CHAPTER XLI

stayingattheCrown,hadaccidentallymetwithanavyofficerortwoofhisacquaintancesincehisarrival,buthadnoobjectofthatkindincoming. Bythetimehehadgivenallthisinformation,itwasnotunreasonabletosupposethatFannymightbelookedatandspokentoandshewastolerablyabletobearhiseye,andhearthathehadspenthalfanhourwithhissistertheeveningbeforehisleavingLondonthatshehadsentherbestandkindestlove,buthadhadnotimeforwritingthathethoughthimselfluckyinseeingMaryforevenhalfanhour,havingspentscarcelytwenty-fourhoursinLondon,afterhisreturnfromNorfolk,beforehesetoffagainthathercousinEdmundwasintown,hadbeenintown,heunderstood,afewdaysthathehadnotseenhimhimself,butthathewaswell,hadleftthemallwellatMansfield,andwastodine,asyesterday,withtheFrasers. Fannylistenedcollectedly,eventothelast-mentionedcircumstancenay,itseemedarelieftoherwornmindtobeatanycertaintyandthewords,“thenbythistimeitisallsettled,”passedinternally,withoutmoreevidenceofemotionthanafaintblush. AftertalkingalittlemoreaboutMansfield,asubjectinwhichherinterestwasmostapparent,Crawfordbegantohintattheexpediencyofanearlywalk.“Itwasalovelymorning,andatthatseasonoftheyearafinemorningsooftenturnedoff,thatitwaswisestforeverybodynottodelaytheirexercise”andsuchhintsproducingnothing,hesoonproceededtoapositiverecommendationtoMrs.Priceandherdaughterstotaketheirwalkwithoutlossoftime.Nowtheycametoanunderstanding.Mrs.Price,itappeared,scarcelyeverstirredoutofdoors,exceptofaSundaysheownedshecouldseldom,withherlargefamily,findtimeforawalk.“Wouldshenot,then,persuadeherdaughterstotakeadvantageofsuchweather,andallowhimthepleasureofattendingthem?”Mrs.Pricewasgreatlyobligedandverycomplying.“HerdaughterswereverymuchconfinedPortsmouthwasasadplacetheydidnotoftengetoutandsheknewtheyhadsomeerrandsinthetown,whichtheywouldbeverygladtodo.”Andtheconsequencewas,thatFanny,strangeasitwas—strange,awkward,anddistressing—foundherselfandSusan,withintenminutes,walkingtowardstheHighStreetwithMr.Crawford. Itwassoonpainuponpain,confusionuponconfusionfortheywerehardlyintheHighStreetbeforetheymetherfather,whoseappearancewasnotthebetterfromitsbeingSaturday.Hestoptand,ungentlemanlikeashelooked,FannywasobligedtointroducehimtoMr.Crawford.ShecouldnothaveadoubtofthemannerinwhichMr.Crawfordmustbestruck.Hemustbeashamedanddisgustedaltogether.Hemustsoongiveherup,andceasetohavethesmallestinclinationforthematchandyet,thoughshehadbeensomuchwantinghisaffectiontobecured,thiswasasortofcurethatwouldbealmostasbadasthecomplaintandIbelievethereisscarcelyayoungladyintheUnitedKingdomswhowouldnotratherputupwiththemisfortuneofbeingsoughtbyaclever,agreeableman,thanhavehimdrivenawaybythevulgarityofhernearestrelations. Mr.Crawfordprobablycouldnotregardhisfuturefather-in-lawwithanyideaoftakinghimforamo