CHAPTER XL

FannywasrightenoughinnotexpectingtohearfromMissCrawfordnowattherapidrateinwhichtheircorrespondencehadbegunMary’snextletterwasafteradecidedlylongerintervalthanthelast,butshewasnotrightinsupposingthatsuchanintervalwouldbefeltagreatrelieftoherself.Herewasanotherstrangerevolutionofmind!Shewasreallygladtoreceivetheletterwhenitdidcome.Inherpresentexilefromgoodsociety,anddistancefromeverythingthathadbeenwonttointeresther,aletterfromonebelongingtothesetwhereherheartlived,writtenwithaffection,andsomedegreeofelegance,wasthoroughlyacceptable.Theusualpleaofincreasingengagementswasmadeinexcusefornothavingwrittentoherearlier“AndnowthatIhavebegun,”shecontinued,“myletterwillnotbeworthyourreading,fortherewillbenolittleofferingofloveattheend,nothreeorfourlinespassionnéesfromthemostdevotedH.C.intheworld,forHenryisinNorfolkbusinesscalledhimtoEveringhamtendaysago,orperhapsheonlypretendedthecall,forthesakeofbeingtravellingatthesametimethatyouwere.Butthereheis,and,bythebye,hisabsencemaysufficientlyaccountforanyremissnessofhissister’sinwriting,fortherehasbeenno‘Well,Mary,whendoyouwritetoFanny?IsnotittimeforyoutowritetoFanny?’tospurmeon.Atlast,aftervariousattemptsatmeeting,Ihaveseenyourcousins,‘dearJuliaanddearestMrs.Rushworth’theyfoundmeathomeyesterday,andweweregladtoseeeachotheragain.Weseemedverygladtoseeeachother,andIdoreallythinkwewerealittle.Wehadavastdealtosay.ShallItellyouhowMrs.Rushworthlookedwhenyournamewasmentioned?Ididnotusetothinkherwantinginself-possession,butshehadnotquiteenoughforthedemandsofyesterday.Uponthewhole,Juliawasinthebestlooksofthetwo,atleastafteryouwerespokenof.TherewasnorecoveringthecomplexionfromthemomentthatIspokeof‘Fanny,’andspokeofherasasistershould.ButMrs.Rushworth’sdayofgoodlookswillcomewehavecardsforherfirstpartyonthe28th.Thenshewillbeinbeauty,forshewillopenoneofthebesthousesinWimpoleStreet.Iwasinittwoyearsago,whenitwasLadyLascelle’s,andpreferittoalmostanyIknowinLondon,andcertainlyshewillthenfeel,touseavulgarphrase,thatshehasgotherpennyworthforherpenny.Henrycouldnothaveaffordedhe