CHAPTER XLII

ynotbeconvenientformetobefetchedexactlyatthetwomonths’end.” Afteramoment’sreflection,Mr.Crawfordreplied,“IknowMansfield,Iknowitsway,Iknowitsfaultstowardsyou.Iknowthedangerofyourbeingsofarforgotten,astohaveyourcomfortsgivewaytotheimaginaryconvenienceofanysinglebeinginthefamily.Iamawarethatyoumaybelefthereweekafterweek,ifSirThomascannotsettleeverythingforcominghimself,orsendingyouraunt’smaidforyou,withoutinvolvingtheslightestalterationofthearrangementswhichhemayhavelaiddownforthenextquarterofayear.Thiswillnotdo.TwomonthsisanampleallowanceIshouldthinksixweeksquiteenough.Iamconsideringyoursister’shealth,”saidhe,addressinghimselftoSusan,“whichIthinktheconfinementofPortsmouthunfavourableto.Sherequiresconstantairandexercise.WhenyouknowheraswellasIdo,Iamsureyouwillagreethatshedoes,andthatsheoughtnevertobelongbanishedfromthefreeairandlibertyofthecountry.If,therefore”(turningagaintoFanny),“youfindyourselfgrowingunwell,andanydifficultiesariseaboutyourreturningtoMansfield,withoutwaitingforthetwomonthstobeended,thatmustnotberegardedasofanyconsequence,ifyoufeelyourselfatalllessstrongorcomfortablethanusual,andwillonlyletmysisterknowit,giveheronlytheslightesthint,sheandIwillimmediatelycomedown,andtakeyoubacktoMansfield.Youknowtheeaseandthepleasurewithwhichthiswouldbedone.Youknowallthatwouldbefeltontheoccasion.” Fannythankedhim,buttriedtolaughitoff. “Iamperfectlyserious,”hereplied,“asyouperfectlyknow.AndIhopeyouwillnotbecruellyconcealinganytendencytoindisposition.Indeed,youshallnotitshallnotbeinyourpowerforsolongonlyasyoupositivelysay,ineverylettertoMary,‘Iamwell,’andIknowyoucannotspeakorwriteafalsehood,solongonlyshallyoubeconsideredaswell.” Fannythankedhimagain,butwasaffectedanddistressedtoadegreethatmadeitimpossibleforhertosaymuch,oreventobecertainofwhatsheoughttosay.Thiswastowardsthecloseoftheirwalk.Heattendedthemtothelast,andleftthemonlyatthedooroftheirownhouse,whenheknewthemtobegoingtodinner,andthereforepretendedto