CHAPTER XXXIV

Edmundhadgreatthingstohearonhisreturn.Manysurpriseswereawaitinghim.Thefirstthatoccurredwasnotleastininterest:theappearanceofHenryCrawfordandhissisterwalkingtogetherthroughthevillageasherodeintoit.Hehadconcluded—hehadmeantthemtobefardistant.HisabsencehadbeenextendedbeyondafortnightpurposelytoavoidMissCrawford.HewasreturningtoMansfieldwithspiritsreadytofeedonmelancholyremembrances,andtenderassociations,whenherownfairselfwasbeforehim,leaningonherbrother’sarm,andhefoundhimselfreceivingawelcome,unquestionablyfriendly,fromthewomanwhom,twomomentsbefore,hehadbeenthinkingofasseventymilesoff,andasfarther,muchfarther,fromhimininclinationthananydistancecouldexpress. Herreceptionofhimwasofasortwhichhecouldnothavehopedfor,hadheexpectedtoseeher.Comingashedidfromsuchapurportfulfilledashadtakenhimaway,hewouldhaveexpectedanythingratherthanalookofsatisfaction,andwordsofsimple,pleasantmeaning.Itwasenoughtosethisheartinaglow,andtobringhimhomeinthepropereststateforfeelingthefullvalueoftheotherjoyfulsurprisesathand. William’spromotion,withallitsparticulars,hewassoonmasterofandwithsuchasecretprovisionofcomfortwithinhisownbreasttohelpthejoy,hefoundinitasourceofmostgratifyingsensationandunvaryingcheerfulnessalldinner-time. Afterdinner,whenheandhisfatherwerealone,hehadFanny’shistoryandthenallthegreateventsofthelastfortnight,andthepresentsituationofmattersatMansfieldwereknowntohim. Fannysuspectedwhatwasgoingon.Theysatsomuchlongerthanusualinthedining-parlour,thatshewassuretheymustbetalkingofherandwhenteaatlastbroughtthemaway,andshewastobeseenbyEdmundagain,shefeltdreadfullyguilty.Hecametoher,satdownbyher,tookherhand,andpresseditkindlyandatthatmomentshethoughtthat,butfortheoccupationandthescenewhichthetea-thingsafforded,shemusthavebetrayedheremotioninsomeunpardonableexcess. Hewasnotintending,however,bysuchaction,tobeconveyingtoherthatunqualifiedapprobationandencouragementwhichherhopesdrewfromit.Itwasdesignedonlytoexpresshisparticipationinallthatinterestedher,andtotellherthathehadbeenhearingwhatquickenedeveryfeelingofaffection.Hewas,infact,entirelyonhisfather’ssideofthequestion.Hissurprisewasnotsogreatashisfather’satherrefusingCrawford,because,sofarfromsupposinghertoconsiderhimwithanythinglikeapreference,hehadalwaysbelievedittoberatherthereverse,andcouldimaginehertobetakenperfectlyunprepared,butSirThomascouldnotregardtheconnexionasmoredesirablethanhedid.Ithadeveryrecommendationtohimandwhilehonouringherforwhatshehaddoneundertheinfluenceofherpresentindifference,honouringherinratherstrongertermsthanSirThomascouldquiteecho,hewasmostearnestinhoping,andsanguineinbelieving,thatitwouldbeamatchatlast,andthat,unitedbymutualaffection,itwouldappearthattheirdispositionswereasexactlyfittedtomakethemblessedineachother,ashewasnowbeginningseriouslytoconsiderthem.Crawfordhadbeentooprecipitate.Hehadnotgivenhertimetoattachherself.Hehadbegunatthewrongend.Withsuchpowersashis,however,andsuchadispositionashers,Edmundtrustedthateverythingwouldworkoutahappyconclusion.Meanwhile,hesawenoughofFanny’sembarrassmenttomakehimscrupulouslyguardagainstexcitingitasecondtime,byanyword,orlook,ormovement. Crawfordcalledthenextday,andonthescoreofEdmund’sreturn,SirThomasfelthimselfmorethanlicensedtoaskhimtostaydinneritwasreallyanecessarycompliment.Hestaidofcourse,andEdmundhadthenampleopportunityforobservinghowhespedwithFanny,andwhatdegreeofimmediateencouragementforhimmightbeextractedfromhermannersanditwassolittle,sovery,verylittle—everychance,everypossibilityofit,restinguponherembarrassmentonlyiftherewasnothopeinherconfusion,therewashopeinnothingelse—thathewasalmostreadytowonderathisfriend’sperseveran