CHAPTER XXXII

fortifyherselfbeyondbetrayingit. “IndependentlyoftheinterestwhichMr.Crawford’schoiceseemedtojustify”saidSirThomas,beginningagain,andverycomposedly,“hiswishingtomarryatallsoearlyisrecommendatorytome.Iamanadvocateforearlymarriages,wheretherearemeansinproportion,andwouldhaveeveryyoungman,withasufficientincome,settleassoonafterfour-and-twentyashecan.Thisissomuchmyopinion,thatIamsorrytothinkhowlittlelikelymyowneldestson,yourcousin,Mr.Bertram,istomarryearlybutatpresent,asfarasIcanjudge,matrimonymakesnopartofhisplansorthoughts.Iwishheweremorelikelytofix.”HerewasaglanceatFanny.“Edmund,Iconsider,fromhisdispositionsandhabits,asmuchmorelikelytomarryearlythanhisbrother.He,indeed,Ihavelatelythought,hasseenthewomanhecouldlove,which,Iamconvinced,myeldestsonhasnot.AmIright?Doyouagreewithme,mydear?” “Yes,sir.” Itwasgently,butitwascalmlysaid,andSirThomaswaseasyonthescoreofthecousins.Buttheremovalofhisalarmdidhisniecenoservice:asherunaccountablenesswasconfirmedhisdispleasureincreasedandgettingupandwalkingabouttheroomwithafrown,whichFannycouldpicturetoherself,thoughshedarednotliftuphereyes,heshortlyafterwards,andinavoiceofauthority,said,“Haveyouanyreason,child,tothinkillofMr.Crawford’stemper?” “No,sir.” Shelongedtoadd,“ButofhisprinciplesIhave”butherheartsunkundertheappallingprospectofdiscussion,explanation,andprobablynon-conviction.Herillopinionofhimwasfoundedchieflyonobservations,which,forhercousins’sake,shecouldscarcelydarementiontotheirfather.MariaandJulia,andespeciallyMaria,weresocloselyimplicatedinMr.Crawford’smisconduct,thatshecouldnotgivehischaracter,suchasshebelievedit,withoutbetrayingthem.Shehadhopedthat,toamanlikeheruncle,sodiscerning,sohonourable,sogood,thesimpleacknowledgmentofsettleddislikeonhersidewouldhavebeensufficient.Toherinfinitegriefshefounditwasnot. SirThomascametowardsthetablewhereshesatintremblingwretchedness,andwithagooddealofcoldsternness,said,“Itisofnouse,Iperceive,totalktoyou.Wehadbetterputanendtothismostmortifyingconference.Mr.Crawfordmustnotbekeptlongerwaiting.Iwill,therefore,onlyadd,asthinkingitmydutytomarkmyopinionofyourconduct,thatyouhavedisappointedeveryexpectationIhadformed,andprovedyourselfofacharactertheveryreverseofwhatIhadsupposed.ForIhad,Fanny,asIthinkmybehaviourmusthaveshewn,formedaveryfavourableopinionofyoufromtheperiodofmyreturntoEngland.Ihadthoughtyoupeculiarlyfreefromwilfulnessoftemper,self-conceit,andeverytendencytothatindependenceofspiritwhichprevailssomuchinmoderndays,eveninyoungwomen,andwhichinyoungwomenisoffensiveanddisgustingbeyondallcommonoffence.Butyouhavenowshewnmethatyoucanbewilfulandperversethatyoucanandwilldecideforyourself,withoutanyconsiderationordeferenceforthosewhohavesurelysomerighttoguideyou,withoutevenaskingtheiradvice.Youhaveshewnyourselfvery,verydifferentfromanythingthatIhadimagined.Theadvantageordisadvantageofyourfamily,ofyourparents,yourbrothersandsisters,neverseemstohavehadamoment’sshareinyourthoughtsonthisoccasion.Howtheymightbebenefited,howtheymustrejoiceinsuchanestablishmentforyou,isnothingtoyou.Youthinkonlyofyourself,andbecauseyoudonotfeelforMr.Crawfordexactlywhatayoungheatedfancyimaginestobenecessaryforhappiness,youresolvetorefusehimatonce,withoutwishingevenforalittletimetoconsiderofit,alittlemoretimeforcoolconsideration,andforreallyexaminingyourowninclinationsandare,inawildfitoffolly,throwingawayfromyousuchanopportunityofbeingsettledinlife,eligibly,honourably,noblysettled,aswill,probably,neveroccurtoyouagain.Hereisayoungmanofsense,ofcharacter,oftemper,ofmanners,andoffortune,exceedinglyattachedtoyou,andseekingyourhandinthemosthandsomeanddisinterestedwayandletmetellyou,Fanny,thatyoumayliveeighteenyearslongerintheworldwithoutbeingaddressedbyamanofhalfMr.Crawford’sestate,oratenthpartofhismerits.GladlywouldIhavebestowedeitherofmyowndaughtersonhim.MariaisnoblymarriedbuthadMr.CrawfordsoughtJulia’shand,IshouldhavegivenittohimwithsuperiorandmoreheartfeltsatisfactionthanIgaveMaria’stoMr.Rushworth.”Afterhalfamoment’spause:“AndIshouldhavebeenverymuchsurprisedhadeitherofmydaughters,onreceivingaproposalofmarriageatanytimewhichmightcarrywithitonlyhalftheeligibilityofthis,immediatelyandperemptorily,andwithoutpayingmyopinionormyregardthecomplimentofanyconsultation,putadecidednegativeonit.Ishouldhavebeenmuchsurprisedandmuchhurtbysuchaproceeding.Ishouldhavethoughtitagrossviolationofdutyandrespect.Youarenottobejudgedbythesamerule.Youdonotowemethedutyofachild.But,Fanny,ifyourheartcanacquityouofingratitude—” Heceased.Fannywasbythistimecryingsobitterlythat,angryashewas,hewouldnotpressthatarticlefarther.Herheartwasalmostbrokebysuchapictureofwhatsheappearedtohimbysuchaccusations,soheav