CHAPTER XXXVII

Mr.Crawfordgone,SirThomas’snextobjectwasthatheshouldbemissedandheentertainedgreathopethathisniecewouldfindablankinthelossofthoseattentionswhichatthetimeshehadfelt,orfancied,anevil.Shehadtastedofconsequenceinitsmostflatteringformandhedidhopethatthelossofit,thesinkingagainintonothing,wouldawakenverywholesomeregretsinhermind.Hewatchedherwiththisideabuthecouldhardlytellwithwhatsuccess.Hehardlyknewwhethertherewereanydifferenceinherspiritsornot.Shewasalwayssogentleandretiringthatheremotionswerebeyondhisdiscrimination.Hedidnotunderstandher:hefeltthathedidnotandthereforeappliedtoEdmundtotellhimhowshestoodaffectedonthepresentoccasion,andwhethersheweremoreorlesshappythanshehadbeen. Edmunddidnotdiscernanysymptomsofregret,andthoughthisfatheralittleunreasonableinsupposingthefirstthreeorfourdayscouldproduceany. WhatchieflysurprisedEdmundwas,thatCrawford’ssister,thefriendandcompanionwhohadbeensomuchtoher,shouldnotbemorevisiblyregretted.HewonderedthatFannyspokesoseldomofher,andhadsolittlevoluntarilytosayofherconcernatthisseparation. Alas!itwasthissister,thisfriendandcompanion,whowasnowthechiefbaneofFanny’scomfort.IfshecouldhavebelievedMary’sfuturefateasunconnectedwithMansfieldasshewasdeterminedthebrother’sshouldbe,ifshecouldhavehopedherreturnthithertobeasdistantasshewasmuchinclinedtothinkhis,shewouldhavebeenlightofheartindeedbutthemoresherecollectedandobserved,themoredeeplywassheconvincedthateverythingwasnowinafairertrainforMissCrawford’smarryingEdmundthanithadeverbeenbefore.Onhissidetheinclinationwasstronger,onherslessequivocal.Hisobjections,thescruplesofhisintegrity,seemedalldoneaway,nobodycouldtellhowandthedoubtsandhesitationsofherambitionwereequallygotover—andequallywithoutapparentreason.Itcouldonlybeimputedtoincreasingattachment.Hisgoodandherbadfeelingsyieldedtolove,andsuchlovemustunitethem.HewastogototownassoonassomebusinessrelativetoThorntonLaceywerecompleted—perhapswithinafortnighthetalkedofgoing,helovedtotalkofitandwhenoncewithheragain,Fannycouldnotdoubttherest.Heracceptancemustbeascertainashisofferandyettherewerebadfeelingsstillremainingwhichmadetheprospectofitmostsorrowfultoher,independently,shebelieved,independentlyofself. Intheirverylastconversation,MissCrawford,inspiteofsomeamiablesensations,andmuchpersonalkindness,hadstillbeenMissCrawfordstillshewnamindledastrayandbewildered,andwithoutanysuspicionofbeingsodarkened,yetfancyingitselflight.Shemightlove,butshedidnotdeserveEdmundbyanyothersentiment.FannybelievedtherewasscarcelyasecondfeelingincommonbetweenthemandshemaybeforgivenbyoldersagesforlookingonthechanceofMissCrawford’sfutureimprovementasnearlydesperate,forthinkingthatifEdmund’sinfluenceinthisseasonoflovehadalreadydonesolittleinclearingherjudgment,andregulatinghernotions,hisworthwouldbefinallywastedonhereveninyearsofmatrimony. Experiencemighthavehopedmoreforanyyoungpeoplesocircumstanced,andimpartialitywouldnothavedeniedtoMi