CHAPTER XLII
關燈
小
中
大
bewaitedforelsewhere.
“Iwishyouwerenotsotired,”saidhe,stilldetainingFannyafteralltheotherswereinthehouse—“IwishIleftyouinstrongerhealth.IsthereanythingIcandoforyouintown?IhavehalfanideaofgoingintoNorfolkagainsoon.IamnotsatisfiedaboutMaddison.Iamsurehestillmeanstoimposeonmeifpossible,andgetacousinofhisownintoacertainmill,whichIdesignforsomebodyelse.Imustcometoanunderstandingwithhim.ImustmakehimknowthatIwillnotbetrickedonthesouthsideofEveringham,anymorethanonthenorth:thatIwillbemasterofmyownproperty.Iwasnotexplicitenoughwithhimbefore.Themischiefsuchamandoesonanestate,bothastothecreditofhisemployerandthewelfareofthepoor,isinconceivable.IhaveagreatmindtogobackintoNorfolkdirectly,andputeverythingatonceonsuchafootingascannotbeafterwardsswervedfrom.MaddisonisacleverfellowIdonotwishtodisplacehim,providedhedoesnottrytodisplacemebutitwouldbesimpletobedupedbyamanwhohasnorightofcreditortodupeme,andworsethansimpletolethimgivemeahard-hearted,gripingfellowforatenant,insteadofanhonestman,towhomIhavegivenhalfapromisealready.Woulditnotbeworsethansimple?ShallIgo?Doyouadviseit?”
“Iadvise!Youknowverywellwhatisright.”
“Yes.Whenyougivemeyouropinion,Ialwaysknowwhatisright.Yourjudgmentismyruleofright.”
“Oh,no!donotsayso.Wehaveallabetterguideinourselves,ifwewouldattendtoit,thananyotherpersoncanbe.Good-byeIwishyouapleasantjourneyto-morrow.”
“IstherenothingIcandoforyouintown?”
“NothingIammuchobligedtoyou.”
“Haveyounomessageforanybody?”
“Mylovetoyoursister,ifyoupleaseandwhenyouseemycousin,mycousinEdmund,IwishyouwouldbesogoodastosaythatIsupposeIshallsoonhearfromhim.”
“Certainlyandifheislazyornegligent,Iwillwritehisexcusesmyself.”
Hecouldsaynomore,forFannywouldbenolongerdetained.Hepressedherhand,lookedather,andwasgone.Hewenttowhileawaythenextthreehoursashecould,withhisotheracquaintance,tillthebestdinnerthatacapitalinnaffordedwasreadyfortheirenjoyment,andsheturnedintohermoresimpleoneimmediately.
Theirgeneralfarebo
