CHAPTER XXXIV

sagesarequotedbyeverybodytheyareinhalfthebooksweopen,andwealltalkShakespeare,usehissimiles,anddescribewithhisdescriptionsbutthisistotallydistinctfromgivinghissenseasyougaveit.Toknowhiminbitsandscrapsiscommonenoughtoknowhimprettythoroughlyis,perhaps,notuncommonbuttoreadhimwellaloudisnoeverydaytalent.” “Sir,youdomehonour,”wasCrawford’sanswer,withabowofmockgravity. BothgentlemenhadaglanceatFanny,toseeifawordofaccordantpraisecouldbeextortedfromheryetbothfeelingthatitcouldnotbe.Herpraisehadbeengiveninherattentionthatmustcontentthem. LadyBertram’sadmirationwasexpressed,andstronglytoo.“Itwasreallylikebeingataplay,”saidshe.“IwishSirThomashadbeenhere.” Crawfordwasexcessivelypleased.IfLadyBertram,withallherincompetencyandlanguor,couldfeelthis,theinferenceofwhatherniece,aliveandenlightenedasshewas,mustfeel,waselevating. “Youhaveagreatturnforacting,Iamsure,Mr.Crawford,”saidherladyshipsoonafterwards“andIwilltellyouwhat,Ithinkyouwillhaveatheatre,sometimeorother,atyourhouseinNorfolk.Imeanwhenyouaresettledthere.Idoindeed.IthinkyouwillfitupatheatreatyourhouseinNorfolk.” “Doyou,ma’am?”criedhe,withquickness.“No,no,thatwillneverbe.Yourladyshipisquitemistaken.NotheatreatEveringham!Ohno!”AndhelookedatFannywithanexpressivesmile,whichevidentlymeant,“ThatladywillneverallowatheatreatEveringham.” Edmundsawitall,andsawFannysodeterminednottoseeit,astomakeitclearthatthevoicewasenoughtoconveythefullmeaningoftheprotestationandsuchaquickconsciousnessofcompliment,suchareadycomprehensionofahint,hethought,wasratherfavourablethannot. Thesubjectofreadingaloudwasfartherdiscussed.Thetwoyoungmenweretheonlytalkers,butthey,standingbythefire,talkedoverthetoocommonneglectofthequalification,thetotalinattentiontoit,intheordinaryschool-systemforboys,theconsequentlynatural,yetinsomeinstancesalmostunnatural,degreeofignoranceanduncouthnessofmen,ofsensibleandwell-informedmen,whensuddenlycalledtothenecessityofreadingaloud,whichhadfallenwithintheirnotice,givinginstancesofblunders,andfailureswiththeirsecondarycauses,thewantofmanagementofthevoice,ofpropermodulationandemphasis,offoresightandjudgment,allproceedingfromthefirstcause:wantofearlyattentionandhabitandFannywaslisteningagainwithgreatentertainment. “Eveninmyprofession,”saidEdmund,withasmile,“howlittletheartofreadinghasbeenstudied!howlittleaclearmanner,andgooddelivery,havebeenattendedto!Ispeakratherofthepast,however,thanthepresent.Thereisnowaspiritofimprovementabroadbutamongthosewhowereordainedtwenty,thirty,fortyyearsago,thelargernumber,tojudgebytheirperformance,musthavethoughtreadingwasreading,andpreachingwaspreaching.Itisdifferentnow.Thesubjectismorejustlyconsidered.Itisfeltthatdistinctnessandenergymayhaveweightinrecommendingthemostsolidtruthsandbesides,thereismoregeneralobservationandtaste,amorecriticalknowledgediffusedthanformerlyineverycongregationthereisalargerproportionwhoknowalittleofthematter,andwhocanjudgeandcriticise.” Edmundhadalreadygonethroughtheserviceoncesincehisordinationanduponthisbeingunderstood,hehadavarietyofquestionsfromCrawfordastohisfeelingsandsuccessquestions,whichbeingmade,thoughwiththevivacityoffriendlyinterestandquicktaste,withoutanytouchofthatspiritofbanterorairoflevitywhichEdmundknewtobemostoffensivetoFanny,hehadtruepleasureinsatisfyingandwhenCrawfordproceededtoaskhisopinionandgivehisownastotheproperestmannerinwhichparticularpassagesintheserviceshouldbedelivered,shewingittobeasubjectonwhichhehadthoughtbefore,andthoughtwithjudgment,Edmundwasstillmoreandmorepleased.ThiswouldbethewaytoFanny’sheart.Shewasnottobewonbyallthatgallantryandwitandgood-naturetogethercoulddoor,atleast,