CHAPTER XXXIV

ce.Fannywasworthitallheheldhertobewortheveryeffortofpatience,everyexertionofmind,buthedidnotthinkhecouldhavegoneonhimselfwithanywomanbreathing,withoutsomethingmoretowarmhiscouragethanhiseyescoulddiscerninhers.HewasverywillingtohopethatCrawfordsawclearer,andthiswasthemostcomfortableconclusionforhisfriendthathecouldcometofromallthatheobservedtopassbefore,andat,andafterdinner. Intheeveningafewcircumstancesoccurredwhichhethoughtmorepromising.WhenheandCrawfordwalkedintothedrawing-room,hismotherandFannyweresittingasintentlyandsilentlyatworkasiftherewerenothingelsetocarefor.Edmundcouldnothelpnoticingtheirapparentlydeeptranquillity. “Wehavenotbeensosilentallthetime,”repliedhismother.“Fannyhasbeenreadingtome,andonlyputthebookdownuponhearingyoucoming.”Andsureenoughtherewasabookonthetablewhichhadtheairofbeingveryrecentlyclosed:avolumeofShakespeare.“Sheoftenreadstomeoutofthosebooksandshewasinthemiddleofaveryfinespeechofthatman’s—what’shisname,Fanny?—whenweheardyourfootsteps.” Crawfordtookthevolume.“Letmehavethepleasureoffinishingthatspeechtoyourladyship,”saidhe.“Ishallfinditimmediately.”Andbycarefullygivingwaytotheinclinationoftheleaves,hedidfindit,orwithinapageortwo,quitenearenoughtosatisfyLadyBertram,whoassuredhim,assoonashementionedthenameofCardinalWolsey,thathehadgottheveryspeech.NotalookoranofferofhelphadFannygivennotasyllablefororagainst.Allherattentionwasforherwork.Sheseemeddeterminedtobeinterestedbynothingelse.Buttastewastoostronginher.Shecouldnotabstracthermindfiveminutes:shewasforcedtolistenhisreadingwascapital,andherpleasureingoodreadingextreme.Togoodreading,however,shehadbeenlongused:herunclereadwell,hercousinsall,Edmundverywell,butinMr.Crawford’sreadingtherewasavarietyofexcellencebeyondwhatshehadevermetwith.TheKing,theQueen,Buckingham,Wolsey,Cromwell,allweregiveninturnforwiththehappiestknack,thehappiestpowerofjumpingandguessing,hecouldalwaysalightatwillonthebestscene,orthebestspeechesofeachandwhetheritweredignity,orpride,ortenderness,orremorse,orwhateverweretobeexpressed,hecoulddoitwithequalbeauty.Itwastrulydramatic.HisactinghadfirsttaughtFannywhatpleasureaplaymightgive,andhisreadingbroughtallhisactingbeforeheragainnay,perhapswithgreaterenjoyment,foritcameunexpectedly,andwithnosuchdrawbackasshehadbeenusedtosufferinseeinghimonthestagewithMissBertram. Edmundwatchedtheprogressofherattention,andwasamusedandgratifiedbyseeinghowshegraduallyslackenedintheneedlework,whichatthebeginningseemedtooccupyhertotally:howitfellfromherhandwhileshesatmotionlessoverit,andatlast,howtheeyeswhichhadappearedsostudiouslytoavoidhimthroughoutthedaywereturnedandfixedonCrawford—fixedonhimforminutes,fixedonhim,inshort,tilltheattractiondrewCrawford’suponher,andthebookwasclosed,andthecharmwasbroken.Thenshewasshrinkingagainintoherself,andblushingandworkingashardaseverbutithadbeenenoughtogiveEdmundencouragementforhisfriend,andashecordiallythankedhim,hehopedtobeexpressingFanny’ssecretfeelingstoo. “Thatplaymustbeafavouritewithyou,”saidhe“youreadasifyouknewitwell.” “Itwillbeafavourite,Ibelieve,fromthishour,”repliedCrawford“butIdonotthinkIhavehadavolumeofShakespeareinmyhandbeforesinceIwasfifteen.IoncesawHenrytheEighthacted,orIhaveheardofitfromsomebodywhodid,Iamnotcertainwhich.ButShakespeareonegetsacquaintedwithwithoutknowinghow.ItisapartofanEnglishman’sconstitution.Histhoughtsandbeautiesaresospreadabroadthatonetouchesthemeverywhereoneisintimatewithhimbyinstinct.Nomanofanybraincanopenatagoodpartofoneofhisplayswithoutfallingintotheflowofhismeaningimmediately.” “NodoubtoneisfamiliarwithShakespeareinadegree,”saidEdmund,“fromone’searliestyears.Hiscelebratedpas