CHAPTER XLII
關燈
小
中
大
edforaminuteandeverythinglookedsobeautifulundertheinfluenceofsuchasky,theeffectsoftheshadowspursuingeachotherontheshipsatSpitheadandtheislandbeyond,withtheever-varyinghuesofthesea,nowathighwater,dancinginitsgleeanddashingagainsttherampartswithsofineasound,producedaltogethersuchacombinationofcharmsforFanny,asmadehergraduallyalmostcarelessofthecircumstancesunderwhichshefeltthem.Nay,hadshebeenwithouthisarm,shewouldsoonhaveknownthatsheneededit,forshewantedstrengthforatwohours’saunterofthiskind,coming,asitgenerallydid,uponaweek’spreviousinactivity.FannywasbeginningtofeeltheeffectofbeingdebarredfromherusualregularexerciseshehadlostgroundastohealthsinceherbeinginPortsmouthandbutforMr.Crawfordandthebeautyoftheweatherwouldsoonhavebeenknockedupnow.
Thelovelinessoftheday,andoftheview,hefeltlikeherself.Theyoftenstoptwiththesamesentimentandtaste,leaningagainstthewall,someminutes,tolookandadmireandconsideringhewasnotEdmund,Fannycouldnotbutallowthathewassufficientlyopentothecharmsofnature,andverywellabletoexpresshisadmiration.Shehadafewtenderreveriesnowandthen,whichhecouldsometimestakeadvantageoftolookinherfacewithoutdetectionandtheresultoftheselookswas,thatthoughasbewitchingasever,herfacewaslessbloomingthanitoughttobe.Shesaidshewasverywell,anddidnotliketobesupposedotherwisebuttakeitallinall,hewasconvincedthatherpresentresidencecouldnotbecomfortable,andthereforecouldnotbesalutaryforher,andhewasgrowinganxiousforherbeingagainatMansfield,whereherownhappiness,andhisinseeingher,mustbesomuchgreater.
“Youhavebeenhereamonth,Ithink?”saidhe.
“Nonotquiteamonth.Itisonlyfourweeksto-morrowsinceIleftMansfield.”
“Youareamostaccurateandhonestreckoner.Ishouldcallthatamonth.”
“IdidnotarriveheretillTuesdayevening.”
“Anditistobeatwomonths’visit,isnot?”
“Yes.Myuncletalkedoftwomonths.Isupposeitwillnotbeless.”
“Andhowareyoutobeconveyedbackagain?Whocomesforyou?”
“Idonotknow.Ihaveheardnothingaboutityetfrommyaunt.PerhapsImaybetostaylonger.Itma
