CHAPTER XXXIII

Theconferencewasneithersoshortnorsoconclusiveastheladyhaddesigned.Thegentlemanwasnotsoeasilysatisfied.HehadallthedispositiontoperseverethatSirThomascouldwishhim.Hehadvanity,whichstronglyinclinedhiminthefirstplacetothinkshedidlovehim,thoughshemightnotknowitherselfandwhich,secondly,whenconstrainedatlasttoadmitthatshedidknowherownpresentfeelings,convincedhimthatheshouldbeableintimetomakethosefeelingswhathewished. Hewasinlove,verymuchinloveanditwasalovewhich,operatingonanactive,sanguinespirit,ofmorewarmththandelicacy,madeheraffectionappearofgreaterconsequencebecauseitwaswithheld,anddeterminedhimtohavetheglory,aswellasthefelicity,offorcinghertolovehim. Hewouldnotdespair:hewouldnotdesist.Hehadeverywell-groundedreasonforsolidattachmentheknewhertohavealltheworththatcouldjustifythewarmesthopesoflastinghappinesswithherherconductatthisverytime,byspeakingthedisinterestednessanddelicacyofhercharacter(qualitieswhichhebelievedmostrareindeed),wasofasorttoheightenallhiswishes,andconfirmallhisresolutions.Heknewnotthathehadapre-engagedhearttoattack.Ofthathehadnosuspicion.Heconsideredherratherasonewhohadneverthoughtonthesubjectenoughtobeindangerwhohadbeenguardedbyyouth,ayouthofmindaslovelyasofpersonwhosemodestyhadpreventedherfromunderstandinghisattentions,andwhowasstilloverpoweredbythesuddennessofaddressessowhollyunexpected,andthenoveltyofasituationwhichherfancyhadnevertakenintoaccount. Mustitnotfollowofcourse,that,whenhewasunderstood,heshouldsucceed?Hebelieveditfully.Lovesuchashis,inamanlikehimself,mustwithperseverancesecureareturn,andatnogreatdistanceandhehadsomuchdelightintheideaofobliginghertolovehiminaveryshorttime,thathernotlovinghimnowwasscarcelyregretted.AlittledifficultytobeovercomewasnoeviltoHenryCrawford.Heratherderivedspiritsfromit.Hehadbeenapttogainheartstooeasily.Hissituationwasnewandanimating. ToFanny,however,whohadknowntoomuchoppositionallherlifetofindanycharminit,allthiswasunintelligible.Shefoundthathedidmeantoperseverebuthowhecould,aftersuchlanguagefromherasshefeltherselfobligedtouse,wasnottobeunderstood.Shetoldhimthatshedidnotlovehim,couldnotlovehim,wassureshenevershouldlovehimthatsuchachangewasquiteimpossiblethatthesubjectwasmostpainfultoherthatshemustentreathimnevertomentionitagain,toallowhertoleavehimatonce,andletitbeconsideredasconcludedforever.Andwhenfartherpressed,hadadded,thatinheropiniontheirdispositionsweresototallydissimilarastomakemutualaffectionincompatibleandthattheywereunfittedforeachotherbynature,education,andhabit.Allthisshehadsaid,andwiththeearnestnessofsincerityyetthiswasnotenough,forheimmediatelydeniedtherebeinganythinguncongeniali