CHAPTER XXXVIII

rMansfield!ItdidpainhertohaveMansfieldforgottenthefriendswhohaddonesomuch—thedear,dearfriends!Buthere,onesubjectswallowedupalltherest.Perhapsitmustbeso.ThedestinationoftheThrushmustbenowpreeminentlyinteresting.Adayortwomightshewthedifference.Sheonlywastoblame.YetshethoughtitwouldnothavebeensoatMansfield.No,inheruncle’shousetherewouldhavebeenaconsiderationoftimesandseasons,aregulationofsubject,apropriety,anattentiontowardseverybodywhichtherewasnothere. Theonlyinterruptionwhichthoughtslikethesereceivedfornearlyhalfanhourwasfromasuddenburstofherfather’s,notatallcalculatedtocomposethem.Atamorethanordinarypitchofthumpingandhallooinginthepassage,heexclaimed,“Deviltakethoseyoungdogs!Howtheyaresingingout!Ay,Sam’svoicelouderthanalltherest!Thatboyisfitforaboatswain.Holla,youthere!Sam,stopyourconfoundedpipe,orIshallbeafteryou.” Thisthreatwassopalpablydisregarded,thatthoughwithinfiveminutesafterwardsthethreeboysallburstintotheroomtogetherandsatdown,Fannycouldnotconsideritasaproofofanythingmorethantheirbeingforthetimethoroughlyfagged,whichtheirhotfacesandpantingbreathsseemedtoprove,especiallyastheywerestillkickingeachother’sshins,andhallooingoutatsuddenstartsimmediatelyundertheirfather’seye. Thenextopeningofthedoorbroughtsomethingmorewelcome:itwasforthetea-things,whichshehadbegunalmosttodespairofseeingthatevening.Susanandanattendantgirl,whoseinferiorappearanceinformedFanny,tohergreatsurprise,thatshehadpreviouslyseentheupperservant,broughtineverythingnecessaryforthemealSusanlooking,assheputthekettleonthefireandglancedathersister,asifdividedbetweentheagreeabletriumphofshewingheractivityandusefulness,andthedreadofbeingthoughttodemeanherselfbysuchanoffice.“Shehadbeenintothekitchen,”shesaid,“tohurrySallyandhelpmakethetoast,andspreadthebreadandbutter,orshedidnotknowwhentheyshouldhavegottea,andshewassurehersistermustwantsomethingafterherjourney.” Fannywasverythankful.Shecouldnotbutownthatsheshouldbeverygladofalittletea,andSusanimmediatelysetaboutmakingit,asifpleasedtohavetheemploymentalltoherselfandwithonlyalittleunnecessarybustle,andsomefewinjudiciousattemptsatkeepingherbrothersinbetterorderthanshecould,acquittedherselfverywell.Fanny’sspiritwasasmuchrefreshedasherbodyherheadandheartweresoonthebetterforsuchwell-timedkindness.Susanhadanopen,sensiblecountenanceshewaslikeWilliam,andFannyhopedtofindherlikehimindispositionandgoodwilltowardsherself. InthismoreplacidstateofthingsWilliamreentered,followednotfarbehindbyhismotherandBetsey.He,completeinhislieutenant’suniform,lookingandmovingallthetaller,firmer,andmoregracefulforit,andwiththehappiestsmileoverhisface,walkedupdirectlytoFanny,who,risingfromherseat,lookedathimforamomentinspeechlessadmiration,andthenthrewherarmsroundhisnecktosobouthervariousemotionsofpainandpleasure. Anxiousnottoappearunhappy,shesoonrecoveredherselfandwipingawayhertears,wasabletonoticeandadmireallthestrikingpartsofhisdresslisteningwithrevivingspiritstohischeerfulhopesofbeingonshoresomepartofeverydaybeforetheysailed,andevenofgettinghertoSpitheadtoseethesloop. ThenextbustlebroughtinMr.Campbell,thesurgeonoftheThrush,averywell-behavedyoungman,whocametocallforhisfriend,andforwhomtherewaswithsomecontrivancefoundachair,andwithsomehastywashingoftheyoungtea-maker’s,acupandsaucerandafteranotherquarterofanhourofearnesttalkbetweenthegentlemen,noiserisinguponnoise,andbustleuponbustle,menandboysatlastallinmotiontogether,themomentcameforsettingoffeverythingwasready,Williamtookleave,andallofthemweregoneforthethreeboys,inspiteoftheirmother’sentreaty,determinedtoseetheirbrotherandMr.Campbelltothesally-portandMr.Pricewalkedoffatthesametimetocarrybackhisneighbour’snewspaper. Somethingliketranquillitymightnowbehopedforandaccordingly,whenRebeccahadbeenprevailedontocarryawaythetea-things,andMrs.Pricehadwalkedabouttheroomsometimelookingforashirt-sleeve,whichBetseyatlasthuntedoutfromadrawerinthekitchen,thesmallpartyoffemaleswereprettywellcomposed,andthemotherhavinglamentedagainovertheimpossibilityofgettingSamreadyintime,wasatleisuretothinkofhereldestdaughterandthefriendsshehadcomefrom. Afewinquiriesbegan:butoneoftheearliest—“HowdidsisterBertrammanageaboutherservants?”“Wassheasmuchplaguedasherselftogettolerableservants?”—soonledhermindawayfromNorthamptonshire,andfixeditonherowndomesticgrievances,andtheshockingcharacter