CHAPTER XL

rsuchahouse.Ihopeshewillrecollectit,andbesatisfied,aswellasshemay,withmovingthequeenofapalace,thoughthekingmayappearbestinthebackgroundandasIhavenodesiretoteaseher,Ishallneverforceyournameuponheragain.Shewillgrowsoberbydegrees.FromallthatIhearandguess,BaronWildenheim’sattentionstoJuliacontinue,butIdonotknowthathehasanyseriousencouragement.Sheoughttodobetter.Apoorhonourableisnocatch,andIcannotimagineanylikinginthecase,fortakeawayhisrants,andthepoorbaronhasnothing.Whatadifferenceavowelmakes!Ifhisrentswerebutequaltohisrants!YourcousinEdmundmovesslowlydetained,perchance,byparishduties.TheremaybesomeoldwomanatThorntonLaceytobeconverted.Iamunwillingtofancymyselfneglectedforayoungone.Adieu!mydearsweetFanny,thisisalongletterfromLondon:writemeaprettyoneinreplytogladdenHenry’seyes,whenhecomesback,andsendmeanaccountofallthedashingyoungcaptainswhomyoudisdainforhissake.” Therewasgreatfoodformeditationinthisletter,andchieflyforunpleasantmeditationandyet,withalltheuneasinessitsupplied,itconnectedherwiththeabsent,ittoldherofpeopleandthingsaboutwhomshehadneverfeltsomuchcuriosityasnow,andshewouldhavebeengladtohavebeensureofsuchalettereveryweek.HercorrespondencewithherauntBertramwasheronlyconcernofhigherinterest. AsforanysocietyinPortsmouth,thatcouldatallmakeamendsfordeficienciesathome,therewerenonewithinthecircleofherfather’sandmother’sacquaintancetoaffordherthesmallestsatisfaction:shesawnobodyinwhosefavourshecouldwishtoovercomeherownshynessandreserve.Themenappearedtoherallcoarse,thewomenallpert,everybodyunderbredandshegaveaslittlecontentmentasshereceivedfromintroductionseithertooldornewacquaintance.Theyoungladieswhoapproachedheratfirstwithsomerespect,inconsiderationofhercomingfromabaronet’sfamily,weresoonoffendedbywhattheytermed“airs”for,assheneitherplayedonthepianofortenorworefinepelisses,theycould,onfartherobservation,admitnorightofsuperiority. ThefirstsolidconsolationwhichFannyreceivedfortheevilsofhome,thefirstwhichherjudgmentcouldentirelyapprove,andwhichgaveanypromiseofdurability,wasinabetterknowled