CHAPTER XXXV

t“insuchanofficeofhighresponsibility!” “Asusual,believingyourselfunequaltoanything!fancyingeverythingtoomuchforyou!Well,thoughImaynotbeabletopersuadeyouintodifferentfeelings,youwillbepersuadedintothem,Itrust.Iconfessmyselfsincerelyanxiousthatyoumay.IhavenocommoninterestinCrawford’swell-doing.Nexttoyourhappiness,Fanny,hishasthefirstclaimonme.YouareawareofmyhavingnocommoninterestinCrawford.” Fannywastoowellawareofittohaveanythingtosayandtheywalkedontogethersomefiftyyardsinmutualsilenceandabstraction.Edmundfirstbeganagain— “Iwasverymuchpleasedbyhermannerofspeakingofityesterday,particularlypleased,becauseIhadnotdependeduponherseeingeverythinginsojustalight.IknewshewasveryfondofyoubutyetIwasafraidofhernotestimatingyourworthtoherbrotherquiteasitdeserved,andofherregrettingthathehadnotratherfixedonsomewomanofdistinctionorfortune.Iwasafraidofthebiasofthoseworldlymaxims,whichshehasbeentoomuchusedtohear.Butitwasverydifferent.Shespokeofyou,Fanny,justassheought.Shedesirestheconnexionaswarmlyasyouruncleormyself.Wehadalongtalkaboutit.Ishouldnothavementionedthesubject,thoughveryanxioustoknowhersentimentsbutIhadnotbeenintheroomfiveminutesbeforeshebeganintroducingitwithallthatopennessofheart,andsweetpeculiarityofmanner,thatspiritandingenuousnesswhicharesomuchapartofherself.Mrs.Grantlaughedatherforherrapidity.” “WasMrs.Grantintheroom,then?” “Yes,whenIreachedthehouseIfoundthetwosisterstogetherbythemselvesandwhenoncewehadbegun,wehadnotdonewithyou,Fanny,tillCrawfordandDr.Grantcamein.” “ItisaboveaweeksinceIsawMissCrawford.” “Yes,shelamentsityetownsitmayhavebeenbest.Youwillseeher,however,beforeshegoes.Sheisveryangrywithyou,Fannyyoumustbepreparedforthat.Shecallsherselfveryangry,butyoucanimagineheranger.Itistheregretanddisappointmentofasister,whothinksherbrotherhasarighttoeverythinghemaywishfor,atthefirstmoment.Sheishurt,asyouwouldbeforWilliambutshelovesandesteemsyouwithallherheart.” “Iknewshewouldbeveryangrywithme.” “MydearestFanny,”criedEdmund,pressingherarmclosertohim,“donotlettheideaofherangerdistressyou.Itisangertobetalkedofratherthanfelt.Herheartismadeforloveandkindness,notforresentment.IwishyoucouldhaveoverheardhertributeofpraiseIwishyoucouldhaveseenhercountenance,whenshesaidthatyoushouldbeHenry’swife.AndIobservedthatshealwaysspokeofyouas‘Fanny,’whichshewasneverusedtodoandithadasoundofmostsisterlycordiality.” “AndMrs.Grant,didshesay—didshespeakwasshethereallthetime?” “Yes,shewasagreeingexactlywithhersister.Thesurpriseofyourrefusal,Fanny,seemstohavebeenunbounded.ThatyoucouldrefusesuchamanasHenryCrawfordseemsmorethantheycanunderstand.IsaidwhatIcouldforyoubutingoodtruth,astheystatedthecase—youmustproveyourselftobeinyoursensesassoonasyoucanbyadifferentconductnothingelsewillsatisfythem.Butthisisteasingyou.Ihavedone.Donotturnawayfromme.” “Ishouldhavethought,”saidFanny,afterapauseofrecollectionandexertion,“thateverywomanmusthavefeltthepossibilityofaman’snotbeingapproved,notbeinglovedbysomeoneofhersexatleast,lethimbeeversogenerallyagreeable.Lethimhavealltheperfectionsintheworld,Ithinkitoughtnottobesetdownascertainthatamanmustbeacceptabletoeverywomanhemayhappentolikehimself.But,evensupposingitisso,allowingMr.Crawfordtohavealltheclaimswhichhissistersthinkhehas,howwasItobepreparedtomeethimwithanyfeelinganswerabletohisown?Hetookmewhollybysurprise.Ihadnotani