowithher,butshemustavoidseeinghimifpossibleandbeingthenonherwayupstairs,sheresolvedtheretoremain,duringthewholeofhisvisit,unlessactuallysentforandasMrs.Norriswasstillinthehouse,thereseemedlittledangerofherbeingwanted. Shesatsometimeinagooddealofagitation,listening,trembling,andfearingtobesentforeverymomentbutasnofootstepsapproachedtheEastroom,shegrewgraduallycomposed,couldsitdown,andbeabletoemployherself,andabletohopethatMr.Crawfordhadcomeandwouldgowithoutherbeingobligedtoknowanythingofthematter. Nearlyhalfanhourhadpassed,andshewasgrowingverycomfortable,whensuddenlythesoundofastepinregularapproachwasheardaheavystep,anunusualstepinthatpartofthehouse:itwasheruncle’ssheknewitaswellashisvoiceshehadtrembledatitasoften,andbegantotrembleagain,attheideaofhiscominguptospeaktoher,whatevermightbethesubject.ItwasindeedSirThomaswhoopenedthedoorandaskedifshewerethere,andifhemightcomein.Theterrorofhisformeroccasionalvisitstothatroomseemedallrenewed,andshefeltasifheweregoingtoexamineheragaininFrenchandEnglish. Shewasallattention,however,inplacingachairforhim,andtryingtoappearhonouredand,inheragitation,hadquiteoverlookedthedeficienciesofherapartment,tillhe,stoppingshortasheentered,said,withmuchsurprise,“Whyhaveyounofireto-day?” Therewassnowontheground,andshewassittinginashawl.Shehesitated. “Iamnotcold,sir:Ineversitherelongatthistimeofyear.” “Butyouhaveafireingeneral?” “No,sir.” “Howcomesthisabout?Heremustbesomemistake.Iunderstoodthatyouhadtheuseofthisroombywayofmakingyouperfectlycomfortable.InyourbedchamberIknowyoucannothaveafire.Hereissomegreatmisapprehensionwhichmustberectified.Itishighlyunfitforyoutosit,beitonlyhalfanhouraday,withoutafire.Youarenotstrong.Youarechilly.Yourauntcannotbeawareofthis.” Fannywouldratherhavebeensilentbutbeingobligedtospeak,shecouldnotforbear,injusticetotheauntshelovedbest,fromsayingsomethinginwhichthewords“myauntNorris”weredistinguishable. “Iunderstand,”criedheruncle,recollectinghimself,andnotwantingtohearmore:“Iunderstand.YourauntNorrishasalwaysbeenanadvocate,andveryjudiciously,foryoungpeople’sbeingbroughtupwithoutunnecessaryindulgencesbutthereshouldbemoderationineverything.Sheisalsoveryhardyherself,whichofcoursewillinfluenceherinheropinionofthewantsofothers.Andonanotheraccount,too,Icanperfectlycomprehend.Iknowwhathersentimentshavealwaysbeen.Theprinciplewasgoodinitself,butitmayhavebeen,andIbelievehasbeen,carriedtoofarinyourcase.Iamawarethattherehasbeensometimes,insomepoints,amisplaceddistinctionbutIthinktoowellofyou,Fanny,tosupposeyouwilleverharbourresentmentonthataccount.Youhaveanunderstandingwhichwillpreventyoufromreceivingthingsonlyinpart,andjudgingpartiallybytheevent.Youwilltakeinthewholeofthepast,youwillconsidertimes,persons,andprobabilities,andyouwillfeelthattheywerenotleastyourfriendswhowereeducatingandpreparingyouforthatmediocrityofconditionwhichseemedtobeyourlot.Thoughtheircautionmayproveeventuallyunnecessary,itwaskindlymeantandofthisyoumaybeassured,thateveryadvantageofaffluencewillbedoubledbythelittleprivationsandrestrictionsthatmayhavebeenimposed.Iamsureyouwillnotdisappointmyopinionofyou,byfailingatanytimetotreatyourauntNorriswiththerespectandattentionthatareduetoher.Butenoughofthis.Sitdown,mydear.Imustspeaktoyouforafewminutes,butIwillnotdetainyoulong.” Fannyobeyed,witheyescastdownandcolourrising.Afteramoment’spause,SirThomas,tryingtosuppressasmile,wenton. “Youarenotaware,perhaps,thatIhavehadavisitorthismorning.Ihadnotbeenlonginmyownroom,afterbreakfast,whenMr.Crawfordwasshewnin.Hiserrandyoumayprobablyconjecture.” Fanny’scolourgrewdeeperanddeeperandheruncle,perceivingthatshewasembarrassedtoadegreethatmadeeitherspeakingorlookingupquiteimpossible,turnedawayhisowneyes,andwithoutanyfartherpauseproceededinhisaccountofMr.Crawford’svisit. Mr.Crawford’sbusinesshadbeentodeclarehimselftheloverofFanny,makedecidedproposalsforher,andentreatthesanctionoftheuncle,whoseemedtostandintheplaceofherparentsandhehaddoneitalls