CHAPTER XXXIII

tonlypromised,butdidobserveit.Sheonlylookedherincreasedill-will.Angryshewas:bitterlyangrybutshewasmoreangrywithFannyforhavingreceivedsuchanofferthanforrefusingit.ItwasaninjuryandaffronttoJulia,whooughttohavebeenMr.Crawford’schoiceand,independentlyofthat,shedislikedFanny,becauseshehadneglectedherandshewouldhavegrudgedsuchanelevationtoonewhomshehadbeenalwaystryingtodepress. SirThomasgavehermorecreditfordiscretionontheoccasionthanshedeservedandFannycouldhaveblessedherforallowingheronlytoseeherdispleasure,andnottohearit. LadyBertramtookitdifferently.Shehadbeenabeauty,andaprosperousbeauty,allherlifeandbeautyandwealthwereallthatexcitedherrespect.ToknowFannytobesoughtinmarriagebyamanoffortune,raisedher,therefore,verymuchinheropinion.ByconvincingherthatFannywasverypretty,whichshehadbeendoubtingaboutbefore,andthatshewouldbeadvantageouslymarried,itmadeherfeelasortofcreditincallingherniece. “Well,Fanny,”saidshe,assoonastheywerealonetogetherafterwards,andshereallyhadknownsomethinglikeimpatiencetobealonewithher,andhercountenance,asshespoke,hadextraordinaryanimation“Well,Fanny,Ihavehadaveryagreeablesurprisethismorning.Imustjustspeakofitonce,ItoldSirThomasImustonce,andthenIshallhavedone.Igiveyoujoy,mydearniece.”Andlookingathercomplacently,sheadded,“Humph,wecertainlyareahandsomefamily!” Fannycoloured,anddoubtedatfirstwhattosaywhen,hopingtoassailheronhervulnerableside,shepresentlyanswered— “Mydearaunt,youcannotwishmetododifferentlyfromwhatIhavedone,Iamsure.Youcannotwishmetomarryforyouwouldmissme,shouldnotyou?Yes,Iamsureyouwouldmissmetoomuchforthat.” “No,mydear,Ishouldnotthinkofmissingyou,whensuchanofferasthiscomesinyourway.Icoulddoverywellwithoutyou,ifyouweremarriedtoamanofsuchgoodestateasMr.Crawford.Andyoumustbeaware,Fanny,thatitiseveryyoungwoman’sdutytoacceptsuchaveryunexceptionableofferasthis.” Thiswasalmosttheonlyruleofconduct,theonlypieceofadvice,whichFannyhadeverreceivedfromherauntinthecourseofeightyearsandahalf.Itsilencedher.Shefelthowunprofitablecontentionwouldbe.Ifheraunt’sfeelingswereagainsther,nothingcouldbehopedfromattackingherunderstanding.LadyBertramwasquitetalkative. “Iwilltellyouwhat,Fanny,”saidshe,“IamsurehefellinlovewithyouattheballIamsurethemischiefwasdonethatevening.Youdidlookremarkablywell.Everybodysaidso.SirThomassaidso.AndyouknowyouhadChapmantohelpyoutodress.IamverygladIsentChapmantoyou.IshalltellSirThomasthatIamsureitwasdonethatevening.”Andstillpursuingthesamecheerfulthoughts,shesoonafterwardsadded,“AndIwilltellyouwhat,Fanny,whichismorethanIdidforMaria:thenexttimePughasalitteryoushallhaveapuppy.”