CHAPTER XXXVIII

ofallthePortsmouthservants,ofwhomshebelievedherowntwoweretheveryworst,engrossedhercompletely.TheBertramswereallforgottenindetailingthefaultsofRebecca,againstwhomSusanhadalsomuchtodepose,andlittleBetseyagreatdealmore,andwhodidseemsothoroughlywithoutasinglerecommendation,thatFannycouldnothelpmodestlypresumingthathermothermeanttopartwithherwhenheryearwasup. “Heryear!”criedMrs.Price“IamsureIhopeIshallberidofherbeforeshehasstaidayear,forthatwillnotbeuptillNovember.Servantsarecometosuchapass,mydear,inPortsmouth,thatitisquiteamiracleifonekeepsthemmorethanhalfayear.IhavenohopeofeverbeingsettledandifIwastopartwithRebecca,Ishouldonlygetsomethingworse.AndyetIdonotthinkIamaverydifficultmistresstopleaseandIamsuretheplaceiseasyenough,forthereisalwaysagirlunderher,andIoftendohalftheworkmyself.” Fannywassilentbutnotfrombeingconvincedthattheremightnotbearemedyfoundforsomeoftheseevils.AsshenowsatlookingatBetsey,shecouldnotbutthinkparticularlyofanothersister,averyprettylittlegirl,whomshehadlefttherenotmuchyoungerwhenshewentintoNorthamptonshire,whohaddiedafewyearsafterwards.Therehadbeensomethingremarkablyamiableabouther.FannyinthoseearlydayshadpreferredhertoSusanandwhenthenewsofherdeathhadatlastreachedMansfield,hadforashorttimebeenquiteafflicted.ThesightofBetseybroughttheimageoflittleMarybackagain,butshewouldnothavepainedhermotherbyalludingtoherfortheworld.Whileconsideringherwiththeseideas,Betsey,atasmalldistance,washoldingoutsomethingtocatchhereyes,meaningtoscreenitatthesametimefromSusan’s. “Whathaveyougotthere,mylove?”saidFanny“comeandshewittome.” Itwasasilverknife.UpjumpedSusan,claimingitasherown,andtryingtogetitawaybutthechildrantohermother’sprotection,andSusancouldonlyreproach,whichshedidverywarmly,andevidentlyhopingtointerestFannyonherside.“ItwasveryhardthatshewasnottohaveherownknifeitwasherownknifelittlesisterMaryhadleftittoheruponherdeathbed,andsheoughttohavehadittokeepherselflongago.Butmamakeptitfromher,andwasalwayslettingBetseygetholdofitandtheendofitwouldbethatBetseywouldspoilit,andgetitforherown,thoughmamahadpromisedherthatBetseyshouldnothaveitinherownhands.” Fannywasquiteshocked.Everyfeelingofduty,honour,andtendernesswaswoundedbyhersister’sspeechandhermother’sreply. “Now,Susan,”criedMrs.Price,inacomplainingvoice,“now,howcanyoubesocross?Youarealwaysquarrellingaboutthatknife.Iwishyouwouldnotbesoquarrelsome.PoorlittleBetseyhowcrossSusanistoyou!Butyoushouldnothavetakenitout,mydear,whenIsentyoutothedrawer.YouknowItoldyounottotouchit,becauseSusanissocrossaboutit.Imusthideitanothertime,Betsey.PoorMarylittlethoughtitwouldbesuchaboneofcontentionwhenshegaveitmetokeep,onlytwohoursbeforeshedied.Poorlittlesoul!shecouldbutjustspeaktobeheard,andshesaidsoprettily,‘LetsisterSusanhavemyknife,mama,whenIamdeadandburied.’Poorlittledear!shewassofondofit,Fanny,thatshewouldhaveitlaybyherinbed,allthroughherillness.Itwasthegiftofhergoodgodmother,oldMrs.AdmiralMaxwell,onlysixweeksbeforeshewastakenfordeath.Poorlittlesweetcreature!Well,shewastakenawayfromeviltocome.MyownBetsey”(fondlingher),“youhavenottheluckofsuchagoodgodmother.AuntNorrislivestoofarofftothinkofsuchlittlepeopleasyou.” FannyhadindeednothingtoconveyfromauntNorris,butamessagetosayshehopedthathergod-daughterwasagoodgirl,andlearntherbook.Therehadbeenatonemomentaslightmurmurinthedrawing-roomatMansfieldParkaboutsendingheraprayer-bookbutnosecondsoundhadbeenheardofsuchapurpose.Mrs.Norris,however,hadgonehomeandtakendowntwooldprayer-booksofherhusbandwiththatideabut,uponexamination,theardourofgenerositywentoff.Onewasfoundtohavetoosmallaprintforachild’seyes,andtheothertobetoocumbersomeforhertocarryabout. Fanny,fatiguedandfatiguedagain,wasthankfultoacceptthefirstinvitationofgoingtobedandbeforeBetseyhadfinishedhercryatbeingallowedtosituponlyonehourextraordinaryinhonourofsister,shewasoff,leavingallbelowinconfusionandnoiseagaintheboysbeggingfortoastedcheese,herfathercallingoutforhisrumandwater,andRebeccaneverwheresheoughttobe. TherewasnothingtoraiseherspiritsintheconfinedandscantilyfurnishedchamberthatshewastosharewithSusan.Thesmallnessoftheroomsaboveandbelow,indeed,andthenarrownessofthepassageandstaircase,struckherbeyondherimagination.ShesoonlearnedtothinkwithrespectofherownlittleatticatMansfieldPark,inthathousereckonedtoosmallforanybody’scomfort.