CHAPTER XXXVI

youngpeopleofheracquaintance,andshewasdecidedlyinfavourofMr.Fraser.Thisseemsasifnothingwereasecurityformatrimonialcomfort.IhavenotsomuchtosayformyfriendFlora,whojiltedaveryniceyoungmanintheBluesforthesakeofthathorridLordStornaway,whohasaboutasmuchsense,Fanny,asMr.Rushworth,butmuchworse-looking,andwithablackguardcharacter.Ihadmydoubtsatthetimeaboutherbeingright,forhehasnoteventheairofagentleman,andnowIamsureshewaswrong.Bythebye,FloraRosswasdyingforHenrythefirstwintershecameout.ButwereItoattempttotellyouofallthewomenwhomIhaveknowntobeinlovewithhim,Ishouldneverhavedone.Itisyou,onlyyou,insensibleFanny,whocanthinkofhimwithanythinglikeindifference.Butareyousoinsensibleasyouprofessyourself?No,no,Iseeyouarenot.” Therewas,indeed,sodeepablushoverFanny’sfaceatthatmomentasmightwarrantstrongsuspicioninapredisposedmind. “Excellentcreature!Iwillnotteaseyou.Everythingshalltakeitscourse.But,dearFanny,youmustallowthatyouwerenotsoabsolutelyunpreparedtohavethequestionaskedasyourcousinfancies.Itisnotpossiblebutthatyoumusthavehadsomethoughtsonthesubject,somesurmisesastowhatmightbe.Youmusthaveseenthathewastryingtopleaseyoubyeveryattentioninhispower.Wasnothedevotedtoyouattheball?Andthenbeforetheball,thenecklace!Oh!youreceiveditjustasitwasmeant.Youwereasconsciousasheartcoulddesire.Irememberitperfectly.” “Doyoumean,then,thatyourbrotherknewofthenecklacebeforehand?Oh!MissCrawford,thatwasnotfair.” “Knewofit!Itwashisowndoingentirely,hisownthought.Iamashamedtosaythatithadneverenteredmyhead,butIwasdelightedtoactonhisproposalforbothyoursakes.” “Iwillnotsay,”repliedFanny,“thatIwasnothalfafraidatthetimeofitsbeingso,fortherewassomethinginyourlookthatfrightenedme,butnotatfirstIwasasunsuspiciousofitatfirst—indeed,indeedIwas.ItisastrueasthatIsithere.AndhadIhadanideaofit,nothingshouldhaveinducedmetoacceptthenecklace.Astoyourbrother’sbehaviour,certainlyIwassensibleofaparticularity:Ihadbeensensibleofitsomelittletime,perhapstwoorthreeweeksbutthenIconsidereditasmeaningnothing:Iputitdownassimplybeinghisway,andwasasfarfromsupposingasfromwishinghimtohaveanyseriousthoughtsofme.Ihadnot,MissCrawford,beenaninattentiveobserverofwhatwaspassingbetweenhimandsomepartofthisfamilyinthesummerandautumn.Iwasquiet,butIwasnotblind.IcouldnotbutseethatMr.Crawfordamusedhimselfingallantrieswhichdidmeannothing.” “Ah!Icannotdenyit.Hehasnowandthenbeenasadflirt,andcaredverylittleforthehavochemightbemakinginyoungladies’affections.Ihaveoftenscoldedhimforit,butitishisonlyfaultandthereisthistobesaid,thatveryfewyoungladieshaveanyaffectionsworthcaringfor.Andthen,Fanny,thegloryoffixingonewhohasbeenshotatbysomanyofhavingitinone’spowertopayoffthedebtsofone’ssex!Oh!Iamsureitisnotinwoman’snaturetorefusesuchatriumph.” Fannyshookherhead.“Icannotthinkwellofamanwhosportswithanywoman’sfeelingsandtheremayoftenbeagreatdealmoresufferedthanastander-bycanjudgeof.” “Idonotdefendhim.Ileavehimentirelytoyourmercy,andwhenhehasgotyouatEveringham,Idonotcarehowmuchyoulecturehim.ButthisIwillsay,thathisfault,thelikingtomakegirlsalittleinlovewithhim,isnothalfsodangeroustoawife’shappinessasatendencytofallinlovehimself,whichhehasneverbeena