CHAPTER XXXV

comfortablefordaysanddays. “Sofaryourconducthasbeenfaultless,andtheywerequitemistakenwhowishedyoutodootherwise.Butthematterdoesnotendhere.Crawford’sisnocommonattachmentheperseveres,withthehopeofcreatingthatregardwhichhadnotbeencreatedbefore.This,weknow,mustbeaworkoftime.But”(withanaffectionatesmile)“lethimsucceedatlast,Fanny,lethimsucceedatlast.Youhaveprovedyourselfuprightanddisinterested,proveyourselfgratefulandtender-heartedandthenyouwillbetheperfectmodelofawomanwhichIhavealwaysbelievedyoubornfor.” “Oh!never,never,never!heneverwillsucceedwithme.”AndshespokewithawarmthwhichquiteastonishedEdmund,andwhichsheblushedattherecollectionofherself,whenshesawhislook,andheardhimreply,“Never!Fanny!—soverydeterminedandpositive!Thisisnotlikeyourself,yourrationalself.” “Imean,”shecried,sorrowfullycorrectingherself,“thatIthinkInevershall,asfarasthefuturecanbeansweredforIthinkInevershallreturnhisregard.” “Imusthopebetterthings.Iamaware,moreawarethanCrawfordcanbe,thatthemanwhomeanstomakeyoulovehim(youhavingduenoticeofhisintentions)musthaveveryuphillwork,forthereareallyourearlyattachmentsandhabitsinbattlearrayandbeforehecangetyourheartforhisownusehehastounfastenitfromalltheholdsuponthingsanimateandinanimate,whichsomanyyears’growthhaveconfirmed,andwhichareconsiderablytightenedforthemomentbytheveryideaofseparation.IknowthattheapprehensionofbeingforcedtoquitMansfieldwillforatimebearmingyouagainsthim.Iwishhehadnotbeenobligedtotellyouwhathewastryingfor.IwishhehadknownyouaswellasIdo,Fanny.Betweenus,Ithinkweshouldhavewonyou.Mytheoreticalandhispracticalknowledgetogethercouldnothavefailed.Heshouldhaveworkeduponmyplans.Imusthope,however,thattime,provinghim(asIfirmlybelieveitwill)todeserveyoubyhissteadyaffection,willgivehimhisreward.Icannotsupposethatyouhavenotthewishtolovehim—thenaturalwishofgratitude.Youmusthavesomefeelingofthatsort.Youmustbesorryforyourownindifference.” “Wearesototallyunlike,”saidFanny,avoidingadirectanswer,“wearesovery,verydifferentinallourinclinationsandways,thatIconsideritasquiteimpossibleweshouldeverbetolerablyhappytogether,evenifIcouldlikehim.Thereneverweretwopeoplemoredissimilar.Wehavenotonetasteincommon.Weshouldbemiserable.” “Youaremistaken,Fanny.Thedissimilarityisnotsostrong.Youarequiteenoughalike.Youhavetastesincommon.Youhavemoralandliterarytastesincommon.Youhavebothwarmheartsandbenevolentfeelingsand,Fanny,whothatheardhimread,andsawyoulistentoShakespearetheothernight,willthinkyouunfittedascompanions?Youforgetyourself:thereisadecideddifferenceinyourtempers,Iallow.Heislively,youareseriousbutsomuchthebetter:hisspiritswillsupportyours.Itisyourdispositiontobeeasilydejectedandtofancydifficultiesgreaterthantheyare.Hischeerfulnesswillcounteractthis.Heseesdifficultiesnowhere:andhispleasantnessandgaietywillbeaconstantsupporttoyou.Yourbeingsofarunlike,Fanny,doesnotinthesmallestdegreemakeagainsttheprobabilityofyourhappinesstogether:donotimagineit.Iammyselfconvincedthatitisratherafavourablecircumstance.Iamperfectlypersuadedthatthetempershadbetterbeunlike:Imeanunlikeintheflowofthespirits,inthemanners,intheinclinationformuchorlittlecompany,inthepropensitytotalkortobesilent,tobegraveortobegay.Someoppositionhereis,Iamthoroughlyconvinced,friendlytomatrimonialhappiness.Iexcludeextremes,ofcourseandaverycloseresemblanceinallthosepointswouldbethelikeli