CHAPTER XXXVI

ndwhenIhavedonewithherImustgotohersister,LadyStornaway,becauseshewasrathermymostparticularfriendofthetwo,butIhavenotcaredmuchforherthesethreeyears.” Afterthisspeechthetwogirlssatmanyminutessilent,eachthoughtful:Fannymeditatingonthedifferentsortsoffriendshipintheworld,Maryonsomethingoflessphilosophictendency.Shefirstspokeagain. “HowperfectlyIremembermyresolvingtolookforyouupstairs,andsettingofftofindmywaytotheEastroom,withouthavinganideawhereaboutsitwas!HowwellIrememberwhatIwasthinkingofasIcamealong,andmylookinginandseeingyouheresittingatthistableatworkandthenyourcousin’sastonishment,whenheopenedthedoor,atseeingmehere!Tobesure,youruncle’sreturningthatveryevening!Thereneverwasanythingquitelikeit.” Anothershortfitofabstractionfollowed,when,shakingitoff,shethusattackedhercompanion. “Why,Fanny,youareabsolutelyinareverie.Thinking,Ihope,ofonewhoisalwaysthinkingofyou.Oh!thatIcouldtransportyouforashorttimeintoourcircleintown,thatyoumightunderstandhowyourpoweroverHenryisthoughtofthere!Oh!theenvyingsandheartburningsofdozensanddozensthewonder,theincredulitythatwillbefeltathearingwhatyouhavedone!Forastosecrecy,Henryisquitetheheroofanoldromance,andgloriesinhischains.YoushouldcometoLondontoknowhowtoestimateyourconquest.Ifyouweretoseehowheiscourted,andhowIamcourtedforhissake!Now,IamwellawarethatIshallnotbehalfsowelcometoMrs.Fraserinconsequenceofhissituationwithyou.Whenshecomestoknowthetruthshewill,verylikely,wishmeinNorthamptonshireagainforthereisadaughterofMr.Fraser,byafirstwife,whomsheiswildtogetmarried,andwantsHenrytotake.Oh!shehasbeentryingforhimtosuchadegree.Innocentandquietasyousithere,youcannothaveanideaofthesensationthatyouwillbeoccasioning,ofthecuriositytherewillbetoseeyou,oftheendlessquestionsIshallhavetoanswer!PoorMargaretFraserwillbeatmeforeveraboutyoureyesandyourteeth,andhowyoudoyourhair,andwhomakesyourshoes.IwishMargaretweremarried,formypoorfriend’ssake,forIlookupontheFraserstobeaboutasunhappyasmostothermarriedpeople.AndyetitwasamostdesirablematchforJanetatthetime.Wewerealldelighted.Shecouldnotdootherwisethanaccepthim,forhewasrich,andshehadnothingbutheturnsoutill-temperedandexigeant,andwantsayoungwoman,abeautifulyoungwomanoffive-and-twenty,tobeassteadyashimself.Andmyfrienddoesnotmanagehimwellshedoesnotseemtoknowhowtomakethebestofit.Thereisaspiritofirritationwhich,tosaynothingworse,iscertainlyveryill-bred.IntheirhouseIshallcalltomindtheconjugalmannersofMansfieldParsonagewithrespect.EvenDr.Grantdoesshewathoroughconfidenceinmysister,andacertainconsiderationforherjudgment,whichmakesonefeelthereisattachmentbutofthatIshallseenothingwiththeFrasers.IshallbeatMansfieldforever,Fanny.Myownsisterasawife,SirThomasBertramasahusband,aremystandardsofperfection.PoorJanethasbeensadlytakenin,andyettherewasnothingimproperonherside:shedidnotrunintothematchinconsideratelytherewasnowantofforesight.Shetookthreedaystoconsiderofhisproposals,andduringthosethreedaysaskedtheadviceofeverybodyconnectedwithherwhoseopinionwasworthhaving,andespeciallyappliedtomylatedearaunt,whoseknowledgeoftheworldmadeherjudgmentverygenerallyanddeservedlylookeduptobyallthe