CHAPTER XXXV

estwaytoproduceanextreme.Acounteraction,gentleandcontinual,isthebestsafeguardofmannersandconduct.” FullwellcouldFannyguesswherehisthoughtswerenow:MissCrawford’spowerwasallreturning.Hehadbeenspeakingofhercheerfullyfromthehourofhiscominghome.Hisavoidingherwasquiteatanend.HehaddinedattheParsonageonlytheprecedingday. Afterleavinghimtohishappierthoughtsforsomeminutes,Fanny,feelingitduetoherself,returnedtoMr.Crawford,andsaid,“ItisnotmerelyintemperthatIconsiderhimastotallyunsuitedtomyselfthough,inthatrespect,Ithinkthedifferencebetweenustoogreat,infinitelytoogreat:hisspiritsoftenoppressmebutthereissomethinginhimwhichIobjecttostillmore.Imustsay,cousin,thatIcannotapprovehischaracter.Ihavenotthoughtwellofhimfromthetimeoftheplay.Ithensawhimbehaving,asitappearedtome,soveryimproperlyandunfeelingly—Imayspeakofitnowbecauseitisallover—soimproperlybypoorMr.Rushworth,notseemingtocarehowheexposedorhurthim,andpayingattentionstomycousinMaria,which—inshort,atthetimeoftheplay,Ireceivedanimpressionwhichwillneverbegotover.” “MydearFanny,”repliedEdmund,scarcelyhearinghertotheend,“letusnot,anyofus,bejudgedbywhatweappearedatthatperiodofgeneralfolly.ThetimeoftheplayisatimewhichIhatetorecollect.Mariawaswrong,Crawfordwaswrong,wewereallwrongtogetherbutnonesowrongasmyself.Comparedwithme,alltherestwereblameless.Iwasplayingthefoolwithmyeyesopen.” “Asabystander,”saidFanny,“perhapsIsawmorethanyoudidandIdothinkthatMr.Rushworthwassometimesveryjealous.” “Verypossibly.Nowonder.Nothingcouldbemoreimproperthanthewholebusiness.IamshockedwheneverIthinkthatMariacouldbecapableofitbut,ifshecouldundertakethepart,wemustnotbesurprisedattherest.” “Beforetheplay,IammuchmistakenifJuliadidnotthinkhewaspayingherattentions.” “Julia!IhaveheardbeforefromsomeoneofhisbeinginlovewithJuliabutIcouldneverseeanythingofit.And,Fanny,thoughIhopeIdojusticetomysisters’goodqualities,Ithinkitverypossiblethattheymight,oneorboth,bemoredesirousofbeingadmiredbyCrawford,andmightshewthatdesirerathermoreunguardedlythanwasperfectlyprudent.Icanrememberthattheywereevidentlyfondofhissocietyandwithsuchencouragement,amanlikeCrawford,lively,anditmaybe,alittleunthinking,mightbeledonto—therecouldbenothingverystriking,becauseitisclearthathehadnopretensions:hisheartwasreservedforyou.AndImustsay,thatitsbeingforyouhasraisedhiminconceivablyinmyopinion.Itdoeshimthehighesthonouritshewshisproperestimationoftheblessingofdomestichappinessandpureattachment.Itproveshimunspoiltbyhisuncle.Itproveshim,inshort,everythingthatIhadbeenusedtowishtobelievehim,andfearedhewasnot.” “Iampersuadedthathedoesnotthink,asheought,onserioussubjects.” “Say,rather,thathehasnotthoughtatalluponserioussubjects,whichIbelievetobeagooddealthecase.Howcoulditbeotherwise,withsuchaneducationandadviser?Underthedisadvantages,indeed,whichbothhavehad,isitnotwonderfulthattheyshouldbewhattheyare?Crawford’sfeelings,Iamreadytoacknowledge,havehithertobeentoomuchhisguides.Happily,thosefeelingshavegenerallybeengood.Youwillsupplytherestandamostfortunatemanheistoattachhimselftosuchacreature—toawomanwho,firmasarockinherownprinciples,hasagentlenessofcharactersowelladaptedtorecommendthem.Hehaschosenhispartner,indeed,withrarefelicity.Hewillmakeyouhappy,FannyIknowhewillmakeyouhappybutyouwillmakehimeverything.” “Iwouldnotengageinsuchacharge,”criedFanny,inashrinkingaccen