CHAPTER XXXVI

ddictedto.AndIdoseriouslyandtrulybelievethatheisattachedtoyouinawaythatheneverwastoanywomanbeforethathelovesyouwithallhisheart,andwillloveyouasnearlyforeveraspossible.Ifanymaneverlovedawomanforever,IthinkHenrywilldoasmuchforyou.” Fannycouldnotavoidafaintsmile,buthadnothingtosay. “IcannotimagineHenryevertohavebeenhappier,”continuedMarypresently,“thanwhenhehadsucceededingettingyourbrother’scommission.” ShehadmadeasurepushatFanny’sfeelingshere. “Oh!yes.Howvery,verykindofhim.” “Iknowhemusthaveexertedhimselfverymuch,forIknowthepartieshehadtomove.TheAdmiralhatestrouble,andscornsaskingfavoursandtherearesomanyyoungmen’sclaimstobeattendedtointhesameway,thatafriendshipandenergy,notverydetermined,iseasilyputby.WhatahappycreatureWilliammustbe!Iwishwecouldseehim.” PoorFanny’smindwasthrownintothemostdistressingofallitsvarieties.TherecollectionofwhathadbeendoneforWilliamwasalwaysthemostpowerfuldisturberofeverydecisionagainstMr.CrawfordandshesatthinkingdeeplyofittillMary,whohadbeenfirstwatchinghercomplacently,andthenmusingonsomethingelse,suddenlycalledherattentionbysaying:“Ishouldliketosittalkingwithyouhereallday,butwemustnotforgettheladiesbelow,andsogood-bye,mydear,myamiable,myexcellentFanny,forthoughweshallnominallypartinthebreakfast-parlour,Imusttakeleaveofyouhere.AndIdotakeleave,longingforahappyreunion,andtrustingthatwhenwemeetagain,itwillbeundercircumstanceswhichmayopenourheartstoeachotherwithoutanyremnantorshadowofreserve.” Avery,verykindembrace,andsomeagitationofmanner,accompaniedthesewords. “Ishallseeyourcousinintownsoon:hetalksofbeingtheretolerablysoonandSirThomas,Idaresay,inthecourseofthespringandyoureldestcousin,andtheRushworths,andJulia,Iamsureofmeetingagainandagain,andallbutyou.Ihavetwofavourstoask,Fanny:oneisyourcorrespondence.Youmustwritetome.Andtheother,thatyouwilloftencallonMrs.Grant,andmakeheramendsformybeinggone.” Thefirst,atleast,ofthesefavoursFannywouldrathernothavebeenaskedbutitwasimpossibleforhertorefusethecorrespondenceitwasimpossibleforherevennottoaccedetoitmorereadilythanherownjudgmentauthorised.Therewasnoresistingsomuchapparentaffection.Herdispositionwaspeculiarlycalculatedtovalueafondtreatment,andfromhavinghithertoknownsolittleofit,shewasthemoreovercomebyMissCrawford’s.Besides,therewasgratitudetowardsher,forhavingmadetheirtête-à-têtesomuchlesspainfulthanherfearshadpredicted. Itwasover,andshehadescapedwithoutreproachesandwithoutdetection.Hersecretwasstillherownandwhilethatwasthecase,shethoughtshecouldresignherselftoalmosteverything. Intheeveningtherewasanotherparting.HenryCrawfordcameandsatsometimewiththemandherspiritsnotbeingpreviouslyinthestrongeststate,herheartwassoftenedforawhiletowardshim,becausehereallyseemedtofeel.Quiteunlikehisusualself,hescarcelysaidanything.Hewasevidentlyoppressed,andFannymustgrieveforhim,thoughhopingshemightneverseehimagaintillhewerethehusbandofsomeotherwoman. Whenitcametothemomentofparting,hewouldtakeherhand,hewouldnotbedeniedithesaidnothing,however,ornothingthatsheheard,andwhenhehadlefttheroom,shewasbetterpleasedthatsuchatokenoffriendshiphadpassed. OnthemorrowtheCrawfordsweregone.