CHAPTER XXXVIII

Thenoveltyoftravelling,andthehappinessofbeingwithWilliam,soonproducedtheirnaturaleffectonFanny’sspirits,whenMansfieldParkwasfairlyleftbehindandbythetimetheirfirststagewasended,andtheyweretoquitSirThomas’scarriage,shewasabletotakeleaveoftheoldcoachman,andsendbackpropermessages,withcheerfullooks. Ofpleasanttalkbetweenthebrotherandsistertherewasnoend.EverythingsuppliedanamusementtothehighgleeofWilliam’smind,andhewasfulloffrolicandjokeintheintervalsoftheirhigher-tonedsubjects,allofwhichended,iftheydidnotbegin,inpraiseoftheThrush,conjectureshowshewouldbeemployed,schemesforanactionwithsomesuperiorforce,which(supposingthefirstlieutenantoutoftheway,andWilliamwasnotverymercifultothefirstlieutenant)wastogivehimselfthenextstepassoonaspossible,orspeculationsuponprize-money,whichwastobegenerouslydistributedathome,withonlythereservationofenoughtomakethelittlecottagecomfortable,inwhichheandFannyweretopassalltheirmiddleandlaterlifetogether. Fanny’simmediateconcerns,asfarastheyinvolvedMr.Crawford,madenopartoftheirconversation.Williamknewwhathadpassed,andfromhisheartlamentedthathissister’sfeelingsshouldbesocoldtowardsamanwhomhemustconsiderasthefirstofhumancharactersbuthewasofanagetobeallforlove,andthereforeunabletoblameandknowingherwishonthesubject,hewouldnotdistressherbytheslightestallusion. ShehadreasontosupposeherselfnotyetforgottenbyMr.Crawford.ShehadheardrepeatedlyfromhissisterwithinthethreeweekswhichhadpassedsincetheirleavingMansfield,andineachlettertherehadbeenafewlinesfromhimself,warmanddeterminedlikehisspeeches.ItwasacorrespondencewhichFannyfoundquiteasunpleasantasshehadfeared.MissCrawford’sstyleofwriting,livelyandaffectionate,wasitselfanevil,independentofwhatshewasthusforcedintoreadingfromthebrother’spen,forEdmundwouldneverresttillshehadreadthechiefofthelettertohimandthenshehadtolistentohisadmirationofherlanguage,andthewarmthofherattachments.Therehad,infact,beensomuchofmessage,ofallusion,ofrecollection,somuchofMansfieldineveryletter,thatFannycouldnotbutsupposeitmeantforhimtohearandtofindherselfforcedintoapurposeofthatkind,compelledintoacorrespondencewhichwasbringinghertheaddressesofthemanshedidnotlove,andobliginghertoadministertotheadversepassionofthemanshedid,wascruellymortifying.Here,too,herpresentremovalpromisedadvantage.WhennolongerunderthesameroofwithEdmund,shetrustedthatMissCrawfordwouldhavenomotiveforwritingstrongenoughtoovercomethetrouble,andthatatPortsmouththeircorrespondencewoulddwindleintonothing. Withsuchthoughtsasthese,amongtenhundredothers,Fannyproceededinherjourneysafelyandcheerfully,andasexpeditiouslyascouldrationallybehopedinthedirtymonthofFebruary.TheyenteredOxford,butshecouldtakeonlyahastyglimpseofEdmund’scollegeastheypassedalong,andmadenostopanywheretilltheyreachedNewbury,whereacomfortablemeal,unitingdinnerandsupper,wounduptheenjoymentsandfatiguesoftheday. Thenextmorningsawthemoffagainatanearlyhourandwithnoevents,andnodelays,theyregularlyadvanced,andwereintheenvironsofPortsmouthwhiletherewasyetdaylightforFannytolookaroundher,andwonderatthenewbuildings.Theypassedthedrawbridge,andenteredthetownandthelightwasonlybeginningtofailas,guidedbyWilliam’spowerfulvoice,theywererattledintoanarrowstreet,leadingfromtheHighStreet,anddrawnupbeforethedoorofasmallhousenowinhabitedbyMr.Price. Fannywasallagitationandflutterallhopeandapprehension.Themomenttheystopped,atrollopy-lookingmaidservant,seeminglyinwaitingforthematthedoor,steppedforward,andmoreintentontellingthenewsthangivingthemanyhelp,immediatelybeganwith,“TheThrushisgoneoutofharbour,pleasesir,andoneoftheofficershasbeenhereto—”Shewasinterruptedbyafinetallboyofelevenyearsold,who,rushingoutofthehouse,pushedthemaidaside,andwhileWilliamwasopeningthechaise-doorhimself,calledout,“Youarejustintime.Wehavebeenlookingforyouthishalf-hour.TheThrushwentoutofharbourthismorning.Isawher.Itwasabeautifulsight.Andtheythinkshewillhaveherordersinadayortwo.AndMr.Campbellwashereatfouro’clocktoaskforyou:hehasgotoneoftheThrush’sboats,andisgoingofftoheratsix,andhopedyouwouldbehereintimetogowithhim.” AstareortwoatFanny,asWilliamhelpedheroutofthecarriage,wasallthevoluntarynoticewhichthisbrotherbestowedbuthemadenoobjectiontoherkissinghim,thoughstillentirelyengagedindetailingfartherparticularsoftheThrush’sgoingoutofharbour,inwhichhehadastrongrightofinterest,beingtocommencehiscareero